Middle East: Culture

Continue notes on pages 50-51

Culture?

– Population– Languages– Religion– Agriculture– Economics– Urbanization

Population: Where are the people?

Population

• Population is dense near WATER– Tigris and Euphrates (what’s that called?)– Jordan River– Low overall population (why?)

Deaths under 40 Years

Population

• Ethnicities:– Mostly Arab– Pashtun– Turks– Bedouins– Persians– Kurds

Pashtun – The largest ethnic group in Afghanistan.

Kurdistan

List the four Middle Eastern countries that have significant Kurdish populations.

Why is there fighting between Kurds and other Muslims?

Definition of Kurd - A Muslim who is not an Arab.

Kurds are a distinct ethnic group that has never had their own homeland. The countries they live in do not want to give up any land, so there is a large amount of conflict.

Languages

– Unified by Arabic Language - An Afro-Asiatic Language

– Israel- Hebrew– Afghanistan- Pashto– Iran- Farsi– Turkey- Turkish

Languages

Religion

• ISLAM!!!– Prophet Mohammed– Monotheistic= one god– Allah– Divisions: Sunni, Shiite

The Five Pillars of IslamLeave room below each one for notes.

• Shahadah (creed) • Salat (prayer five times each day) • Zakat (tithing) • Sawm (fasting) • Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)

Shahadah (creed)

"I testify that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is his messenger."

Salat (prayer five times each day)

Zakat (tithing)

$$$

Sawm (fasting)

Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)

Islam in Iran

Two major branches of Islam in the entire Middle East: Sunni (about 89%)Shia (about 10%)

Iran is one of the exceptions. The Shia Imams (Muslim preachers) control Iran, so Shi’ism is the branch that is most powerful there, while Sunnism is the most powerful in almost every other country.

Islam in Iran…..Continued

• Iran is also the only country that has an Ayatollah. Currently, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the Islamic ruler in Iran. He is important because Iran is a theocracy, or a government that is ruled by religious authority and that makes him the supreme ruler there.

Agriculture

• Agriculture– commercial farming in Israel

• Mediterranean climate yielding citrus, avocados & ranching

– Nomadic Herding• Bedouins

– Desertification

Agriculture

Economy

• Mostly dependent on oil– Generally, those who have it are wealthy, those

who don’t aren’t (excepting Israel and Turkey)

Urbanization

• Populations move to cities

Baghdad

Riyadh