North Africa and North Africa and Southwest Asia (Middle Southwest Asia (Middle

East)East)

Leading countries according Leading countries according to GDPto GDP

KuwaitKuwaitUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Arab EmiratesQatarQatar IsraelIsrael

Leading countries according Leading countries according to Land sizeto Land size

AlgeriaAlgeriaSaudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaLibyaLibya

Leading countries according Leading countries according to populationto population

IranIranTurkeyTurkeyEgyptEgypt

Physical CharacteristicsPhysical CharacteristicsArea is the crossroads of Area is the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and AsiaEurope, Africa, and Asia

It has a primarily desert or It has a primarily desert or semi-arid climatesemi-arid climate

Sahara, Sahel, and steppes Sahara, Sahel, and steppes are the primary vegetation are the primary vegetation regionregion

Sahara--world’s largest Sahara--world’s largest desert, it stretches over desert, it stretches over most of North Africa most of North Africa and is growingand is growing

Sahel--area separating Sahel--area separating the Sahara from the the Sahara from the tropical rainforest of tropical rainforest of Africa. Africa.

The Sahel is an area of The Sahel is an area of temperate grassland temperate grassland (steppe) moving into (steppe) moving into sparse desert scrub-like sparse desert scrub-like vegetationvegetation

Three main mountain rangesThree main mountain ranges1. Atlas Mountains in 1. Atlas Mountains in northern Algeria and northern Algeria and MoroccoMorocco

2. Taurus Mountains in 2. Taurus Mountains in southern Turkeysouthern Turkey

3. Zagros Mountains in 3. Zagros Mountains in western Iranwestern Iran

Even though this is a Even though this is a dry area, water plays a dry area, water plays a very large rolevery large role

There are several large There are several large bodies of water which bodies of water which play a major role in play a major role in world politicsworld politics

Examples :Examples :Persian Gulf/Arabian Persian Gulf/Arabian GulfGulf

Strait of HormuzStrait of HormuzArabian SeaArabian SeaRed SeaRed Sea

Other important bodies of Other important bodies of waterwater

Mediterranean Sea, Black Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Bosporus Strait, Sea, Bosporus Strait, Dardanelles Strait, Nile River Dardanelles Strait, Nile River (longest in the world), Tigris (longest in the world), Tigris and Euphrates (home to the and Euphrates (home to the world’s first civilization) and world’s first civilization) and the Jordan Riverthe Jordan River

The area is also subject The area is also subject to seasonal flooding, to seasonal flooding, alluvial soils, delta alluvial soils, delta regions, oases, and regions, oases, and wadiswadis

Seasonal flooding--Seasonal flooding--several of the rivers several of the rivers flood regularly (Nile) flood regularly (Nile) which deposit rich which deposit rich alluvial soil for farmingalluvial soil for farming

The desert regions are home The desert regions are home to many oases (a place to many oases (a place where fresh water makes it where fresh water makes it possible for life to exist in a possible for life to exist in a dry area) and wadi (a gully or dry area) and wadi (a gully or usually dry river bed cut by usually dry river bed cut by running water after a running water after a downpour)downpour)

Economic CharacteristicsEconomic Characteristics

The area has a heavy The area has a heavy reliance on primary reliance on primary economic activities such economic activities such as oil drilling, agriculture as oil drilling, agriculture and herding/grazingand herding/grazing

The area is the home of the The area is the home of the Organization of Petroleum Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Exporting Countries

Many countries in the area Many countries in the area still belong today still belong today

Major producers of the Major producers of the world’s oilworld’s oil

Provide large oil revenuesProvide large oil revenues

Positive effectsPositive effects--jobs, --jobs, revenue, position of powerrevenue, position of power

Negative effectsNegative effects--reliance --reliance on one industry, pollution, on one industry, pollution, unequal distribution of unequal distribution of wealthwealth

Water is the region’s Water is the region’s MOSTMOST PRECIOUSPRECIOUS resource resource

Aswan High Dam has had Aswan High Dam has had positive and negative effects positive and negative effects on the region.on the region.

Suez Canal enhanced Suez Canal enhanced shipping routes in the regionshipping routes in the region

Positive effects of the Positive effects of the Aswan High damAswan High damControls flooding, Controls flooding, recreation areas, powerrecreation areas, power

Negative effects of the Negative effects of the Aswan high DamAswan high Damland losing fertility, lost land losing fertility, lost homes when dam built,homes when dam built,

There is a great variation in There is a great variation in the standard of living in the the standard of living in the region.region.

It ranges from the relatively It ranges from the relatively high to the poverty stricken.high to the poverty stricken.

There is also a wide range of There is also a wide range of per capita income and per capita income and differing levels of differing levels of developmentdevelopment

Trade has been important Trade has been important to the region from the to the region from the earliest time.earliest time.

Today regional conflicts and Today regional conflicts and political unrest have political unrest have affected trade and tourism affected trade and tourism

The area today has The area today has contemporary trade routes contemporary trade routes (sea lanes)(sea lanes)

Cultural CharacteristicsCultural CharacteristicsThe area has experienced The area has experienced rapid urbanizationrapid urbanization

Most modernization has Most modernization has centered around urban centered around urban areas and more traditional areas and more traditional life has continued in the life has continued in the rural areasrural areas

Large percentage of the Large percentage of the population is under the age population is under the age of 15 due to conflict, of 15 due to conflict, disease and the hardships disease and the hardships associated with the region. associated with the region.

The population is generally The population is generally unevenly distributed due to unevenly distributed due to the environment and the environment and resourcesresources

All but three of the All but three of the countries are Arab nations countries are Arab nations and they use the Arabic and they use the Arabic language.language.

Turkey, Iran and Israel are Turkey, Iran and Israel are the non-Arab countriesthe non-Arab countries

North Africa and Southwest North Africa and Southwest Asia are the birthplace to Asia are the birthplace to three major monotheistic three major monotheistic religions: Judaism, religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Christianity, and Islam.

All three claim similar holy All three claim similar holy places and the dominant places and the dominant group has changed over group has changed over the years. the years.

Since 1949, the region Since 1949, the region has been in conflict over has been in conflict over the area known as the area known as PALESTINE. This area is PALESTINE. This area is present day Israel.present day Israel.

Much of the region has a Much of the region has a nomadic lifestylenomadic lifestyle

NOMADICNOMADIC-to wander from -to wander from place to place behind a place to place behind a food source or for other food source or for other reasonsreasons

The art of the region The art of the region reflects the diversity of reflects the diversity of the religions;the religions;

stained glass, geometric stained glass, geometric tiles, calligraphy, mosaics, tiles, calligraphy, mosaics, and prayer rugsand prayer rugs

Cities as centers of trade and Cities as centers of trade and cultureculture

Baghdad, IraqBaghdad, IraqCairo, EgyptCairo, Egypt Istanbul, TurkeyIstanbul, Turkey Jerusalem, IsraelJerusalem, IsraelMecca, Saudi ArabiaMecca, Saudi ArabiaTehran, IranTehran, Iran

Cultural LandscapeCultural LandscapeMosques, minaretsMosques, minaretsChurch of the Holy Church of the Holy SepulcherSepulcher

Hagia SophiaHagia Sophiabazaars, sugsbazaars, sugsWestern Wall (of Western Wall (of Jerusalem)Jerusalem)

Dome of the RockDome of the RockKaabaKaabaPyramidsPyramidsOil rigsOil rigswalled citieswalled cities

The End of the NotesThe End of the Notes

Sahara desertSahara desert

OasisOasis

Stained Glass/MosaicsStained Glass/Mosaics

Prayer RugsPrayer Rugs

Oil RigsOil Rigs

KaabaKaaba

Dome of the RockDome of the Rock

Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia

Church of the Holy Church of the Holy SepulcherSepulcher

PyramidsPyramids

Western WallWestern Wall

Western WallWestern Wall