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Middle East? OR Near East? OR Southwest Asia? OR….? HERE IS THE WORLD… …AND HERE IS NORTH AFRICA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA Due to the location, it’s called the Crossroads of Continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia SOME COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE: AFGHANISTAN TURKEY IRAQ SAUDI ARABIA IRAN KUWAIT QATAR ISRAEL AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) The Fertile Crescent The Tigris & Euphrates River System Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the Two Rivers” Marsh Arabs, So. Iraq Fertile Crescent Dust Storms Along the Tigris-Euphrates Flood Plains Dead Sea: Lowest Point on Earth 2,300’ below sea level Highest Salt Content (33%) MINARETS MOSQUES: places of worship for Muslims. Typical features are domes and minarets DOME The Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey. Built between 532 and 537 by the Christian Emperor Justinian I as a Byzantine church, which it functioned as for the next 900 years. In 1453, the Islamic-faithed Ottomans took over Constantinople (now Istanbul). They wasted little time in converting the Hagia Sophia into a mosque. It served the Muslims for almost 500 years. The Ottomans painted over the Christian mosaics - and erected the four defining minarets we see today. In 1934, Turkey changed the Hagia Sofia's status from mosque to museum and uncovered the priceless Byzantine mosaics. The Dome of the Rock http://www.sacredsites.com/1st30/domeof.html Jerusalem: This Muslim holy site was built on the remains of the Temple of Solomon, a holy site for Jews The Kaaba http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~brvs/kaaba.html Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Kaaba is the most sacred site for Muslims. A Muslim must take the haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca at least once in his/her life. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAJ01wh0 Jerusalem: This church was built on the site where Christians believe that Jesus Christ was crucified. The Western Wall in Jerusalem: Also known as the Wailing Wall http://www.sacredsites.com/1st30/domeof.html http://www.igc.apc.org/ddickerson/western-wall.gif Part 2 Other notable cultural landmarks: A “Bazaar” is an open-air market, usually in the center of a Middle eastern town. This bazaar specializes in woven Arabian carpets- verrrrrrry popular!!!! Bazaars are also called “suqs” Cultural Landscapes are old…. Like the many walled cities around the Arab World… …and new Like the oil rigs around the Middle East The Jordan River System: Israel & Jordan--A Fight Over Water Rights? Mountain Ranges in Mid-East Elburz Mts., Iran Lebanese Mts. Zagros Mts., Iran Taurus Mts., Turkey Wadis – Instant Springs Desert Bedouins Breeding Areas of Desert Locusts Swarms of Desert Locusts! Israel Hit By Worst Locust Plague Since the 1950s! Locusts Swarm the Pyramids Complex at Giza! Rub al-Khali: “The Empty Quarter” Desert Oases: Water at a Premium! Fresh Groundwater Sources Desalinization Plants The Middle East vs. the U. S. Latitude Lines Middle East: Climate Regions Middle East: Population Density The Middle East: Natural Vegetation The Natural Resources of the Middle East World Oil Reserves Persian Gulf Oil Exports (2003) Saudi Oil Fields & Refineries Kuwait: An Island Floating on a Sea of Oil Kuwait City Leading U. S. Oil Suppliers The U. S. imports 30% of its oil needs from the Middle East.