Download Middle East

ISLAMIC REALM
• The Religion of Islam dominates the
Middle East and North Africa
• Nearly ALL countries in this region
practice Islam as their official religion
• Israel is the only exception with Judaism
as its official religion
POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
• Majority of population lives around
water resources (not in the dry arid
regions).
- The Nile
- Mediterranean Sea
- Euphrates and Tigris Basin
- Lower mountain slopes of Iran,
south of the Caspian Sea
THE MIDDLE EAST
• “Middle” of the Eastern realmbetween the Far East (China) and
the Near East (Turkey)
• Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon.
• Center of conflict between
Christians, Jews, and Muslims
• Sunni – Shia conflict (within Iraq
and throughout the region).
Fertile Crescent
• An area located in a crescent-shaped
region between the Persian Gulf in
the south and Israel in the west.
• Center of Ancient Human Civilization
- Mesopotamian Civilization
developed along the Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers.
Arabian Peninsula
• Major Oil Producing Region
• One of the World’s Richest Regions
• National Boundaries Created by
Europeans After World War I
- Created Along Tribal Lines
• Islam Originated Here
North Africa
• Located Between the Sahara
Desert and the Mediterranean Sea
• Very Dry Region
• Long Rich Cultural History
- Egyptian Civilization developed
along the Nile River