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Middle East CHAPTER16,17, & 18 Objectives Students will understand that physical geography has made much of this region rich in oil and natural gas The climate of the region has made water scarce The region is home to different ethnic and religious groups Physical Features Arabia and Iraq Arabia is the Arabian Peninsula and is surrounded by water on three side The Persian Gulf separates the peninsula from the rest of Asia North of the Arabian Peninsula is Iraq These countries are part of Asia Arabia and Iraq Physical Features Most of the Arabian Peninsula lies on the Arabian plate A plate is a block of rock and soil The Tigris and Euphrates River lie in the northern Arabian Plate Israel and its Neighbors: Physical Features Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Golan Heights, West Bank, and Gaza Strip are in Southwest Asia The West Bank and Gaza Strip are Palestinian Territories These countries lie on the Mediterranean Sea where Africa and Asia meet. Israel and its Neighbors: Physical Features The Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth (1,378 feet below sea level) The southern part of this area is known as the Fertile Crescent The Fertile Crescent is a region that stretches from the Mediterranean east through Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) to Persian Gulf Iran, Turkey, and Cyprus: Physical Features Turkey is on both Europe and Asia and is made up of the peninsula called Anatolia The Black Sea is to the north and the Mediterranean Sea is to the south The Bosporus strait splits Europe from Asia and makes Istanbul an important trading port A strait is a narrow body of water that cuts through land, connecting two larger bodies of water Iran, Turkey, and Cyprus: Physical Features Iran and Turkey are both mountainous Cyprus is an island below Turkey Turkey experiences many earthquakes Climate Most of Arabia and Iraq are desert Few plants and animals The mountains or Yemen and Iraq get enough water for farming Most people live around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates desalinate water (remove salt from the water) Climate Israel and its neighbors have three kinds of climates The Mediterranean coast gets most rainfall and has a Mediterranean climate (summers are hot and dry and mild winter months) The east is in a rain shadow (dry area that forms behind a highland that captures rain and snow) This area is a desert The rest of the area is dry but has enough rain for some plants and animals Climate Iran In the northwest, summers are warm and winters are below freezing It is warmer farther south Dust storms are caused by shamal: summer winds Climate Cyprus and Turkey Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate Coastal areas in Turkey receive more rainfall Natural Resources Oil Fossil fuels are formed under pressure from the remains of living things Many fold traps lie below the Persian Gulf and Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys This has given Saudi Arabia the world’s largest oil reserves Natural Resources Iraq and Arabia depend on oil and natural gas to pay for their needs Iran also has large deposits of fossil fuels 85% of government’s income from oil Oil spills have killed plant and animal life Turkey has coal and produces hydroelectric power Natural Resources Water Arabia and Iraq use oil money to build water facilities or desalination plants Fresh water is also scarce in Israel and its surrounding areas Lebanon is the only country with plenty of fresh water Israel relies on aquifers: underground layers of rock where water collects Wells and pumps bring the water to the surface Iran, Turkey, and Cyprus have built qanats or tunnels to bring water to villages Conflict Over Water The Euphrates flows from Turkey through Syria to Iraq If Turkey uses too much water it limits the supply for other countries Israel uses water from under the West Bank, which is home to many Palestinians. Many fear water shortages could lead to war. Ethnicity and Religion Arab Muslims make up the majority (more than half) of Arabia and Iraq Arabs dominate politics In Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, a majority of the people are not Arabs They are foreigners from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Philippines Kurds live in a self-governing area of Northern Iraq Ethnicity and Religion Islam is split into two groups: Sunni and Shias Most people in Arabia are Sunnis There is conflict between Sunni, Shias, and Kurds in the area Israel and its Neighbors This area is made up of Jews and Arabs Most of Israel's people are Jewish and speak Hebrew Arabs speak Arabic and live in Palestinian Territories, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria Ethnicity and Religion Differences Among Arabs Druze Muslims follow a religion that combines Islam with other teachings Alawites follow a form of Islam similar to Shia Islam Most Arabs in Israel, Gaza Strip, and West Bank are Sunni Israeli Arabs consider themselves Palestinians Israeli and Arab neighbors have fought many wars. Ethnicity and Religion Turkey, Iran, and Cyprus 97% of people in these countries are Muslim Turkey Turkey does not recognize separate ethic groups Turkey banned the expression of Kurdish culture Most people in Turkey are Sunni Muslim Ethnicity and Religion Iran Half of the people in Iran are ethnic Persians Almost all people in Iran are Muslim Some Iranians practice Zoroastrianism: a religion that dates back to ancient times Ethnicity and Religion Cyprus People in Cyprus are called Cypriots 75% are Greek-speaking Christians The rest are Turkishspeaking Muslims There has been fighting between the two groups
