Download Chapter 17: Physical Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia

Chapter 17: Physical
Geography of North Africa,
Southwest Asia, and
Central Asia
Seas and Peninsulas
The most northern sea in this region is the Strait of Gibraltar
The Mediterranean Sea separates Africa and Europe
Three major landlocked bodies of saltwater
 Dead Sea- Forms the Israli-Jodanian border
 Caspian Sea- largest inland body of water
 Aral Sea- Faces a major problem with irrigation
Nile River
The worlds largest river
Today more than 90% of Egyptians
live in the Nile Delta
Flows north
Flooding used to be very important
for the region
The Aswan High Dam controls the
river
Tigris and Euphrates
“The Land between two rivers”
Ancient Mesopotamians ruled this
area
 Created the wheel, sailboats, and
cuneiform
A complex irrigation network
allowed for a civilization of 7,000
years
Streambeds
Many of the streams flow
intermittently
Frequent rainstorms creates wadis
 Streambeds that remain dry until a heavy
rain
Wadis are often very dangerous
Coastal Plains and Highlands
Most of the region has lush coastal
plains
The Atlas mountains are longest
mountain range in Africa
 Western side gets a lot of precipitation
 Eastern side very dry which hurts the
economy
The Asir mountain produces the best
farmland in Southwest Asia
Earthquakes
Eurasian plates come together
Tectonic activity in the area formed the
Zagros Mountains in Southern Iran
Turkey has suffered the largest
earthquake in this region
Natural Resources and Diverse
Economies
Petroleum and natural gas
are the regions most
abundant resource
 70% of oil
 33% of natural gas
Turkmenistan is the leading
producer of sulfate and
sulfur
Countries are trying to get
more involved in tourism
Section 2: Climate and Vegetation
Water: A Precious Resource
Some areas get large amount of
rainfall
 Caspian Sea receives more than 78
inches
In the majority of this region
evaporation rates exceed rainfall
rates
The Sahara is the worlds largest
non-polar desert
Desert Climate
Covers most of North Africa
A desert is defined as having less than 10 inches
of precipitation
Winters in the Northern Sahara and Central
Asia have cold winters
Nomadic herds of sheep, goats, and camels
graze the deserts
Steppe Climate
The Steppe is the second-largest climate
of this region
The more northern of the climates
Generally less than 14 inches of
precipitation
Just enough grasses to practice
pastoralism
Exports and Tourists
The Mediterranean countries have a much
better economy
Major exports of citrus fruits, olives, and
grapes
Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities
In Morocco, cities have 360 days of all
daytime
Rainfall
Coastal and highlands areas near mountains generally receive more
rainfall
The Atlas mountains in Africa receives over 30 inches of
precipitation creating the best farmland in the area
Most cereals come from that region
With new technology there is more concern about acid rain