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MIDDLE EAST
“CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD”
MIDDLE EAST
Includes 3 Continents:
EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA
 “CROSSROADS of the World”
 From MOROCCO to AFGHANISTAN {west/east}
 From TURKEY to ARABIAN PENINSULA {north/south}
 TWICE size of USA
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5 MAIN REGIONS OF MIDDLE EAST
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NORTHERN TIER
ARABIAN PENINSULA
FERTILE CRESCENT
NILE VALLEY
MAGREB
NORTHERN TIER
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Two Large PLATEAUS cover much of Northern Tier:
IRANIAN PLATEAU
ANATOLIAN PLATEAU
ARABIAN PENINSULA
1/3 Size of USA
 Surrounded by water on 3 sides:
RED SEA, ARABIAN SEA, PERSIAN GULF
 Largest nation in area – SAUDI ARABIA
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FERTILE CRESCENT
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Arch Shaped Region – from MEDITERRANEAN Sea
{along Tigris & Euphrates} to PERSIAN GULF
Area once known as MESOPOTAMIA
NILE VALLEY
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Fertile area in northeastern Africa - EGYPT
MAGHREB
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Areas in NORTH AFRICA -west of Egypt
The region including the Atlas Mountains and the
coastal plains of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,
Magreb means “WESTERN ISLE”
GEOGRAPHY
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TWICE size of USA
Mostly DESERT {80%}-Sahara, Sinai, Rub Al Khali
ATLAS Mountains – northwest Africa – separate
SAHARA Desert from MEDITERRANEAN Sea
GEOGRAPHY
Most live in RIVER VALLEYS or along COASTS
 5 Important Seas:
Caspian, Red, Mediterranean, Black, Arabian
 4 Main Rivers:
Nile, Tigris, Euphrates, Jordan
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GEOGRAPHY
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15% Farmable – lack of RAINFALL scarcity of WATER
Main Crops:
WHEAT, BARLEY, OLIVES, GRAPES, DATES
VALUABLE RESOURCE
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OIL
About 70% of World’s Reserves
Mostly along PERSIAN GULF
About 50% of World’s Supply of OIL
MIDDLE EAST Oil Organization-OPEC
Countries include: IRAQ, IRAN, SAUDI ARABIA,
KUWAIT, ANGOLA, ALGERIA, LIBYA, QATAR, UAE
Control PRICE/PRODUCTION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl0MbDpLhqk
PEOPLE OF THE MIDDLE EAST
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Majority of People are ARABS – language ARABIC
Religion – 90% practice ISLAM {known as MUSLIMS}
Most ARABS are MUSLIMS
There are CHRISTIAN ARABS
Many MUSLIMS in TURKEY & IRAN are not ARABS
Another large non-Muslim group are the Israelis (Jewish)
PEOPLE - RELIGION
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The World’s 3 large Monotheistic religions started in
the Middle East:
JUDAISM
CHRISTIANITY
ISLAM
Spread of religions from Middle East to other parts
of the world – CULTURAL DIFFUSION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eUcRjo9Yv4
HTTP://WWW.TED.COM/TALKS/SHERE
EN_EL_FEKI_POP_CULTURE_IN_THE_AR
AB_WORLD.HTML
For your first map:
Use the link below to the interactive
map for Middle East turmoil. Please
use the third map to label and explain
what is going on in the middle east
under the map you just labeled. Please
number the places with the explanation.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/27/35
89879/interactive-map-middle-east-a.html
Use the following
maps to do the
Geography Map
Caspian
Sea
Jordan
River
LABEL
YOUR
WATER
SAHARA
SINAI
DESERT
Arabian Peninsula
The Northern Tier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OykL64dP6
KY
Anatolian Plateau
Iran Plateau