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The “Middle East”

The “Middle East”. (North Africa & Southwest Asia). Introduction To The Region. what are our preconceived notions? dominance of Islamic culture but there are non-Muslim and non-Arabic groups the term Muslim speaks of believers in Islam the term Arab refers to the largest ethnic group

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The “Middle East”

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  1. The “Middle East” (North Africa & Southwest Asia)

  2. Introduction To The Region • what are our preconceived notions? • dominance of Islamic culture • but there are non-Muslim and non-Arabic groups • the term Muslim speaks of believers in Islam • the term Arab refers to the largest ethnic group • deserts, irrigation, and the role of water • geopolitics and the curse/blessing of oil • peace process in the Middle East • Middle Eastern history in 90 seconds

  3. Physical Patterns • Climate • One of the driest regions in world • Water as the most precious source • Desert clothing and scorching temperatures • On margins of deserts and in mountain ranges enough rain for limited agriculture, herding

  4. Climate Zones Figure 6.4

  5. Physical Patterns • Landforms and Vegetation • Some mountains induce orographic effect • Atlas Mountains: skiing industry • Mountains of southwest Arabia • Anatolian highlands of Turkey • Major deserts: • Sahara, Rub’al Khali • Three major rivers: • Nile, Tigris, Euphrates • What are wadis? Wadi in Algeria

  6. Population Patterns Immense expanse of deserts in the region leads to dense Population clusters near coasts, rivers, and in moist uplands

  7. Snapshots from the region and its peoples Landscape in Oman Landscape in Iran Oasis in the United Arab Emirates Palestinian children

  8. Mountainous Regions of the Middle East Atlas Mountains in Algeria Taurus Mountains in Turkey Oman Mountains near Muscat Elburz Mountains in Iran

  9. Other important Features Nile Delta and the gulfs of Suez and Aqaba Alluvial fan at the foot of a mountain range Sand dunes in Saudi Arabia Cappadocia (Turkey) eroded chimney rocks

  10. Water Bodies of Importance Satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea Sandstorm over the Persian Gulf Amasra (Turkey) on the Black Sea Satellite image of the Black Sea

  11. Traditional Landscapes and Peoples

  12. Modern Urban Landscapes from Riyadh to Dubai

  13. Contrasts on the Arabian Peninsula

  14. Weddings in Three Religions Israeli bride and groom in Gaza Arab Christian bride and groom in Jerusalem Muslim bride and groom in Tehran

  15. The Spread of Islam, 630-1700 AD Figure 6.9

  16. Five Pillars of the Islam 1) shahadah (Profession of Belief) 2) salah (5 daily prayers Mecca) 3) zakah (religious tax) 4) sawm (holy month of Ramadan) 5) hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)

  17. 1.) Pilgrims perform cleansing rituals at designated stations outside Mecca. Men and women exchange their street clothes for hajj garments (Ihram / sacred state) – stripping themselves of social distinctions and embracing their dedication to God. 2.) Among other rites, pilgrims circle the “Kaabah”, a shrine at the center of the Grand Mosque – built, it is said, by Abraham and his son - seven times counterclockwise in a procession called the “Tawaf”. It symbolizes placing God's House at the center of their lives. 3.) On the first official day of the hajj, pilgrims take a three-mile journey into Mina, where they spend the night in a massive tent city. 4.) In the morning, pilgrims continue east to the Plain of Arafat, where Muslims believe Adam and Eve were reunited after leaving Eden. A daylong group vigil, in which pilgrims stand in the presence of God, marks the zenith of the hajj. 5.) At sundown, the hajj loops back toward Mecca, halting at a patch of hills called the “Muzdalifah”, where pilgrims stop for the night, participate in a nightlong vigil, and collect stones for the next day. 6.) At dawn, pilgrims cast pebbles at the “Jamraat”, three stone pillars that symbolize temptation - places where Satan tried to tempt Abraham from the path of God. They first throw seven stones at the largest pillar, and then stone the other two over the course of two or three days. 7.) Back in Mecca, pilgrims can perform the seven turns around the “Kaabah” one last time before heading home. The end of the hajj is celebrated with a three-day feast.

  18. The Shii of the Middle East (The Majority of Muslims in the world consider themselves Sunni)

  19. Diversity of Languages • Arabic: official language in all countries in the region except Turkey, Iran, and Israel • Turkey: Turkish • Iran: Farsi • Israel: Hebrew • Non-Arabic minorities retain own languages • Arabic dialects homogenizing under media pressure • French and English major second languages

  20. Major Languages in the Region Figure 6.26

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