The Physical Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia

1. The Physical Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia Chapter 17

2. The Land Section 1

3. Seas and Peninsulas • Red Sea • Gulf of Aden • Arabian Peninsula • Persian Gulf • Arabian Sea • Sinai Peninsula

4. Dead Sea • Black Sea • Caspian Sea • Aral Sea

5. Rivers • Jordan River • Nile River • Tigris River • Euphrates River

6. Major Rivers: Cradles of Civilization • Nile Delta • 90% of Egypt pop located on 3% of land • Alluvial Soil • Mesopotamia – “land between two rivers” • Euphrates and Tigris • Supported farming for 7,000 YEARS!

7. Stream Beds • Wadis – streambeds that remain dry until a heavy rain.

8. Plains, Plateaus, and Mountains

9. Coastal Plains • Fertile land along Mediterranean Sea

10. Highlands • Atlas Mountains – Africa’s longest mountain range • Rain on Northern side • Produce barley, wheat, oats • Droughts hurt economy • Hejaz and Asir mountain ranges • Caucasus Mountains – Mount Ararat • Zagros Mountains

11. Earthquakes • Red Sea constantly expanding • Turkey and surrounding areas always experiencing earthquakes

12. Natural Resources • 70% of world’s oil reserves and 33 % of natural gas is in this area. • Economies are dependent on oil! • Minerals • Phosphate, chromium, gold, lead, etc.

13. Climate and Vegetation Section 2

14. Water: A Precious Resource • South Caspian Sea gets 78 inches! • In other places, evaporation exceeds rainfall

15. Desert Climate • Hot and Dry • Sahara Desert – largest Desert • Growing! • Freezing to mild winters… • HOT summers • Cold nights • Ergs – sandy, dune-covered areas • Regs - stony plains with “desert pavement” • Hamada – flat, sandstone plateau • Oasis – place in desert where underground water surfaces

16. Steppe Climate • Short grasses to support sheep, goats, camels • Pastoralism – raising and grazing of livestock

17. Climate Variations • Exports and Tourists • Citrus fruits, olives, grapes in Morocco, Tunisia, and Syria • Tourism in Morocco • Rainfall

18. The Cultural Geography of the Region Chapter 18

19. Population Patterns

20. Many Peoples • Crossroads for Asia, Africa, and Europe • TONS of ethnic diversity – differences among groups based on their languages, customs, and beliefs

21. ARABS • Most people (275 Million) • Most are Muslim – followers of Islam • Speak Arabic • Mostly came from Arabian Peninsula…but have spread out

22. Israelis • 6 Million living in Israel • 82% are Jews • Others are Muslim or Christian • Jews trace heritage to Israelites in the land of Canaan • Privileged by God…but moved because of persecution. • 1948 – Israel founded as a Jewish state • Jews and Muslims fought 4 years over this • Still fighting to this day, especially for custody of Jerusalem.

23. Turks • Turkic people migrated around 1000 AD from central Asia • Built Ottoman Empire and ruled eastern Mediterranean 600 years • Most are Islam and speak Turkish

24. Iranians • 66.6 Million in Iran (Persia) • Speak Farsi • 90% say they are Shiite Muslims • Afghans • Practice Islam • Speak many languages • Mixed backgrounds

25. Caucasian Peoples • 50 different ethnic groups, mostly Armenians and Georgians • Armenia gained independence in 1991. • AD 300..most accept Christianity • 1915, 1 mill Armenians killed by Ottoman Turks • Republic of Georgia independent in 1991 • 300 AD…most Georgians also became Christian

26. Turkic Peoples • Speak Turkic languages and are Muslim • Uzbecks are largest Turkic group • Kazakha in Kazakhstan are increasing b/c of birthrate and non-Kazakhs moving out • Tajiks

27. Kurds • Muslim • No country of their own • Want self-rule, but Turkish and Arab rulers won’t allow

28. Population and Resources • Water usually determines where people settle • Control of Vital Resources • Border disputed between Israel and Syria over water • Population Growth • Turkey, Egypt, Iran are most populated • All populations are growing rapidly • Many people have to move to find work

29. Urbanization • Cairo, Egypt • Istanbul, Turkey • Baghdad, Iraq • All of these places dominate social and cultural life • Many places are growing too fast, no homes, work, etc • Infrastructure – basic urban necessities like streets and utilities

30. History and Government Chapter 18, Section 2

31. Prehistoric Peoples • Hunters and Gatherers • Farming developed by around 6,000 BC along Nile and Mediterranean Sea • Domesticated the land

32. Early Civilizations • Mesopotamia • Cultural Hearth – centers where cultures developed and from which ideas and traditions spread outward. • Fertile Crescent • Sumerians lived there, had food, cities, etc. • Created Cuneiform • Egyptians • Located along Nile River • Floods to irrigation • Developed hieroglyphics

33. Empires and Trade • Phoenician civilization • Alphabet • 500 BC – Persian Empire • Developed qanats – underground canals • 100 BC – Silk Road – trade route connecting China and Mediterranean

34. Three major Religions Monotheism – belief in one God

35. Judaism • Oldest • Traced back to ancient Israelites • Jerusalem is their capital and religious center • Scattered • Long history displayed in Scriptures

36. Christianity • 30 AD – Jesus preaching • Believers follow Christ and believe he is alive • Includes Hebrew Bible and New Testament

37. Islam • Major religion of the region • AD 610, revelations of God came to Muhammad in Mecca • He was the last in the line of prophets (including Abraham and Jesus) • 800s – spreading • Worship in mosques • Today, 1/5 of world follows Islam • Quran – their holy book

38. 5 pillars of Islam faith: • 1.) professing faith in God and the prophet Muhammad • 2.) praying 5 times a day • 3.) Helping the poor and needy • 4.) Fasting during the 9th month of the Islamic calendar • 5.) Making a pilgrimage to Mecca

39. The Modern Era Crusades and Mongol Invasions Land didn’t have many usable resources in the 1800s, Western World had much control 1800s, well educated middle class began developing nationalism

40. Independence • WWI and WWII, Europe lost control of region • More won their freedom in 1991

41. Arab- Israeli Conflict • Israel is not Arab or Muslim • Jews persecuted in 1800s and began going back to Palestine…but under Arab and Ottoman Turk rule • WWI – Britain gained control of Palestine, thus giving it to Jews, but Arabs are mad. • After WWII – Un separates Palestine into sections • Fighting continues ever since

42. Israelis and Palestinians • Since disputes, Palestinian Arabs became refugees • Arabs want West Bank and Gaza Strip • 1993 agreement states Palestinians gain limited self-rule in recognition of Israel’s right to exist as a nation • By 2002, Palestinians staged bombings, and Israeli forces reoccupied West Bank

43. War in Afghanistan • 1990s, radical Muslims took over Afghanistan • October 2001, British and American war planes begin bombing

44. Border Conflicts • 1990, Iraq invades Kuwait, thus world passes embargo on Iraq • 1991, US forced Iraq out • Kurds want a country of their own

45. Today’s governments • Some say they are republics, some have Presidents, some have monachys, etc.

46. Cultures and Lifestyles Chapter 18 section 3

47. Religion • Unifies and Divides people • Most say they are Sunni Islam – believe leadership should be in hands for Islamic community. • Iran and Iraq have Shia/Shiite Muslims – believe only Muhammad’s descendants should lead the Islamic community. • Jews in Israel • Christians in Armenia and Georgia

48. Languages • Arabic is the Muslim language…thus most non-Arab Muslims willing to learn • Hebrew in Israel • Turkish in Turkey • Several others

49. The Arts • Art and Architecture • Ziggurats in Mesopotamia • Pyramids in Egypt • Palaces in Persia • Mosques and palaces express Islamic architecture • Refuse to depict life, so they use shapes