geography

1. NORTH AFRICA, SOUTHWEST ASIA
AND CENTRAL ASIA

2. WHAT MAKES THIS A REGION?
I. Deserts and Mountains
II. Population that practices
one of the three major
monotheistic religions
III. Possession of more than
half of the worlds known oil
reserves
IV. A need for freshwater
resources
V. A history of external cultural
influences

3. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
 Tectonic activity responsible for shaping
landscape
 4 tectonic plates converge in this region
 Shifting plates have built mountains and
frequently cause earthquakes
 Atlas mountains are found in North Africa
 Precipitation on northern side of mountains
makes this an agriculturally productive region
 Along the coast of the Arabian Peninsula two
mountain ranges, Hejaz and Asir,
 Asir region the most agriculturally productive
region in Southwest Asia
 Caucus Mountains are found between the
Caspian and Black Seas

4. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
 Coastal Plains are the most fertile
regions and support agriculture
 Major peninsulas- Arabian, Sinai,
Anatolian
 Landlocked bodies of saltwater are
found in the region
 Caspian Sea- largest inland body of
water on Earth
 Dead Sea on the border of Israel and
Jordan is at the mouth of the Jordan
River
 Aral Sea in Central Asia
 1960’s fourth largest body of water in
the world
 Dried up in the 1970’s to present
because of water used for irrigation to
grow cotton, split the sea north and
south

6. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
 Water Systems
 Region lacks abundant water resources
and rivers have always been important
and affected development
 Nile River fertile land along river home
to one of the worlds earliest civilizations
 90% of population lives in Nile River
delta (3% of Egypt’s land)
 Aswan High Dam on Nile provides
hydroelectric power and water for
agriculture
 Tigris- Euphrates valley in Southwest
Asia was a cradle of civilization
 Today dams provide water for agriculture
and hydroelectric power for Syria, Iraq
and Turkey

7. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
 Oil and natural gas are the
most important natural
resources in the region
 Region contains over 60% of
the know world oil reserves
 Oil exports have enriched the
region
 Economy can rise or sink
because of fluctuation in world
oil markets
 Many countries in the region
are trying to diversify their
economies away from reliance
on oil exports

8. CLIMATE
 Water scarcity affects the regions
climate
 Deserts cover more than 50% of the
region
 Sahara Desert largest desert in the
world, covers North Africa
 Weather patterns in deserts are
extreme, cold nights and long hot
summers
 Rub al-Khali in Saudi Arabia
largest area of sand in the world
 Some nomadic herding and small
scale farming is possible in oasis
regions
 Villages develop around oases

9. CLIMATE
 Steppe is the second largest
climate region
 Supports livestock grazing
 Mediterranean climates are
found in coastal areas
 Countries rely on
Mediterranean climates to
export citrus fruits, olives to
Europe and North America
 These regions also benefit
from tourism

10. CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY

11. NORTH AFRICA
 Indigenous cultures of North Africa
have mixed with Arab and European
cultures
 Spanish, French, Roman, Jewish and
Muslim cultures have influenced the
region
 European influence mainly in coastal
North Arica (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia)
 Primary cultural mixture is Arab and
indigenous cultures
 Arab invaders mixed with native Berber
people
 Berbers exist today as farmers and
pastoral nomads
 Arabs migrated to the region around
600

12. NORTH AFRICA
 Availability of water has influenced settlement
 Most people settled along seacoasts and river
deltas
 Cairo, Egypt is one of the most densely populated
cities on the planet

13. NORTH AFRICA
 Location near Europe and Southwest Asia has made the region
vulnerable to invasion over the centuries
 Regions farmers were among the first in the world to domesticate
plants and animals
 One of the world first great civilizations developed in the Nile
River Valley
 In the 600’s Arab invasions and heavily influenced cultures of the
region
 The Arabs brought their language, architecture and Islam
 European colonial influence in the 1800’s helped develop the
regions geometric boundaries

14. NORTH AFRICA
 Egypt gained independence in 1922 from Great
Britain
 Typically pro- Western in their views, country has a
large military
 Their control of the Suez canal has made it a key
regional power
 Egypt is also a center of Arab nationalism
 Algeria gained independence from France in 1962
 They have developed their natural resources (oil)
and raised their standard of living
 Libya gained independence from Italy in 1951
 Since 1969 they have been ruled by a military
dictator Muammar Kaddafi (change since 2010)
 Morocco and Tunisia gained independence from
France in 1956

15. NORTH AFRICA
 Most people in North Africa
practice Islam
 Most share the Arabic language
 Literacy rates range widely from
52% in Morocco to 82% in Libya
 Health care is government run
in most countries, with urban
areas receiving better health
care than rural areas

16. EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
 Region is inhabited by Jews and Arabs
 Most Jews live in Israel
 Trace heritage to region that is today Israel and
Lebanon
 Invasions led to exile and persecution, forced
many Jews to relocate to different countries
 1948 Israel founded as an independent Jewish
state
 Arabs in region did not want Jewish state that
had been their homeland for centuries, brought a
series of six wars to the region sine 1948
 Palestinians are the Arab people that live where
Israel is today
 Many have been displaced from their homes
and have been forced to become refugees

17. EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
 Countries in the region include: Israel, Jordan,
Syria, Lebanon
 Dry desert climate of the region causes majority of
population to live along coasts and Euphrates River
Valley
 Parts of region have highest population densities in
the region
 Many people live in urban areas, Eastern
Mediterranean is 75% urban
 People from over 100 countries have settled in
Israel, makes an ethnically diverse country

18. EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
 Three major religions began in
region
 Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
 All three share similar beliefs,
especially monotheism
 Judaism is the oldest of the
monotheistic faiths
 Christianity was founded in the land
of Israel in AD 30
 Islamic tradition began on nearby
Arabian peninsula and spread to the
region by AD 700

19. EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
 Jews in the late 1800’s called Zionists ,
called for a return to Palestine and the
foundation of a Jewish state
 After WWII the UN divided Palestine into a
Jewish state and an Arab state
 1948 Jews proclaim the independent state
of Israel
 Series of wars occurred over the next 50
years and caused many Palestinians to
become refugees
 Many Palestinians today live in Israeli
controlled settlements in Israel
 Palestinians want an independent state of
their own
 Israel agreed to give the Palestinians some
self rule in the 1990’s, but have since
changed their position
 The militant Palestinians group Hamas has
supported attacks on Israeli territory

20. EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
 Most people in are Muslim
 Large groups of Christians live in Syria and
Lebanon
 Hebrew is spoken in Israel, while other countries
speak Arabic
 Literacy rates vary from 76% in Syria to 96% in
Israel

21. IRAN, IRAQ AND TURKEY
Ethnic Populations
 Turks- migrated from Central Asia
 Eventually became known as the Ottomans and ruled the
region for 600 years
 Most Turks practice Sunni Islam
 Iranians- migrated from Central Asia
 Speak Farsi
 90% practice Shia branch of Islam
 Arabs- majority of people in Iraq
 Most are Shia Muslims
 Arabic is the most commonly spoken language
 Kurds- live in mountainous border area of Turkey and
Iraq
 Most are Sunni Muslims
 Speak Kurdish and have different customs than Arabs of
the region
 Have no country of their own
 Efforts at self rule have been repeatedly crushed by
Turkish and Arab rulers

22. IRAN, IRAQ AND TURKEY
 Most populous countries are
Iran and Turkey
 Most live in cities
 Istanbul and Tehran dominate
social and cultural life in their
countries
 Cities have had problems
because of many villagers
looking for opportunity
 Government of Iran has
relocated people to the
countryside to relieve
overcrowding

23. IRAN, IRAQ AND TURKEY
 Mesopotamia was one of the world’s first cultural
hearths, part of the fertile crescent
 Persian and Ottoman Empires were once regional
powers
 Late 1800’s British controlled Iraq until 1922
 Country of Turkey established after the fall of the
Ottoman Empire
 Iran’s secular government was overthrown in 1979 and
is run by mullahs (religious leaders) that influence
politics in the country today

24. IRAN, IRAQ AND TURKEY
 Discovery of oil in the early 1900’s changed region drastically
 1950’s Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela formed
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to
regulate oil production and set oil prices
 OPEC has gained power as the demand for oil has increased
 1973 imposed a ban on the sale of oil when they became angry
over Arab-Israeli conflicts
 Demand for oil has made the region important internationally

25. ARABIAN PENINSULA
 Harsh desert climate means most people live
along the coast
 Lives shaped by traditional Islamic culture
and modernization driven by the oil industry
 Most in region are Arabs
 Economic prosperity has brought a labor
shortage to many countries (need somebody
to do work they don’t want to)
 Many foreign workers from South Asia
immigrated to the region for economic
opportunity
 Most of the population lives in urban areas
 Discovery of oil led to modernization,
increased wealth and immigration
 Majority of population in UAE, Kuwait and
Qatar are immigrants

26. ARABIAN PENINSULA
 British controlled most of the area during the 1800’s,
except for Oman which has always remained
independent
 Unified Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was established in
1932
 Still ruled today by Saud family
 Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar gained independence in mid-
1900’s
 UAE became a country in 1971, country today is an
association of sheikdoms ruled by an Islamic religious
leader
 Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain are monarchies
 Saudi Arabia is ruled by shari’ah law based on the
Quran
 Kuwait, Qatar are constitutional emirates ruled by
princes

28. ARABIAN PENINSULA
 Standards of living vary widely across the region
 Oil rich countries have used money to improve
infrastructure and promote education
 Qatar's oil and gas reserves have given it on of the
worlds highest per capita incomes
 Sunni and Shia are the dominant sects of Islam found in
the region
 Other sects of Islam are Ibadhism practiced in Oman
 Wahhabi is a very conservative sect of the Sunni branch
that believes in the literal translation of the Quran, found
in Saudi Arabia

29. CENTRAL ASIA
 Region has numerous ethnic
groups, reflects centuries of
migration and invasion by outside
groups
 Population has been shaped by
conflict
 Crossroads of many cultures,
early history influenced by the Silk
Road
 Afghanistan predominant ethnic
group is Pashtun
 More than 50 nationalities live in
the Caucus Mountains (Armenia,
Georgia, Azerbaijan)
 Turkic peoples live in the republics
of Central Asia (Uzbeks, Kazakhs)

30. CENTRAL ASIA
 Population densities are uneven across the
region because of the climate and terrain
 Afghanistan is the most populous country
 Crossroads of many cultures, early history
influenced by the Silk Road
 Region has been controlled by Alexander
the Great, Mongols, Ottomans
 Armenia and Georgia are ethnically and
culturally different than other countries in the
region because they practice Christianity
 Soviet Union unified parts of Central Asia in
the 1900’s
 Many countries were objects of Soviet
cultural, political and economic influence
 Caused an rise in the standard of living and
literacy

31. CENTRAL ASIA
 Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet
Union in 1979
 Mujahedeen freedom fighters defeated the
Soviets and set in motion their decline
 After the Soviets left, the Taliban imposed a
strict form of Islamic rule on the country
 When Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 the
Central Asian republics declared their
independence
 Countries are have moved toward political
and economic stability with various
degrees of success
 Poverty and unemployment are
widespread
 Healthcare is lacking, years of turmoil have
left the region with few resources to spend
on social programs

32. THE REGION TODAY

33. THE ECONOMY
 Oil and water two key economic
resources
 Countries with oil need water,
countries with water generally
don’t have oil
 Only a small portion of the land is
available for farming, yet a large
percentage is involved in farming
 Agriculture plays a smaller role in
oil rich countries where they import
most of their food
 Uzbekistan is one of the world’s
largest cotton producers

34. THE ECONOMY
 Petroleum and oil products have transformed the region
 Villages in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and other Persian
Gulf countries have becoming modern cities
 Iran and Saudi Arabia have developed oil refining and shipping
industries
 Petrochemical industries provide jobs and improve the
standard of living for many
 Service industries (banking, real estate, retail sales, insurance
industries, tourism)

35. THE ECONOMY
 Extensive road systems are
found in oil rich countries to
connect oil fields and seaports
 Other countries are hampered
by geography and finances
 Water transportation is vital to
the region
 The Strait of Hormuz and the
Suez Canal have strategic and
economic importance to ship oil
across the world
 An elaborate system of
pipelines connects oilfields to
ports on the Mediterranean,
Black and Red Seas

36. THE ECONOMY
 TV and radio is expanding, much of it
government controlled
 Satellite technology is helping sparsely
populated areas improve
communication services
 Economic interdependence is growing
across the region
 Transportation and communication has
increased interaction
 Industrialized countries need oil from the
region and the region depends on
industrial products from other countries
 OPEC has a major economic influence
in many countries around the world
 There is a wide disparity between the oil
rich and oil poor countries

37. PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
 Water resources key issue in region
 Few major rivers, few countries have
enough freshwater for irrigation
 Oil rich countries can afford
desalination plants to meet their need
for freshwater
 Very expensive and takes large
amounts of energy to run them
 Libya’s Great Man Made River tries to
meet freshwater needs
 Taps large aquifers under the Sahara
desert and carries water to urban areas
 Could create problems by depleting
aquifers faster than they can be
recharged and by taking water from
other countries

38. PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
 Aswan High Dam in Egypt
 Controls Nile’s floods, provides water for irrigation, supplies
electricity
 Negative impact is that it prevents Nile floods that bring fertile alluvial
soil to lower Nile, and washes away salt
 Dam traps soil so farmers have to use expensive fertilizers
 War has had a negative impact Persian Gulf War, war in
Afghanistan, turmoil in Israel
 Central Asia inherited Soviet era environmental problems
 Soviets tested nuclear, chemical, biological weapons there
 Soviet heavy industry was based in these countries and left
many areas with polluted water