The document summarizes the physical landscape and people of the Middle East region. It describes the Middle East as a crossroads between Africa, Asia and Europe, where migrating people spread ideas and culture. It outlines five major regions - the Northern Tier, Arabian Peninsula, Fertile Crescent, Nile Valley and Maghreb. The climate is mostly desert with a lack of water, though civilizations developed around oasis and rivers. The people are ethnically and religiously diverse, with Arabs and Islam being the majority populations.

1. The Middle East Physical Landscape and The People

2. Physical Middle East Also known as “Southwest Asia” Sometimes also includes North Africa Islam Arabic language Oil

3. Physical Middle East

4. A crossroads of civilization Africa, Asia, and Europe are connected through trade routes Migrating people spread ideas, inventions, etc. Culture originating in the Middle East Iron making Alphabet Judaism, Christianity, Islam Physical Middle East

5. Physical Middle East

6. The Middle East is also important to the world for economic reasons Control of important sea routes Control of large oil reserves Physical Middle East

7. Five major regions Northern Tier Arabian Peninsula Fertile Crescent Nile Valley The Maghreb Major Regions

8. Northern Tier Turkey to Iran (pg. 552) Mountains and plateaus Diverse: Anatolian Plateau in Turkey : fertile soil, large population Iranian Plateau : dry, small population Major Regions

9. Arabian Peninsula Large plateau Largest country: Saudi Arabia Small population: Lack of water Oasis : fertile desert area that has enough water to support life Large amounts of oil Birthplace of Islam Major Regions

10. Fertile Crescent Eastern Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf Rich soil, abundant water Major population center Hotspot for early civilizations Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Major Regions

11. Nile Valley Important historical connections between the people of Egypt and the people of the Fertile Crescent Judaism Major Regions

12. The Maghreb North Africa : Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco Arab armies carried Islam to North Africa in the 600s AD Sahara Desert, Atlas Mountains Most people live along the coast, where there is more rain Major Regions

13. Climate and Resources Nearly all of the region is desert Lack of water caused some adaptations Building of irrigation systems Desalination : taking the salt out of sea water to make it drinkable

14. Climate and Resources Oil Most valuable resource in the Middle East Problem: unevenly distributed

16. The People Ethnic diversity Arab : anyone whose native language is Arabic Majority of people in Middle East are Arab Turks, Iranians, Kurds

17. The People Religious Diversity Islam is the majority religion Most Arabs are Muslim Christianity, Judaism Judaism is the most ancient of the three religions from the region

18. Review The Middle East is a crossroads Five Major Regions: Northern Tier, Arabian Peninsula, Fertile Crescent, Nile Valley, The Maghreb Resources: Oil Vocabulary: Southwest Asia, oasis, desalination, Arab,

19. Early Civilizations You will be assigned a section of the text to read. Your objective is to fill in the chart on the board with information from your section of the textbook.