quiet and seated get your m.e. map quizzes out and ready to go
TRANSCRIPT
Middle East Covers three continents
The Junction of Europe, Africa and Asia
Strategic locationThe Crossroads of the
world
Center for trade because of all the seas
Cultures shared customs and ideas (example of cultural diffusion)
Bahrain
From Morocco in the West through Iran in the East
From Turkey North to the Arabian Peninsula in the South
Twice the size of the United States
The world’s earliest civilizations developed here between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Mesopotamia - land between two rivers):
○ Sumerians (ziggurat and cuneiform), Babylonians, Assyrians, Ancient Hebrews (Jews), Egyptians (hieroglyphics), Hittites, Phoenicians, Persians
Mesopotamia is also The Fertile Crescent○ An Oasis in the desert○ No natural barriers
Frequent migrations and invasions from Mediterranean to Persian Gulf
Deserts and Plateaus A lot of desert
Sahara - worlds largest, located in North Africa
Arabian located in Arabian Peninsula
Rub Al Khali – the Empty Quarter where the Bedouin (desert dwellers) live
PlateausPlateau of IranPlateau of Anatolia
Atlas (Morocco) – separates them from rest of Africa○ Barrier to trade with
rest of AfricaPontic (Northern
Turkey)Taurus (South/East
around Anatolia Plateau)Elburz (North Iran)Zagros (West around
Iran Plateau)
Atlas
Zagros
Mountains
Melting snowsCause floods Deposit siltCreate rich soil with minerals
ClimateMountains prevent clouds from
reaching interior Near equator
Warm winters, hot summersLess than 10 inches of rain per yearFlash floods
Strategic Waterways Turkey controls waterways
that link Black Sea and Mediterranean – Dardanelles and Bosporus straits (access for Russia to sea)
Arabian Peninsula, surrounded by waterRed Sea to the westArabian Sea to the SouthPersian Gulf to the eastSuez Canal connects Red
Sea to Mediterranean
Suez Canal
Nile RiverEgypt foundedWorld’s longest riverDriest country, flooded
yearlyFeeds Sudan and EgyptAnother civilization
Dead Sea Lowest point on earth
○ (1,371 ft) below sea level
Waterways cont.
Cultural Aspects
PopulationOne of the driest areas of the world – 90%
desertWhen Population increases in land of
desertsLimited space – can only live in river valleys
Major languageArabic
See Maps and Charts http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/maps/demo.html
Leading Export70% of world’s oil
reserves○ 50% of current world supply
Most precious resource Water (only 7% of land
farmable)Don’t produce enough to
feed themselves – they rely on world markets
Economy
Economics
Selective Exports: wheat, barley, rice, millet Israel – Jaffa oranges Iraq – dates Turkey – nuts, figs, olives Egypt - cotton
hazelnut
Fun Facts Most populous nation
Egypt – 71.2 millon Nation with the largest area
Algeria Smallest nations in population
Qatar – 618,000 Smallest nation in area
Bahrain
Cairo, Egypt, the world's 13th most populous metro area