Physical Geography Middle East

Landforms•Afghanistan

▫Hindu Kush mountains separate Middle East from South Asia (Pakistan) Only way through is by the Khyber Pass

Landforms•Iran

▫Much of Iran is covered by a plateau and encircled by high mountain ranges

Landforms•Turkey

▫Tallest Mountain peak is Mt. Ararat

Landform•Arabian Peninsula

▫Mostly covered by the Arabian Desert

Bodies of Water•Red Sea

▫Has been one of the busiest waterways since the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869

Bodies of Water•Persian Gulf

▫Serves as a strategic waterway for Kuwait, Iraq, Iran

▫Source of Conflict during the Gulf War in the early ‘90s

Rivers•Tigris and Euphrates

▫Empties into the Persian Gulf▫Home of Mesopotamia▫Creates an Alluvial plain in Iraq flat land

Climate•Middle East has an arid climate (Very dry)

▫129 Degrees in some areas

Rain water collects in Wadis

Natural Resources•Fossil Fuels

▫Oil (Petroleum) and Natural Gas▫Largest deposit of Oil is in the Persian Gulf

Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and UAE hold more than 50% of the World’s oil

FYI: Petroleum is also used in plastics, rubber, and certain cloth fabrics (acrylic, nylon, polyester, spandex)