Economic Geography in the Middle East Mr. Broughman Thursday, March 6, 2014

Economic Geography in the Middle East

Mr. Broughman

Thursday, March 6, 2014

What is the most precious resource in the Middle East? Why?

• WATER!!!

• Little fresh water available, average temperature in most places is over 100 degrees, and arid climates

What is the Aswan High Dam? What are the effects of the dam?• Man-made dam located on the Nile

River in southern Egypt• Looks to regulate the annual flooding of

the Nile, provide water storage in Lake Nasser, and to generate hydroelectricity

• Resettled 200,000 southern Egyptians (Nubians), loss of soil fertility, increases in diseases like bilharzias

What is the most profitable resource in the Middle East?

• OIL!!!• 54% of the world’s oil is in the Middle East• Largest reserves on the Arabian Peninsula

What other economic activities are popular in the Middle East?

• Primary economic activities–Natural resource production and

extraction, farming and agriculture, herding, pastoral livestock

What is OPEC? How does it govern the production and sale of oil?

• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

• Collection of twelve oil exporting countries that control world oil prices by increasing/decreasing supplies

• Own 79% of reserves and 44% of production

Trade, Sea Trade, and the Suez Canal

• Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea; decreases shipping routes considerably

• Allows direct shipping from Asia to Europe without going around Africa

Suez Canal Time Lapse (1:20)

Economic Activity

• (I) Primary Economic Activities Dealing directly with resources (oil, mining, forestry, agriculture)

• (2) Secondary Economic Activities Manufacturing and processing (steel mills, automobile assembly line)

• (3) Tertiary Economic Activities Services (transportation, banking, retail trade)