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Leading countries Leading countries according to GDPaccording to GDP
Kuwait United Arab Emirates Qatar Israel
Leading countries Leading countries according to Land sizeaccording to Land size
Algeria
Saudi Arabia
Libya
Leading countries Leading countries according to populationaccording to population
Iran
Turkey
Egypt
Physical CharacteristicsPhysical Characteristics Area is the crossroads of
Europe, Africa, and Asia
It has a primarily desert or semi-arid climate
Sahara, Sahel, and steppes are the primary vegetation region
Sahara--world’s largest desert, it stretches over most of North Africa and is growing
Sahel--area separating the Sahara from the tropical rainforest of Africa.
The Sahel is an area of temperate grassland (steppe) moving into sparse desert scrub-like vegetation
Three main mountain ranges 1. Atlas Mountains in
northern Algeria and Morocco
2. Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey
3. Zagros Mountains in western Iran
Even though this is a dry area, water plays a very large role
There are several large bodies of water which play a major role in world politics
Examples : Persian Gulf/Arabian
Gulf Strait of Hormuz Arabian Sea Red Sea
Other important bodies of water
Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Bosporus Strait, Dardanelles Strait, Nile River (longest in the world), Tigris and Euphrates (home to the world’s first civilization) and the Jordan River
The area is also subject to seasonal flooding, alluvial soils, delta regions, oases, and wadis
Seasonal flooding--several of the rivers flood regularly (Nile) which deposit rich alluvial soil for farming
The desert regions are home to many oases (a place where fresh water makes it possible for life to exist in a dry area) and wadi (a gully or usually dry river bed cut by running water after a downpour)
Economic Economic CharacteristicsCharacteristics
The area has a heavy reliance on primary economic activities such as oil drilling, agriculture and herding/grazing
The area is the home of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
Many countries in the area still belong today
Major producers of the world’s oil
Provide large oil revenues
Positive effects--jobs, revenue, position of power
Negative effects--reliance on one industry, pollution, unequal distribution of wealth
Water is the region’s MOST PRECIOUS resource
Aswan High Dam has had positive and negative effects on the region.
Suez Canal enhanced shipping routes in the region
Positive effects of the Aswan High dam Controls flooding,
recreation areas, power Negative effects of the
Aswan high Dam land losing fertility, lost
homes when dam built,
There is a great variation in the standard of living in the region.
It ranges from the relatively high to the poverty stricken.
There is also a wide range of per capita income and differing levels of development
Trade has been important to the region from the earliest time.
Today regional conflicts and political unrest have affected trade and tourism
The area today has contemporary trade routes (sea lanes)
Cultural CharacteristicsCultural Characteristics
The area has experienced rapid urbanization
Most modernization has centered around urban areas and more traditional life has continued in the rural areas
Large percentage of the population is under the age of 15 due to conflict, disease and the hardships associated with the region.
The population is generally unevenly distributed due to the environment and resources
All but three of the countries are Arab nations and they use the Arabic language.
Turkey, Iran and Israel are the non-Arab countries
North Africa and Southwest Asia are the birthplace to three major monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
All three claim similar holy places and the dominant group has changed over the years.
Since 1949, the region has been in conflict over the area known as PALESTINE. This area is present day Israel.
Much of the region has a nomadic lifestyle
NOMADIC-to wander from place to place behind a food source or for other reasons
The art of the region reflects the diversity of the religions;
stained glass, geometric tiles, calligraphy, mosaics, and prayer rugs
Cities as centers of trade Cities as centers of trade and cultureand culture
Baghdad, Iraq Cairo, Egypt Istanbul, Turkey Jerusalem, Israel Mecca, Saudi Arabia Tehran, Iran
Cultural LandscapeCultural Landscape Mosques, minarets
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Hagia Sophia
bazaars, sugs
Western Wall (of Jerusalem)
Dome of the Rock
Kaaba
Pyramids
Oil rigs
walled cities
Sahara desertSahara desert
OasisOasis
Stained Glass/MosaicsStained Glass/Mosaics
Prayer RugsPrayer Rugs
Oil RigsOil Rigs
KaabaKaaba
Dome of the RockDome of the Rock
Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia
Church of the Holy Church of the Holy SepulcherSepulcher
PyramidsPyramids
Western WallWestern Wall
Western WallWestern Wall