Post on 28-Dec-2015
Middle East NOTES
What do we already know
about the Middle East ?
What do we already know about the Middle
East ?Pre-Test
1. T/F- The U.S. is currently fighting a war in the Middle East.
2. Which country in this region is among the closest allies of the US?
3. Into which middle eastern country did the US go to war after 9-11-01?
4. T/F- The international community is concerned with protecting waterways in the middle east.
5. What middle eastern city is significant to Jews, Muslims, and Christians?
6. T/F- All Muslim women cover their faces.7. T/F- You can ski in the Middle East.
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO LEARN: how physical and cultural geography shape
the environment, nations, and people of the Middle East
I. IntroductionA. The term Middle East refers to the region which is
between Europe and the Far East. • The Middle East is only 'middle' in relation to
Europe. • A very euro-centric term!• Today, this region is also referred to as the Near
East or Southwest Asia.
• Due to religion, language and culture, North Africa is also included in this area.
• The Middle East consists of 19 countries and almost 350 million people.
• The major languages are Arabic, Turkish, Hebrew, Kurdish, Persian, Greek, and Armenian.
• The three major religions are Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
B. The Middle East stands at the crossroads to three continents:
1. Africa
2. Asia
3. Europe
Besides the location, the region is the crossroad between Faiths… has led to conflict!
C. The Middle East has served as a melting pot for the world. • Due to the location, traders have
passed through on land and over seas to transport goods.
• Along with traders, this area has been conquered by numerous groups of people.
• All of these groups gradually combined to formulate what is considered Middle East.
D. The location and the vast amount of oil reserves, has given the Middle East a strategic importance today.
Why is oil so Important???What would happen without it?
II. RegionsA. There are 6 geographical regions of the Middle East.
Region Advantage Disadvantage
Northern Africa
Maghreb region is located at the Mediterranean Sea and serves as the access point to the Atlantic Ocean.
Atlas mountains block the rain moving across the region and created the Sahara Desert. Water is scarce
within the region.
Region Advantage DisadvantageArabian Peninsula
Oasis – Fertile desert area which can support plants and animals.
It also contains a large amount of oil. The region is the birthplace of Islam and the holy city of
Mecca.
The area has a small population due to the lack to water. However, there are some areas that are able to sustain a limited degree of
agriculture.
Fertile Crescent The area is known as "The Cradle of Civilization". The rich soil and abundant water has made it a major population
center.
The area has very few natural barriers and has been conquered many times. Although plentiful water is a benefit for farming,
flooding also occurs.
Region Advantage Disadvantage
Nile Valley
Red – WaterBlue – BuildingWhite - Desert
The Nile River is protected by deserts which make it difficult to conquer the region. It is also heavily populated. Annual flooding is predictable and dependable.
The soil does have good drainage but salinity is a problem. Salinity –Containing salt.
Fertilizing the land is an option with fresh dirt and manure. However, most of the poor farmers cannot afford it. The densely populated area has pollution, disease and sanitation issues as well.
Region Advantage Disadvantage
Iranian Plateau The birthplace of several empires.
A dry region with a low population.
Region Advantage Disadvantage
Northern Tier Connects Europe and Asia
Turkey has fertile soil in the Anatolian Plateau due to surrounding mountains- good for farming
Strategic location- controls access to the Black Sea
Some have tried to conquer it due to it’s strategic importance! -to WHOM?
Which is missing?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro8m4c-o4bc
B. There is several Islamic nations that are located in the former Soviet Union. They are Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THIS REGION…
• Disputed regions & Violence?– Sochi?– Boston?
• Energy?• Movies?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_I3tIjztj8&list=RD4_I3tIjztj8#t
=71
Shade the following regions accordingly:
• Maghreb- Brown• Nile River Valley- Blue• Arabian Peninsula- Yellow• Fertile Crescent- Green• Iranian Plateau- Orange• Northern Tier- Red
Shade the following regions accordingly:
• Maghreb- Brown• Nile River Valley- Blue• Arabian Peninsula- Yellow• Fertile Crescent- Green• Iranian Plateau- Orange• Northern Tier- Red
1/30/14http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/29/studentnews/sn-curriculum-thu/index.html
Syria
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO LEARN: Understand how the physical geography has
impacted the people of the Southwest Asia (aka Middle East) and how they have adapted to it to meet their needs
III. Geographical Features- WATER!A. The key feature of the Middle East is water. There is an old saying from the region, "Where there is water, there is life". The population density increases around sources of water. In Cairo, there are almost 350,000 people per square mile. NYC has almost 66,000 and Pittsburgh has almost 7,000.
The Mighty Nile River:“Longest River in the World”
EGYPT: The “Gift of the Nile”
Annual Nile FloodingAnnual Nile Flooding
Nile DeltaNile Delta
95% of the Egyptian people live on 5% of the land!
95% of the Egyptian people live on 5% of the land!
Aswan High Dam, Egypt
HydroelectricPower PlantHydroelectricPower Plant
Suez Canal
Completed by the British in 1869Completed by the British in 1869
The Tigris & Euphrates
River System
Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the Two Rivers”
Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the Two Rivers”
Marsh Arabs, So. IraqMarsh Arabs, So. Iraq
TheJordan RiverSystem:
Israel & Jordan--A Fight OverWater Rights?
Dead Sea: Lowest Point on Earth
HighestSaltContent(33%)
HighestSaltContent(33%)
2,300’ below sea level2,300’ below sea level
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTcyACmiaho
Wadis – Instant Springs http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnOhnzJ5pwo
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO LEARN: Understand how the physical geography has
impacted the people of the Southwest Asia (aka Middle East) and how they have adapted to it to meet their needs
B. The Middle East is dominated by two features; mountains and plateaus. When you combine these two features desertification is the result.
1. Desertification – The reduction of plant life due to external factors.
C. Desertification is caused by several reasons.1. Overgrazing livestock in areas that contain mostly
scrub grass.2. Poor soil that cannot sustain the overuse by the livestock.3. The mountain affect forces the warm moist air to rise where it then
cools. The moisture which is created then falls on one side of the mountain. 4. The heavy rainfall may then cause flooding… How does this cause
desertification???
5. The Nile River receives flood waters during the rainy seasons.
Geographical Features- Mountains & Plateaus
Atlas Mts.
Elb
urz M
ts.
Taurus Mts.
Zagros Mts.
Iranian Plateau
AnatolianPlateau
Caucasus Mts.
Hejaz M
ts.
Mountain Ranges in Mid-East
Elburz Mts., IranElburz Mts., Iran Zagros Mts., IranZagros Mts., Iran
Lebanese Mts.Lebanese Mts. Taurus Mts., TurkeyTaurus Mts., Turkey
Geographical Features- Deserts
Sahara Desert
ArabianDesert
NegevDesert
SinaiDesert
Libyan Desert
Rubal-Khali
Desert Bedouins
BedouinsA. Traditionally, the people of the Middle East were nomadic. The Bedouins tribes used overland caravans to direct traders through the deserts on camels and horses. They are famous for developing the Arabian horse that has great speed and durability.
B. There are two types of Bedouins.1. Horizontal Nomads – Follow the “rains” on “plains”. They travel from wadi to wadi.
a. Wadi – A river bed which is dry except during the rainy season.
2. Vertical Nomads – Go up and down the mountains. They travel up during the dry season and down during the rainy season.
C. The Bedouins wore a traditional robe, which enabled them to keep their core temperature low in the desert.
1. Ginutra – Head scarf worn to reduce sand exposure.2. Agal – Headband3. Thobe – Robe4. Besnt – Outer cape that was generally black or brown.
5. Sandals – They enabled the sand to fall in and out easily.
D. The Bedouins traditionally lived in a black tent. The color was chosen to absorb heat. The tents would contain a pillow and a heater for the lower temperatures at night. Dried cow or goat dung was burned in the fires at night. They would bathe two times year.
E. Due to the size of the group, the Bedouins had to establish marriage practices to ensure their continuation.
1. Endogamy – Marrying someone inside the group.
a. If a group follows endogamy, it has to be large. The major problem is the health risks of marrying someone who is closely related to you.
2. Exogamy – Marrying someone outside of the group.
b. Enforced by small groups.
F. The Bedouins make up only 3% of the population in the Middle East.
Most of them do not still live in the traditional manner. Instead of horses and camels, today’s Bedouin owes Jeeps and pick up trucks. Many of the younger men have been able to find employment in the army, oil fields, or deliver goods from the desert to the city. Those who chose to live in the traditional manner, mainly herd sheep, goats, and camels. The changing lifestyle of these once nomadic herders and traders can be seen in the creation of “The Bedouin Hour” on radio Kuwait.
Swarms of Desert Locusts!
Locusts Swarm the Pyramids Complex at Giza!
Locusts Swarm the Pyramids Complex at Giza!
Israel Hit By Worst Locust Plague Since the 1950s!
Israel Hit By Worst Locust Plague Since the 1950s!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Of7FRRVLR4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L19Zh6Injzw
1. According to this article, how large are desert locust swarms?
2. What detail indicates the destruction capability of desert locusts?
3. What has been different about the desert locusts this year? What is this attributed to?
Breeding Areas of Desert Locusts
Rub al-Khali:“The Empty Quarter”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwC2I22HBPc
Desert Oases: Water at a Premium!
Fresh Groundwater Sources
D.Interaction:Over 90% of the North African and Arabian Peninsulas are deserts that receive less then 10 inches of yearly rainfall. Settlers had to be inventive in order to improve the soil for agriculture. Today, modern technology is used to increase yearly agricultural output.
1. Drip irrigation – Delivering a measured amount of water to each plant.
Modern Drip
Irrigation System
2. Desalination plants –
Converting water from the surroundings into fresh water.
The sun causes water to evaporate from surface sources such as lakes,
oceans, and streams. The water vapor eventually comes in contact with cooler air, where it re-
condenses to form dew or rain.
This process can be imitated artificially, and
more rapidly than in nature, using alternative sources of
heating and cooling.
Desalinization
Plants
E. The Middle East has had the benefit of resources. The amount and the type of resources vary greatly between the countries. Resources include salt, phosphate, copper and oil. Due to the differences in resources, there is great disparity between rich and poor nations.
Some of the countries are trying to solve other problems with water. WHAT??? HOW???