Influence of Geography

in the Middle East

Deserts:

•Water scarcity- population settlement imbalance• Less than 10%

of land is arable

• Other than nomads, most

people live along the coast and in the river

valleys

Natural Resources:

• Oil- 70% of the worlds oil reserves–Produce ½ of the worlds current

supply–Importance of oil allows many

Middle East countries to play “oil politics” (OPEC)

• Lack of key natural

resources and food shortages

makes the Middle East

interdependent

The Rise of Islam

• The Islamic faith quickly spread across the Arabian Peninsula under Muhammad, and his successors.

•By the 800s the Islamic Faith and rule had been

established throughout the Middle East, North Africa

and Spain

Reasons for the rapid success:

• Islam brought a sense of unity and communality to believers. – Through this unity they

had a common cause to spread the Islamic faith

• Muslims saw victories as a sign of Allah’s support

• Jihad- –those who

fought and were willing to die in the name of Allah were guaranteed a place in heaven

• Tolerance towards other faiths-Jews as Christians viewed as “people of the book”• Weakness of the Byzantine and

Persian Empires• Superior military tactics and leaders