The Middle EastThe Middle East

Physical Landscape and The People

Physical Middle EastPhysical Middle East

• Also known as “Southwest Asia”

• Sometimes also includes North Africa• Islam• Arabic language• Oil

Physical Middle EastPhysical Middle East

• A crossroads of civilization– Africa, Asia, and Europe are connected

through trade routes• Migrating people spread ideas, inventions, etc.

• Culture originating in the Middle East• Iron making• Alphabet• Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Physical Middle EastPhysical Middle East

Physical Middle EastPhysical Middle East

• The Middle East is also important to the world for economic reasons

• Control of important sea routes• Control of large oil reserves

Physical Middle EastPhysical Middle East

• Five major regions1. Northern Tier

2. Arabian Peninsula

3. Fertile Crescent

4. Nile Valley

5. The Maghreb

Major RegionsMajor Regions

1. Northern Tier– Turkey to Iran (pg.

552)– Mountains and

plateaus– Diverse:

• Anatolian Plateau in Turkey: fertile soil, large population

• Iranian Plateau: dry, small population

Major RegionsMajor Regions

2. Arabian Peninsula– Large plateau– Largest country: Saudi

Arabia– Small population:

– Lack of water– Oasis: fertile desert area

that has enough water to support life

– Large amounts of oil– Birthplace of Islam

Major RegionsMajor Regions

3. Fertile Crescent– Eastern Mediterranean

to the Persian Gulf– Rich soil, abundant

water– Major population

center– Hotspot for early

civilizations– Tigris and Euphrates

Rivers

Major RegionsMajor Regions

4. Nile Valley– Important historical

connections between the people of Egypt and the people of the Fertile Crescent

• Judaism

Major RegionsMajor Regions

Climate and Resources

• Nearly all of the region is desert

• Lack of water caused some adaptations• Building of irrigation systems• Desalination: taking the salt out of sea water to

make it drinkable

Climate and Resources

• Oil– Most valuable resource in the Middle East– Problem: unevenly distributed

The People• Ethnic diversity

– Arab: anyone whose native language is Arabic

• Majority of people in Middle East are Arab

– Turks, Iranians, Kurds

The People• Religious Diversity

– Islam is the majority religion– Most Arabs are Muslim– Christianity, Judaism

• Judaism is the most ancient of the three religions from the region

Review

• The Middle East is a crossroads

• Five Major Regions: – Northern Tier, Arabian Peninsula, Fertile

Crescent, Nile Valley, The Maghreb

• Resources: Oil

• Vocabulary:– Southwest Asia, oasis, desalination, Arab,