1. “CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD”
MIDDLE EAST
“CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD”

2. MIDDLE EAST Includes 3 Continents: EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA
“CROSSROADS of the World”
From MOROCCO to AFGHANISTAN {west/east}
From TURKEY to ARABIAN PENINSULA {north/south}
TWICE size of USA

3. 5 MAIN REGIONS OF MIDDLE EAST
NORTHERN TIER
ARABIAN PENINSULA
FERTILE CRESCENT
NILE VALLEY
MAGREB

4. NORTHERN TIER Two Large PLATEAUS cover much of Northern Tier:
IRANIAN PLATEAU
ANATOLIAN PLATEAU

5. ARABIAN PENINSULA 1/3 Size of USA Surrounded by water on 3 sides:
RED SEA, ARABIAN SEA, PERSIAN GULF
Largest nation in area – SAUDI ARABIA

6. FERTILE CRESCENT
Arch Shaped Region – from MEDITERRANEAN Sea {along Tigris & Euphrates} to PERSIAN GULF
Area once known as MESOPOTAMIA

7. NILE VALLEY
Fertile area in northeastern Africa - EGYPT

8. MAGHREB Areas in NORTH AFRICA -west of Egypt
The region including the Atlas Mountains and the coastal plains of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,
Magreb means “WESTERN ISLE”

9. GEOGRAPHY TWICE size of USA
Mostly DESERT {80%}-Sahara, Sinai, Rub Al Khali
ATLAS Mountains – northwest Africa – separate SAHARA Desert from MEDITERRANEAN Sea

10. GEOGRAPHY Most live in RIVER VALLEYS or along COASTS 5 Important Seas:
Caspian, Red, Mediterranean, Black, Arabian
4 Main Rivers:
Nile, Tigris, Euphrates, Jordan

11. GEOGRAPHY 15% Farmable – lack of RAINFALL scarcity of WATER
Main Crops:
WHEAT, BARLEY, OLIVES, GRAPES, DATES

12. VALUABLE RESOURCE OIL About 70% of World’s Reserves
Mostly along PERSIAN GULF
About 50% of World’s Supply of OIL
MIDDLE EAST Oil Organization-OPEC
Countries include: IRAQ, IRAN, SAUDI ARABIA, KUWAIT, ANGOLA, ALGERIA, LIBYA, QATAR, UAE
Control PRICE/PRODUCTION

15. PEOPLE OF THE MIDDLE EAST
Majority of People are ARABS – language ARABIC
Religion – 90% practice ISLAM {known as MUSLIMS}
Most ARABS are MUSLIMS
There are CHRISTIAN ARABS
Many MUSLIMS in TURKEY & IRAN are not ARABS
Another large non-Muslim group are the Israelis (Jewish)

16. PEOPLE - RELIGION
The World’s 3 large Monotheistic religions started in the Middle East:
JUDAISM
CHRISTIANITY
ISLAM
Spread of religions from Middle East to other parts of the world – CULTURAL DIFFUSION

20. For your first map:

21. Use the link below to the interactive map for Middle East turmoil
Use the link below to the interactive map for Middle East turmoil. Please use the third map to label and explain what is going on in the middle east under the map you just labeled. Please number the places with the explanation.

22. Use the following maps to do the Geography Map

23. Caspian Sea
LABEL YOUR WATER
Jordan River

24. SAHARA

25. SINAI DESERT

26. Arabian Peninsula
The Northern Tier

27.
Anatolian Plateau
Iran Plateau