1. Chapter 9: Arabia and Iraq Section 1: Chapter Atlas
Southwest Asia
Chapter 9: Arabia and Iraq
Section 1: Chapter Atlas

2. Physical Features
Arabia, or the Arabian Peninsula, is surrounded on three sides by water.
Red Sea
Gulf of Aden
Arabian Sea
Persian Gulf
Gulf of Oman
These bodies of water are connected to the Indian Ocean

3. Physical Features
Arabia and Iraq are part of the Asian continent.

4. Physical Features Most of Arabia and Iraq are on the Arabian Plate.
plates are blocks of rock and soil

5. Physical Features
Rivers provide fresh water to a region that is mostly desert.
Tigris River
Euphrates River

6. Physical Features
The pressure from the Arabian Plate pressing against the Eurasian Plate has pushed up rocks to form mountains in northeastern Iraq and in southeastern corner of the Arabian peninsula, in the nation of Oman.

7. Physical Features
Reading Check Which major rivers flow through Iraq? The Tigris and Euphrates

8. Oil and Gas Riches Fold traps
undersea muck formed by decaying sea life which turns into natural gas over time by the heat and pressure from inside the earth
turns to oil and natural gas over millions of years
fossil fuels: oil and gas made by the remains of living things

9. Oil and Gas Riches
Fold traps have given Saudi Arabia the world’s largest oil reserves and output.

10. Oil and Gas Riches
Reading Check Where are the largest oil reserves? The largest oil reserves are in Saudi Arabia.

11. Living on Oil
Iraq and most countries in Arabia rely on oil and natural gas to pay for nearly all of their needs.

12. Water plant in Saudi Arabia which turns salt water into usable water.
Living on Oil
The Importance of Oil
The Middle East lacks water.
Money from oil and gas sales is used to:
build water facilities
purchase food grown in other regions
Water plant in Saudi Arabia which turns salt water into usable water.

13. Living on Oil The Importance of Oil
Arabian countries rely on millions of foreign workers, paid with oil money, to keep their economies running.

14. Living on Oil The Importance of Oil
Arabia and Iraq produce more than one fourth of the world’s oil.

15. Living on Oil Oil and the Environment
Oil production has affected the region’s environment.
Oil spills in the Persian Gulf have killed sea life and polluted shorelines.
Production waste creates toxic chemicals that have polluted the soil and Iraq’s rivers.

16. Living on Oil
Reading Check Why is oil so important to Arabia and Iraq? Oil is important to Arabia and Iraq because it is the region’s main natural resource. It pays for foreign workers, and everything else people need, especially water and food.

17. Vast Deserts and Scarce Water
The main ecosystems across Arabia and Iraq are desert and desert scrub.
deserts have few plants and animals
desert scrub has some plants
Arabian Desert
Desert Scrub

18. Vast Deserts and Scarce Water
The hills and mountains of northern and eastern Iraq have a moister climate than the rest of the country.

19. Vast Deserts and Scarce Water
The mountains of Yemen and Iraq receive enough rainfall to support some farming.
Terrace farming
in Yemen

20. Vast Deserts and Scarce Water
The driest countries in the region, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, depend on desalination.
the removal of salt from seawater
Video Link

21. Vast Deserts and Scarce Water
Reading Check Which parts of Arabia and Iraq get seasonal precipitation? The mountains of Yemen and Iraq get seasonal precipitation.

22. Population Patterns
People in Arabia and Iraq cluster where there is water for drinking and cleaning.
mountains of Iraq and Yemen
near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers of Iraq
desert oases on the Arabian Peninsula

23. Population Patterns Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Except for Yemen, the countries of the region are heavily urbanized.
most of the people live in cities
desalination plants are built near their cities because of scarce water supplies
Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia

24. Population Patterns
Population growth in Arabia and Iraq are some of the highest in the world.
result from both migration and high birth rate
local customs and religious traditions favor large families
poses challenges for the region
more jobs, water, education and other services will be needed

25. Population Patterns
Reading Check Why are populations growing in this region? Arabia and Iraq have high birthrates, partly because local customs and religious traditions practiced in parts of the region encourages large families.

26. A Diverse Region
Arab Muslims form a majority in Arabia and Iraq and dominate politics.
more than half of the population

27. A Diverse Region
Iraq has a large minority of Kurds, who are not Arabs.
Most Kurds are Sunni Muslims

28. A Diverse Region
Iraqi Kurds suffered brutal treatment under Saddam Hussein.
currently have a self-governing area in northern Iraq
Iraqi Kurd President
Massoud Barzani

29. A Diverse Region
The vast majority of the people of Arabia and Iraq follow Islam.
Differences in Islam
Sunnis
Shias
Ibadism
Most of the citizens of Bahrain are Shia, but their ruler is Sunni.
Sunnis rule Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Yemen
Shia minorities live in all three of these countries.
Differences cause conflict.

30. A Diverse Region
Reading Check What are some differences among Muslims in this region? Some Muslims are Sunnis, and some are Shias.

31. Arabia and Iraq The Effect of Physical Geography
Fossil Fuel Resources
plenty of oil and gas
Oil and Gas Revenue
plenty of money
Desalination
uses oil money to increase water supplies and expand population centers
Water Resources
very limited
Population
clustered near water sources