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

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

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

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

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

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

NILE VALLEY Fertile area in northeastern Africa - EGYPT

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”

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

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

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

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl0MbDpLhqk

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)

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eUcRjo9Yv4

http://www.ted.com/talks/shereen_el_feki_pop_culture_in_the_arab_world.html

For your first map:

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. http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/27/3589879/interactive-map-middle-east-a.html

Use the following maps to do the Geography Map

Caspian Sea LABEL YOUR WATER Jordan River

SAHARA

SINAI DESERT

Arabian Peninsula The Northern Tier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OykL64dP6KY Anatolian Plateau Iran Plateau