Topic 1: Geography - Middle East

What is the Middle East? And Central Asia? “Never mind what the fact is, it depends what it is called.” “Never mind what the fact is, it depends what it is called.” What’s wrong with these names? What’s wrong with these names? Near East/Levant Near East/Levant “Middle East”/”Greater & Central “Middle East”/”Greater & Central Southwest Asia Southwest Asia Maghrib Maghrib

Facts Vast -Region stretching from Rabat to Tehran (3400 miles) Vast -Region stretching from Rabat to Tehran (3400 miles) Intercontinental—Europe, Africa, and Asia-”Crossroads” Intercontinental—Europe, Africa, and Asia-”Crossroads” “Greater Middle East” - Equal to U.S. in size. “Greater Middle East” - Equal to U.S. in size. 20 independent states 20 independent states 3 Sub-regions: North Africa, Arab land, Highlands of Turkey and Iran 3 Sub-regions: North Africa, Arab land, Highlands of Turkey and Iran Land of the 7 Seas Land of the 7 Seas

Middle East = Arab, Muslim, Oil-producing? Middle East includes non-Arab states [Iran, Israel] and is also ethnically diverse [Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians, Turkomans] Middle East includes non-Arab states [Iran, Israel] and is also ethnically diverse [Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians, Turkomans] Middle East is religiously diverse [Islam, Judaism, Christianity] Middle East is religiously diverse [Islam, Judaism, Christianity] Sunni and Shia and other sects. Sunni and Shia and other sects. Not all Middle Eastern countries have oil Not all Middle Eastern countries have oil OIL: S.A., Iraq, U.A.E., Kuwait, Iran, SyriaOIL: S.A., Iraq, U.A.E., Kuwait, Iran, Syria No OIL: Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, LebanonNo OIL: Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon 30% of the world’s oil production from M.E.30% of the world’s oil production from M.E.

Central Asia 5 former Soviet states of: 5 former Soviet states of: UzbekistanUzbekistan TurkmenistanTurkmenistan TajikistanTajikistan KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan KazakstanKazakstan Why neglected in historical study? What is the “double periphery?”

Central Asia

MAP EXERCISE

Middle East - 5 Key Themes Old Civilizations, New States Old Civilizations, New States Cultural Heterogeneity Cultural Heterogeneity Institutional Weaknesses Institutional Weaknesses External Influences External Influences Role of Religion – Extremism, Fundamentalism? Role of Religion – Extremism, Fundamentalism?

United Nations Partition Plan, 1947 Tan: Jewish state Grey: Arab state White: International zone

Holy City of Jerusalem Dome of the Rock Church of the Holy Sepulcher The Western Wall

Before 1967 After 1967

Egypt-Nasser, Sadat, Mubarak – Arab Socialism and Pan-Arabism Iraq - Hussein-Baathist Socialism Syria – Asad – Baathist Socialism Libya – Qadafi – Green Socialism Turkey - Secular Republic Iran – Shah, Khomeini, Ahmadinejad –Islamism Saudi Arabia – “Family w/ Flags”, Wahabi Islam

Afghanistan Form of government: Islamic emirate. Head of state and government: Leader of the faithful. Population (1998): 24,792,000. Population projection: (2000) 26,668,000; (2010) 34,098,000. Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1997): 25.0 (world avg. 15.7). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$5,666,000,000 (U.S.$250 per capita). Land use (1994): forested 2.9%; meadows and pastures 46.0%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 12.4%; other 38.7%.

North Africa—”the Magrib” (the West)

Note green vegetation areas in Israel on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean sea, and along the Nile river and delta. See night view of same region below.

Physical map of northern Middle East - north to south includes Black Sea, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan

For an interactive map of Sunni-Shia Populations

KURDISH AREAS

Good Interactive map – Where is the oil? Who has what for how long?:

Crude Oil Imports to US Top 10 Countries, February 2006

Oil Consumption Greenhouse Gas Emissions