Southwest Asian Geography Chapter 11 Lesson 1

SW Asia’s Relative Location Crossroads location –Links Europe, Africa, and Asia Traders/Invaders spread their goods and ideas –Each group left cultural footprints Language, religion

SW and World Trade Region controls vital sea and land routes –Bosporous and Dardanelles Straits link Black and Mediterranean Seas Red Sea and Suez Canal are important sea lanes –Ships use to avoid long trips around Africa on way from Europe to Asia

SW Asian Mountains Mountains affect movement and communication –Must find way around or through them Mountains influence SW Asia’s rainfall –Western and northern slopes receive more and block precipitation from reaching east and south Shifts in mountains cause earthquakes

SW Asian Plateaus Anatolian Plateau suitable for growing grain –Continental climate Iranian Plateau –Dry, has little plant life

SW Asian Deserts Deserts discourage movement of people –Very little or no water

Importance of SW Asian Bodies of Water Region surrounded by Black, Mediterranean, Caspian, Red, and Arabian Seas Jordan River –Israel and Jordan struggle over control Lack of moisture makes fresh water very important

Importance of SW Asian Bodies of Water-continued Tigris/Euphrates Rivers –Rise in Turkey, flow through Syria and Iraq, empty into Persian Gulf –Key to birth of world’s earliest civilizations –Supplies water for agriculture Turkey dammed Euphrates and created reservoir –Downstream Syria and Iraq worry Turkey will use water for their people

Importance of SW Asian Bodies of Water-continued Persian Gulf –Important to world’s economy –Has oil below its surface –Busy shipping route

Importance of SW Asian Bodies of Water-continued Red Sea –Important shipping route –With opening of Suez Canal became link in world trade routes running between Europe and Asia Suez Canal connects Mediterranean and Red Seas

Subregions of SW Asia Middle East –Name use for the subregion of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Palestinian Authority (PNA) –Forms a curving band of fairly well-watered land –Extends from Mediterranean coast to northern shores of Persian Gulf –Located in middle of far reaching Muslim world

Subregions of SW Asia Arabian Peninsula –Lies on most southwestern corner of Asia –Interior is mostly desert and has few people –Coasts have well-watered areas and oases –To Americans it is land of Bedouin (desert nomads) and oil –To Muslims it is homeland of Islam and prophet Mohammad

Subregions of SW Asia Northern Tier – Includes 3 non Arab countries in the North Turkey, Iran, and Cyprus

Key Vocabulary Strait: narrow waterway that connects two larger bodies of water Relief: differences in height or elevation Deserts in SW Asia have little relief –Few hills and valleys to create differences in height

Key Vocabulary Fertile Crescent: arc of green land stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf –Key agricultural region Mesopotamia –“Land between the rivers” Tigris and Euphrates –Part of Fertile Crescent