SAUDI ARABIA Largest country on Arabian Peninsula Low elevations on east side Interior is higher! Mountains on west coast – Hejaz Tihamah Coastal area on Red Sea – more moisture Mainly desert, temps as high as 130 degrees F Wadis, ergs! Rub’ al Khali largest desert – almost size of Texas Largest exporter of oil, 1/5 of world’s oil reserves Founding member of OPEC – Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

Largest sand desert in the world!!!!

Major cities: Capital – Riyadh Holy cities – Mecca and Medina – birthplace of Islam Government: Absolute monarchy – House of Saud King Abdullah RIYADH

HOLY CITY OF MECCA

IRAQ Milder Mediterranean climate in NE Steppe climate to the west Desert climate dominates the rest Tigris and Euphrates Rivers – between these rivers is the only fertile area – alluvial plain Almost landlocked – just a small opening on the Persian Gulf 90% of revenue is OIL!

Previous dictator – Saddam Hussein Iraq-Iran War – 1980’s – Iran overthrew their monarch in 1979, established an Islamic Republic. Iran is a Shi’ite Muslim nation. Hussein feared his Sunni government would fall as well. Iraq has a Sunni Muslim minority 35%; Shi’ite Muslim majority 65% War with US – 2003 – 2011 (we still have a presence there) First real free elections held in 2005 Today Iraq has a very shaky Parliamentary Democracy. Baghdad is the capital. The second largest ethnic group – Kurds, also Sunni Muslim

Sunni protesters in Ramadi Nouri Al-Maliki – Prime Minister Sunni Jalal Jalabani – Kurdish President Sunni

IRAN Mediterranean Climate along Caspian Sea coast where Elburz Mountains located Desert in center – Iranian Plateau Area of tectonic activity – Zagros Mountains on west side Capital city – Tehran in the north Iranians are Persian and speak Farsi – NOT ARABS!!! Iran is a Shi’ite Islamic Republic ruled by Sharia law Chief of state – Ayatollah Khamenei President – Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Oil is the major export.

Zagros Mountains, Iran, peaks as high as 14,000’

AFGHANISTAN Steppe climate – arid Cold winters, hot summers In the highlands – very harsh conditions Hindu Kush Mountains in northeast next to Pakistan and Tajikistan Khyber Pass – famous mountain pass and ancient trade route into Pakistan Landlocked country Very poor country, yet loaded with natural resources – natural gas, coal, copper, iron ore, lead, zinc No major highways, few stable bridges, some areas – no roads Literacy rate – 28% Infant mortality rate – 121.6/1000 births Only 23% urban Many ethnic groups – Tajik, Hazara, Uzbeks, Pashtun (majority) Today a secular republic under President Karzi, but only somewhat stable in Kabul, capital city. Rural areas - tribal

Tora Bora – Black Caves. A series of caves where Taliban and Osama hid out!

President Karzi in Kabul A market in Kabul