2. II. Southwest Asia A. Turkey – 1. Turkey is located at the entrance of the Black Sea and bridges the continents of Asia and Europe. a) Mild Mediterranean climate. b) Exports cotton and tobacco. c) Also produces cars, steel, and textiles. – 2. Turkey has the highest population in Southwest Asia. a) 70% live in cities and towns. b) Most are Muslim and Turkish is the official language. c) Largest city is Istanbul (Constantinople) and the second largest is Ankara, the country’s capital.

3. II. Southwest Asia – 3. Turkey was once the heart of the Ottoman Empire. a) After the empire’s fall in 1923, Turkey became a republic. b) Turkey’s first president, Kemal Atatürk, did away with many Muslim traditions and made the country more European. c) Since the 1990s, Muslim political groups have been gaining support. d) Many Turks prefer a secular, or nonreligious, society. e) Some Kurdish people reside in Turkey and wish to form their own country.

4. II. Southwest Asia B. Syria – 1. South of Turkey lie the mountains, deserts, and fertile coastal plains of Syria. a) Most of Syria’s people live in rural areas. b) Cotton, wheat, and fruit. c) Damascus, the capital, is one of the world’s oldest and continuously inhabited cities in the world. (4,000 years ago) d) In 1946, Syria became an independent country. e) Since the 1960s, one regime, or government, has been in power and doesn’t allow many political freedoms.

5. II. Southwest Asia C. Lebanon – 1. Tiny Lebanon is about half the size of New Jersey. a) Farmers on the Mediterranean coast raise citrus fruits, olives, vegetables, grains, and grapes. b) Most Lebanese live in or around Beirut, the capital. c) People work in banking, insurance, and tourism. – 2. Lebanon became independent in 1943. a) Most speak Arabic, but their culture blends Arab, Turkish, and French influences. b) Religious groups of Christians and Muslims have clashed and caused much destruction.

6. II. Southwest Asia c) A Muslim extremist group called Hezbollah has clashed with Israel. D. Jordan – 1. Jordan stretches from the fertile Jordan River valley in the West to dry rugged desert in the East. a) Wheat, fruit, and vegetables b) People in cities such as Amman, the capital, work in service and manufacturing industries. c) Jordan’s desert is home to tent-dwelling bedouin, or nomads who traditionally raise livestock. – 2. Jordan’s people are mostly Arab Muslims.

7. II. Southwest Asia a) In 1946, Jordan gained its independence and formed a constitutional monarchy. b) King Hussein has worked to blend the country’s traditions and modern ways. E. Israel – 1. Israel lies west of Jordan on the Mediterranean Sea. a) In 1948, Israel was proclaimed an independent Jewish country. b) David Ben-Gurion was Israel’s first Prime Minister. c) At the time the Palestinian Muslims outnumbered the Jews that lived there.

8. II. Southwest Asia d) Conflict erupted between the Palestinians and Israelis. – 2. Today, about 75% of Israel’s people are Jews. a) Many were encouraged to move to Israel because of the Law of Return. b) This law allows Jews anywhere in the world to immigrate to Israel and become a citizen. c) 20% of the population is Arab, both Muslim and Christian. d) 90% live in cities such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. – 3. Israel has a developed industrial economy. a) High-technology equipment, clothing, chemicals, and machinery.

9. II. Southwest Asia b) The country also has productive agriculture including citrus fruits, vegetables, and cotton. c) In a kibbutz, farmers share all of the work and property. d) In a moshav, members share in the work, but each can also own some private property. F. Palestinian Territories – 1. A serious dispute exists between Israel and Palestinian Arabs. a) Nearly 8 million Palestinians are scattered throughout Southwest Asia today. b) Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

10. II. Southwest Asia – 2. In 1993 Israel agreed to give the Palestinians limited self-rule in the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank. a) In return, moderate Palestinian leaders recognized Israel’s right to exist. b) Israelis still live in settlements on the West Bank and tensions still remain. c) Many issues – particularly how Jerusalem is to be governed – continue to divide the two peoples. d) In 2006, the extremist group Hamas won Palestinian elections in 2006. e) Hamas does not recognize Israel.

11. II. Southwest Asia G. Saudi Arabia – 1. Saudi Arabia, the largest country in Southwest Asia, is about the size of the eastern United States. a) Vast deserts cover much of the country. b) Highlands dominate the Southwest and rainfall there waters fertile valleys. c) Most people live along the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, the oil region, or around desert oases. d) The capital and largest city, Riyadh, sits amid a large oasis in Central Saudi Arabia.

12. II. Southwest Asia – 2. Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest oil producers. a) High standard of living. b) Good infrastructure. c) Saudi Arabia has been developing new industries so that it does not rely solely on oil. – 3. Saudi Arabia has existed as a country since 1932. a) In that year, the Saud family established a monarchy that united the country’s many clans, or groups of families related by blood or marriage. b) Islam is a strong influence in the country.

13. II. Southwest Asia c) The holy cities of Mecca and Medina are located here. d) Laws governing women and the role of women are very strict. H. The Persian Gulf Countries – 1. Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are located along the Persian Gulf. a) Oil profits have contributed to building prosperous economies with free education and healthcare. – 2. These countries are also planning for a time when the oil runs out.

14. II. Southwest Asia a) Qatar has developed its natural gas industry and Bahrain is now a banking center. b) Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, is a large port, financial center, and tourist resort. – 3. Monarchs in the past have held power in these countries, but these countries recently have become more democratic. a) Women also have voting rights. I. Oman and Yemen – 1. Oman lies on the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula. a) Although the country is mostly desert, it has important oil resources.

15. II. Southwest Asia b) Oil profits have built important ports and a tourism industry. – 2. Oman’s location on the Strait of Hormuz is very important. a) The strait is the narrow entry into and out of the Persian Gulf where oil tankers need to pass. – 3. Yemen, in the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, has little oil. a) Most of its people are farmers or sheep and cattle herders. b) Most live near the capital of Sanaa. c) There is also the port of Aden where ships stop while traveling between the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea.

16. II. Southwest Asia J. Iraq – 1. Some of the world’s first known cities arose from the Tigris and Euphrates River Valley. a) Between the rivers is an alluvial plain, or an area built up by rich soil left by river floods. b) Wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, and cotton. c) Textiles, chemicals, and building materials. d) Oil is the major export. – 2. About 70% of Iraqis live in urban areas. a) Baghdad, the capital, is the largest city. b) From the A.D. 700s to the A.D. 1200s, Baghdad was the center of the Arab Empire. c) Muslim Arabs make up the largest group.

17. II. Southwest Asia d) Shia has the majority with a sizeable Sunni population. e) The third group are Kurds who want to form their own country. – 3. Modern Iraq gained its independence in 1932. a) In 1958 the last king was overthrown in a revolt. b) During the rest of the 1900s, Iraq was ruled by dictators including Saddam Hussein who ruled from 1979 to 2003. c) After Iraq invaded Kuwait, the United States successfully fought the Persian Gulf War in 1991. d) United Nations embargo. e) An embargo is an order that restricts trade with another country.

18. II. Southwest Asia – 4. After Hussein’s removal, rebels fought American forces in areas north and west of Baghdad. a) Sunnis, Kurds, and Shias still have conflicts. – 5. In the midst of the fighting, American and Iraqi officials tried to build a democracy in Iraq. a) The future of Iraq is still in question. K. Iran – 1. Iran is a Muslim nation. a) 90% is Shia Muslim. b) Not Arab, but Persian or Azeri.

19. II. Southwest Asia c) 67% of the population live in cities like Tehran, the capital – 2. About 2,500 years ago, Iran was the center of the mighty Persian Empire which was ruled by monarchs. a) In 1979, religious leaders overthrew the monarchy and established a Muslim republic. b) Many western customs are considered a threat to Islam and therefore been banned. – 3. Iran is an oil rich nation. a) The first oil wells were drilled in 1908.

20. II. Southwest Asia b) Iran is trying to build other industries to become less dependent on oil. c) Textiles, metal goods, and building materials. d) Wheat, rice, sugar beets, nuts, and cotton. – 4. The United States and other western countries have accused Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons. a) Iran insists it wants nuclear power for electrical purposes. L. Afghanistan

21. II. Southwest Asia – 1. To the east of Iran lies the landlocked country of Afghanistan. a) Hindu Kush mountains. b) Khyber Pass c) Afghanistan’s capital Kabul lies in a valley. – 2. 70% of the people raise livestock or farm. – 3. In 2001, terrorists with support from groups in Afghanistan attacked the United States. a) The United States responded by overthrowing the government known as the Taliban. b) The Taliban still has a big influence of the country.