1. Cultural Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia
Chapter 18
Cultural Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia

2. 1. North Africa Birthplace of earliest civilizations
Rich cultural heritage
Traditions and cultures have changed with modernization and urbanization

3. Population Patterns
Indigenous ethnic groups, migrations, and the dramatic climate have shaped population patterns in North Africa
Indigenous cultures in North Africa have mixed with those from Arabian Peninsula and Europe

4. The People
Primary influence on the sub region is a mix of indigenous and Arab cultures
Indigenous people of North Africa called Berbers
Most are farmers today
Previously they were pastoral nomads, groups of people who move from place to place grazing their animals
Berbers are most populous in the Atlas Mountains and in the Sahara

5. The People Other principal ethnic group in North Africa - Arabs
Egyptian civilization, 6000 years ago
Spread throughout North Africa in the 600’s
Bedouin - nomadic, Arabic-speaking people, migrated from deserts of Southwest Asia, herd animals in deserts

6. The People
North African peoples have had continuous contact with Europe for hundreds of years
French, Spanish Muslims and Romans have all influenced the culture in this sub region

7. Density and Distribution
Geographic factors, such as availability of water, influenced settlement in North Africa
People settled along seacoasts and in river deltas, or mouths, such as along Nile River in Egypt
Nile Delta region one of world's most densely populated areas
Major population centers in North Africa are urban
Examples:
Casablanca, Morocco
Algiers, Algeria
Tunis, Tunisia
Tripoli, Libya
Cairo, Egypt
Cities in the region have grown rapidly
some have not had the infrastructure, basic urban necessities such as streets and utilities, to support this growth

8. Early Peoples and Civilizations
Hunters and gatherers settled in North Africa about 10,000 years ago
By 6000 BC, farming communities rise up along Nile River and Mediterranean Sea
Region’s farmers among the first to domesticate plants and animals
Egyptian civilization developed along the Nile River about years ago
Egyptians:
Created a calendar year with 365 days
Used sophisticated irrigation systems
Built pyramids as tombs to for their rules
Invented form of picture writing called hieroglyphics

9. Invasions of North Africa
Seventh century invasions of Arabs from Arabian Peninsula
Arabs have heavily influenced cultures of North Africa since
Arabs brought Islamic religion and culture to Morocco
Spanish Muslim and Jewish exiles fleeing Christian persecution settled in Morocco in 1400s
Ottoman Empire conquered Algeria in 1500s
France conquered Algeria in mid 1800s
Geometric boundaries, or straight line boundaries which do not account for natural and cultural features, exist between Libya, Egypt and Algeria
These boundaries were drawn by European colonial powers, often caused conflict

10. Independence
During 1800’s, well-educated urban middle class adopts nationalism, or a belief in the right of an ethnic group to have its own independent country
Egypt gained independence from UK in 1922
Suez Canal, important shipping lane that connect the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea across Egypt, has made Egypt a key power
Algeria gained independence from France in mid 1900s
Libya won independence from Italy in 1951
Then ruled by strong, Western-friendly monarchy
In 1969, coup led by Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi overthrew the monarchy
Qaddafi has ruled the oil rich country to this day

11. Religion and Language
Arabs brought religion of Islam to North Africa when they invaded
Most were Sunni, which makes up 85% of 1.5 billion Muslims world wide
Sunnis believe that leadership should be in the hands of the Islamic community at large
Most Berbers have adopted Islam
Calls to worship occur five times each day in countries with large Muslim populations
Muezzin, or crier, calls the faithful to prayer from a tower of each local mosque
Following the movements of the imam, or prayer leader, they bow and kneel, touching foreheads to the ground in the direction of the holy city of Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia
Arabic language also spread across North Africa
Non-Arab Muslims learned Arabic in order to read the Quran, the Islamic holy book
Arabic became the regions main language

12. Education and Health Care
Most young people in North Africa attend school
Primary education is free
Literacy rates range widely, from 52 percent in Morocco to 82 percent in Libya
Health care has also improved recently
People often go to government-owned hospitals for medical treatment, but doctor shortages mean limited care for rural people

13. The Arts
Egyptians built towering pyramids to serve as royal tombs for their leaders
Arts of weaving, embroidery and metalworking in the region are highly influenced by Islam

14. 2. The Eastern Mediterranean
Eastern Mediterranean birthplace of three major world religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Different peoples have laid claim to the lands for religious reasons
Periods of conflict and war have resulted
In Israel today, Jewish and Palestinian people both claim rights to the same lands

15. Population Patterns
Migrations, claims to ancestral homes, boundary disputes have influenced pop. patterns in the eastern Mediterranean
Inhabited by millions of Arab and Jewish people
Jewish people speak Hebrew, and if they are religious, practice Judaism
Arabs speak Arabic, and primarily practice Islam

16. The People
7.1 million people living in E. Mediterranean are Israelis living in Israel
80% are Jewish
Jews trace heritage to Israelites
Israelites in ancient times settled in Canaan, land shared today by Israel and Lebanon
Israelites believed that God had given them this area as a homeland
Over time, many Jews moved to other countries

17. The People In 1948, Israel founded as a Jewish state
Arabs in the region did not want Jewish state
Tensions between Arabs and Jews have led to many wars
Palestinians – Arabs displaced from their homes during wars with Israel, forced to live as refugees in neighboring countries such as Syria, Lebanon and Jordan

18. Density and Distribution
Dry climate causes majority in Eastern Mediterranean to live along Euphrates River
Some of the highest population densities in Southwest Asia
Lebanon - population density of 941 people per square mile
Region is primarily urban
More than 75% of people in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon live in cities
Over 50% in Syria and Palestine live in cities
Israel has experienced intense immigration since founding in 1948
1 million Jews have migrated from former Soviet Union since 1989
People of Israel have migrated from more than 100 countries, making it ethnically diverse

19. History and Government
Eastern Mediterranean home to three of the world's major religions
Has shaped politics and culture here for centuries
Due to proximity to Europe, Africa and Asia, Eastern Mediterranean has been occupied throughout history

20. Early Civilizations
Region has been occupied by important cultures and empires
Ebla, Syria was an important commercial trade center by BC
populated by hundreds of thousands of people by around BC
Damascus, Syria, one of the oldest cities in the world, continuously settled

21. Religion as History
Three major religions began here: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
All share many beliefs, particularly monotheism, or belief in one god
Jerusalem is of special importance to all three religions

22. Judaism One of the oldest of the monotheistic faiths
Trace origin to the ancient Israelites, who created kingdom of Israel along the eastern Mediterranean coast
Jerusalem was their capital and religious center
Jews recorded their history in the Hebrew Bible, consisting of the Torah, the prophets and the sacred writings

23. Christianity
In 30 AD, Jewish teacher named Jesus began preaching and gathering followers
Followers believed they would go to heaven after death
Became basis for Christianity
Christian Scriptures included the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), the New Testament (writings and teachings of Jesus and early Christian communities)

24. Islam States that AD 610, revelations from God came to Muhammad
Muhammad a merchant in the city of Mecca in the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia)
Followers claimed he was last in line of prophets, or messengers, that included Abraham and Jesus
By AD 700, Islam spread through the region and into Europe
Muslims built mosques, or houses of worship

25. Independence and Conflict
Over time, Islamic empires in region rose and fell
Physical geography limited sub regions economic development
Lacked resources such as minerals, wood and coal to fuel industrial revolution like Europe
By late 1800s, European powers controlled large areas in the eastern Mediterranean

26. Arab-Israeli Conflict
Jews expelled from their homeland by the Romans
Jews settled in communities all over the world, often experiencing persecution
Many Jews, called Zionists, began to call for a return to Palestine
After WWII, wars broke out among Jews, Arabs and British forces in the region
UN decided in 1947 to divide Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state
When British withdrew form the area, the Jews proclaimed the Independent state of Israel in 1948
Arabs and Israelis fought 6 wars in next 25years
In 1948 and 1967 conflicts, victorious Israeli forces occupied Arab lands

27. Religion and Language Majority who practice Islam follow Sunni branch
Arabs in Syria and Lebanon follow the Shia branch
Jews and Christians make up only a small percentage of the population
Most Jews live in Israel
Christians live in Lebanon and Syria
During Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, Muslims fast during daylight hours
Many Muslims dress modestly
Some Muslim women wear a veil over their face and completely cover their hands and feet
Primary language is Arabic

28. Education and Health Care
Compulsory and free
Literacy rates vary from 76 percent in Syria to 96 percent in Israel
Hospitals are often government owned