1. The Eastern Mediterranean
World Geography Today
2/18/2019
The Eastern Mediterranean
Preview
Section 1: Natural Environments
Section 2: History and Culture
Section 3: The Region Today
Chapter Wrap-Up
Chapter 20

2. Section 1: Natural Environments
Read to Discover
What landforms and rivers are found in the eastern Mediterranean region?
What climates, biomes, and natural resources does the region have?

3. Section 1: Natural Environments
Landforms and Rivers
Turkey—Plains and hills; two east-west mountain ranges, Pontic and Taurus; Anatolian Plateau
Coastal plain in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel
Rift valley from Africa to Syria, edged with hills
Jordan River flows into Dead Sea
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers from Anatolia to the Persian Gulf

4. Section 1: Natural Environments
Question
What are the natural environments of the Eastern Mediterranean?

5. Section 1: Natural Environments
Natural Environments of the Eastern Mediterranean
Climates
Biomes
Resources
• Arid
Forests, particularly in Cyprus
Turkey—Coal, copper, iron ore
• Semiarid
Diverse in semiarid areas
Dead Sea—Potash, magnesium
• Mediterranean
Hardy species in desert areas
Oil and natural gas

6. Section 1: Natural Environments
Climates, Biomes, and Natural Resources
Arid, semiarid, and Mediterranean climates
Distance from sea, elevation, rain shadows—Factors in temperature and rainfall
Evergreen forests once common, now mainly gone
Syrian Desert—Scarce plant and animal life
Valuable minerals and energy—Coal, copper, iron ore, potash, magnesium

7. Section 2: History and Culture
Read to Discover
How have various peoples and empires influenced the eastern Mediterranean?
How did the modern state of Israel develop?
What are the peoples and cultures of the region like?

8. Section 2: History and Culture
Question
What peoples and Empires have existed in the Eastern Mediterranean?

9. Section 2: History and Culture Early Farming Settlements
Peoples and Empires
Ottoman Empire
Early Farming Settlements
Hebrews
Crusaders
European Mandates
Egyptians
Roman Empire
Persians
Arabs
Hittites
Independence
Byzantine Empire

10. Section 2: History and Culture
Peoples and Empires
Several ancient empires occupied the area: Egyptian, Hittite, Persian.
Hebrews established kingdom and Judaism.
Romans exiled Jews, then spread Christianity.
Byzantine Empire brought growth of Eastern Orthodox Church.
Arab Muslim armies occupied the area and spread Islam.
Crusades brought clashes between Muslims and Christians.

11. Section 2: History and Culture
Peoples and Empires (continued)
Ottoman Turks established another Muslim empire in the region in the 1300s.
Political struggles, corruption, and rivalries with other countries weakened the empire, along with internal ethnic conflict.
After World War I, Atatürk created the Republic of Turkey.
Former Ottoman territories became European mandates.
Mandates gained independence after World War II.

12. Section 2: History and Culture
Development of Israel
Zionist movement of late 1800s called for Jewish homeland.
Jews moved to Palestine after World War I.
Migration increased in 1930s and 1940s.
UN divided Palestine into Jewish and Arab states in 1947.
Israel declared independence in 1948.
Israel gained territories through war—West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights.

13. Section 2: History and Culture
Peoples and Cultures
Main peoples—Arabs, Jews, Turks, Kurds
Religions—Islam, Judaism, Christianity
Members of same ethnic group may follow different religions—e.g., Christian Arabs.
Cultural identity may be distinct from religious identity.
Urban-rural divide in Turkey—Modern versus traditional customs
Jewish religious law influences Israeli culture.
Multiethnic influences in Israel reflect different national origins.

14. Section 3: The Region Today
Read to Discover
On what activities do the eastern Mediterranean economies rely?
What are the cities of the region like?
What challenges do the people of the region face?

15. Section 3: The Region Today
Question
What types of economies do the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean have?

16. Section 3: The Region Today
Lebanon
Growth disrupted by civil war, Palestinian refugees
Israel
Hostile foreign relations, high-tech industries, diamond cutting, tourism
Cyprus
Disrupted by civil war, tourism important
Jordan
Underdeveloped economy, foreign aid, Palestinian refugees, tourism important
The Economies of the Eastern Mediterranean
Turkey
Growth slowed by earthquakes, uses dams for agriculture, has textile industry and others, tourism
Syria
Underdeveloped economy, high unemployment

17. Section 3: The Region Today
Economic Activities
Heavy reliance on agriculture; irrigation important
Strong industrial base in Israel—High-tech, diamond-cutting, chemicals
Carpets and textiles—Key Turkish industry
Tourism—Major industry
Foreign aid received

18. Section 3: The Region Today
Cities
Rapid growth
High birthrates, migration from rural areas
Cramped housing, traffic congestion
Ancient city centers with souks
Newer areas around center
War damage in some cities—Nicosia, Beirut

19. Section 3: The Region Today
Challenges
Status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Armenian and Kurdish conflict
Islamic fundamentalism in Turkey
Ethnic and religious division—Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan
Environmental issues—Water scarcity, overgrazing

20. Chapter Wrap-Up Understanding the Main Ideas
World Geography Today
2/18/2019
Chapter Wrap-Up Understanding the Main Ideas
What physical feature extends north from Africa to create the Jordan River valley and the Dead Sea?
How has the region’s vegetation changed over time?
Why did many Jews immigrate to the region that later became Israel?
What are the three main religions of the eastern Mediterranean? What major feature do these religions share?
What two countries are recovering from many years of ethnic and religious conflict?
Chapter 20