1. Physical Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia and Central Asia
Chapter 17
Physical Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia and Central Asia

2. 1. The Land
The vast region of North Africa, Southwest Asia and Central Asia spans portions of Africa and Asia
Early civilizations thrived here thousands of years ago in fertile river valleys
Today, ancient rivers such as the Nile remain vital to the people of the region

3. Landforms In NA, SWA and CA, dramatic landforms can be found
It is a region dominated by deserts and mountains
Tectonic activity responsible for shaping the landscape in many parts of NA, SWA and CA.

4. Earthquakes
The African, Arabian, Anatolian and Eurasian plates come together in NA, SWA and CA
As the plates move they:
build mountains
shift landmasses
cause earthquakes
Tectonic activity built Atlas Mtns. of Morocco and Algeria, the Zagros of southern Iran and the Taurus of Turkey
Earthquakes occur regularly in the region
In 1999, Turkey experienced an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale

5. Mountains Physical Map on p. 412
Africa’s longest mountain range, the Atlas Mountains, extends across Morocco and Algeria
In Southwest Asia, two mountain ranges, the Hejaz and Asir, stretch along the western coast of the Arabian Peninsula
Precipitation received by the Asir region makes it the most agriculturally productive on the Ariabian Peninsula
Turkey possesses the Pontic Mountains and the Taurus mountains, and in between the two sits the Anatolian Plateau (2000 to 5000 ft above sea level)

6. Mountains Mount Ararat (almost 17000 ft), near Turkish/Iranian boder
The Caucasus Mountains, located N of Mount Ararat between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea
West of Tian Shan range, the Turan Lowlands, made up by irrigated farmland
To the south are dune-covered kums, or deserts
The Kara-Kum, or black sand desert, covers most of Turkmenistan
The Kyzl Kum, or red sand desert, blankets half of Uzbekistan

7. Coastal Plains, Seas and Peninsulas
Regions agricultural base are the fertile plains along the Mediterranean Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf
To the E, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden separate Arabian Peninsula from Africa
The northwest, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aquaba flank the Sinai Peninsula

8. Coastal Plains, Seas and Peninsulas
To the N, the peninsula of Anatolia points west to the Aegean Sea
Black and Mediterranean Seas lie at the peninsula’s north and south
Three landlocked bodies of salt water E of the Mediterranean Sea:
Smallest – Dead Sea, near mouth of Jordan River
In CA, the Caspian Sea, largest inland body of water on Earth
East of the Caspian Sea is the Aral Sea, used to be fourth largest inland sea before Soviet irrigation

9. Water Systems
For thousand of years, people have depended on the region’s rivers and fertile river valleys’ where early civilizations thrived
Rivers are the lifeblood of this region, which on the whole is quite dry or arid

10. Major Rivers: Cradles of Civilization
Egypt’s Nile River, world’s longest river at 4,160 miles long
The Nile, provided one of the world's earliest civilizations
Today, more than 90 percent of Egypt’s population live on only 3 percent of Egypt's land, located along the Nile River
The Aswan High Dam and others now control the river’s flow

11. Major Rivers: Cradles of Civilization
Early civilizations also thrived in the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley, fertile farming valley in SWA
Known by ancient peoples as Mesopotamia, Greek word for ‘land between two rivers’
Today the Tigris and Euphrates help irrigate Turkey, Syria and Iraq
The Euphrates is the longer river of the two (2,335 m), versus the Tigris (1,180m)

12. Streambeds Many streams in the region flow only intermittently
In the region’s deserts, runoff from infrequent rainstorms creates wadis, or streambeds that remain dry until a heavy rain
Rainstorms often produce flash flooding
During a flash flood, wadis fill with so much sediment they become mud flows, or moving masses of west soil, which are dangerous to humans and animals

13. Natural Resources
Some of NA, SWA and CA’s most abundant resources are important to the world economy
Include petroleum and natural gas

14. Oil and Natural Gas
Over 60 percent of the world’s known oil reserves are beneath this region
About 50 percent of known natural gas reserves are here as well
Petroleum exports have enriched the region
However, reliance on oil exports is risky, due to fluctuation in oil prices

15. Minerals Turkmenistan, worlds’ largest deposits of sulfur
largest deposits of sulfate, used in paperboard, glass and detergents
Morocco – a leading producer in phosphate, chemical used in fertilizers

16. Building Diverse Economies
Some countries are diversifying to reduce reliance on oil and mineral exports
United Arab Emirates is investing oil wealth in banking, information technology and tourism
Libya is investing in infrastructure, agriculture and fisheries

17. 2. Climate and Vegetation
Large expanses of North Africa, Southwest Asia and Central Asia have an average annual rainfall of 10 inches or less
As a result, much of the region arid, unfertile, desert

18. Water and Climate
Lack of water affects climate, natural vegetation, and human activities in these regions
Water scarcity defines the region's climates
Ancient cave paintings in North Africa, show us this part of Africa was once wet and green

19. Desert Climate
Scientific definition of desert: an area which averages 10 inches or less precipitation per year
Deserts make up almost 50 percent of North Africa, Southwest Asia and Central Asia
Sahara Desert – largest desert in the world, 3.5 million square miles, covers most of North Africa, expanded by recent droughts
Desert weather patterns tend to be extreme, with relatively cold winters with freezing temperatures, and summers that are long and hot
A traveler crossing any of the region's deserts would probably see only a few Ergs, but man Regs
Ergs – sandy, dune covered area
Regs - stony plains covered with rocky gravel (desert pavement) and hamada, a flat sandstone plateau

20. Desert Climate
Sand covers less than 10 percent of the Sahara. Mountains, barren rock and desert pavement cover the rest
Rub’ al-Khali Desert – largest area of sand in the region, 250,000 square miles, covers almost the entire southern quarter of the Arabian Peninsula
The Sahara and other deserts support some vegetation , such as cacti and shrubs.
Small-scale farming is possible in an oasis, or place in the desert where underground water surfaces.
Oases such as these are often the sites of villages, towns and cities in the Sahara

21. Steppe Climate
Steppe is the second largest climate region in the region
Steppe borders the Sahara to the north and south
Precipitation in this semi-arid climate region usually averages less than 14 inches per year
Supports short grasses, providing pasture for sheep, goats and camels, as well as shrubs and some trees
Pastoralism, the raising and grazing of livestock, is a way of life for people who live in a steppe climate

22. Midlatititude Regions
Countries within the region’s mid-latitudes benefit from rainfall in the Mediterranean highland, and humid subtropical climates
Mediterranean climates have cool, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

23. Exports and Tourists
Morocco, Tunisia, Syria boost their economies by exporting citrus fruits, olives and grapes
Some Mediterranean countries benefit from tourism
Moroccan city of Agadir has 360 days of sunshine per year
Higher area, like the Caucasus Mountains, are generally wetter and colder
Highland climate varies with elevation and exposure to wind and sun

24. Rainfall
Coastal and highland areas near mountain ranges usually receive the most rainfall
North African coast near the Atlas Mountains averages more than 30 inches of rain/year
More than 60 inches of rain falls each year at the foot of the Elburz Mountains in northern Iran
Batumi, in the Republic of Georgia, receives more than 100 inches of rain per year
In areas where more than 14 inches of rain falls yearly, farmers can raise cereals, such as barley, oats and wheat, without irrigation