1. Economies of the ME & NA
Introduction

2. Why the Middle East?

3. Geography The Middle or Near East:
Arab countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Non-Arab countries: Cyprus, Iran, Israel, Turkey

4. Geography North Africa:
Arab countries: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia

5. Geography Regions: Arabian Peninsula Iranian Plateau Anatolian Plateau
Fertile Crescent & Mesopotamia

6. Geography Waters: Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf
Read Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea
Nile River, Jordan River, Tigris & Euphrates Rivers

7. History 5500 B.C. to 2004 A.D. Sumerian & Akkadian
Babylonian & Neo-Babylonian
Persian, Greek & Roman
Arabian & Mongolian
Saavid & Ottoman
Independent nation states

8. Regional Characteristics
The Crossroad
The world’s island
The tri-continental hub of Asia, Africa, and Europe
The Silk Road

9. Regional Characteristics
The Cradle of Civilization
Beginning of human civilization with major development in agriculture, science, literature, and urbanization

10. Regional Characteristics
The Birthplace
Judaism (5700+ years)
Mithraism & Zoroastrianism (5000 & 3500 years)
Christianity (2000+ years)
Islam (1400+ years)
The Bahai Faith (100 years)

11. Regional Characteristics
The Arc of Crisis
Military conflict from the pre-historic to the present time

12. Regional Characteristics
Large Population
Over 300 million people living in 22 countries and millions of immigrants living outside the region

13. Rich Natural Resources
Over 60% of the world’s oil reserves
About 50% of the world’s oil supply
Reserves of natural gas, copper, iron ore, zinc, lead, etc.

14. Regional Characteristics
Trade & Commerce
Exporting natural resources and human resources
Importing capital and consumer goods and military equipment & services

15. Regional Similarities
Common History
The Persian Empire
The Arab Empire
The Ottoman Empire

16. Regional Similarities
Common Culture
Language: Arabic, Farsi, Turkish
Religion: Islam, Christianity, Judaism

17. Regional Similarities
Third World Nations
Economic problems: poverty, income inequality, dependence on exports
Social problems: gender and ethnic discrimination, inefficient governments

18. Regional Similarities
Military Conflict
Arab-Israeli conflict (1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, on-going)
Iran-Iraq War ( )
Persian Gulf War (1991)
Iraq Invasion (2003-present)

19. Regional Differences Country Size in Area Large: Sudan, Saudi Arabia
Small: Lebanon, Kuwait

20. Regional Differences Population Large: Egypt, Iran, Turkey
Small: Qatar, Kuwait, UAE
Medium: Algeria, Morocco, Iraq

21. Regional Differences Urbanization Rural: Sudan, Yemen, Libya
Urban: Kuwait, UAE, Qatar

22. Regional Differences Economic Size Affluent: UAE, Saudi Arabia
Less fortunate: Sudan, Yemen

23. Regional Differences Government
Democratic & Non-secular: Tunisia, Turkey
Autocratic & Secular: Saudi Arabia, Iran