1. Geography and Early History of the Middle East
Chapter 25
Geography and Early History of the Middle East

2. Section 1 The Land and The People
What is the Middle East?
Europeans invented the term to describe the region that lies between Europe and distant parts of Asia
“Middle” only in relation to Europe

3. Crossroads of the World
Crossroads of three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe
Connected major trade routes
Caravans from India and China brought goods to the busy markets of the Middle East

4. Cultural diffusion
Over thousands of years, migrating peoples, traders, and conquerors crossed the Middle East
They spread ideas, inventions, and achievements of many civilizations
Iron making, the alphabet, religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Arabic numerals spread to the ME from India and the lateen sail from Southeast Asia

5. Strategic location Some ME nations sit on vital sea routes
Some sit atop vast reserves of oil
The ME is important to the world for military and economic reasons
Egypt-Suez Canal
Turkey-Bosporus and the Dardanelles
Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of Persian Gulf-transports huge tankers of oil for industries and homes around the world.

6. Suez Canal

8. Strait of Hormuz

9. Five major regions Northern Tier
Stretches across present-day Turkey and Iran
Mountains and plateaus
In the West lies the Anatolian Plateau-fertile soil
The Anatolian Plateau is located in Asia Minor, a large peninsula that connects Asia and Europe
In the East likes the Iranian Plateau-dry

10. Arabian Peninsula A vast plateau that is about 1/3 the size of the US
Borders several important bodies of water: Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf
Saudi Arabia is the largest nation in the region
Small population due to lack of water
Mostly a barren desert
Most people live around scattered oasis
Huge oil deposits
Birthplace of Islam

11. Fertile Crescent
An arc-shaped region that stretches from the eastern Mediterranean along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to the Persian Gulf
Rich soil and abundant water
One of the world’s earliest civilizations emerged in the fertile Tigris-Euphrates Valley
Few natural barriers allowed for invaders to control its fertile land
Wealthiest settlements lay in Mesopotamia “land between rivers”
Flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers spread fertile soil over the region
Flooding is unpredictable

12. Nile Valley Northeastern Africa was a cradle of ancient civilizations
Deserts in the east and west protect this region from invaders
Flooding of the Nile is predictable
Trade linked Egyptians in the Nile Valley with the people in the Fertile Crescent
Caravans and armies from Egypt crossed the Sinai Peninsula, while ships sailed from Nile delta ports to lands adjoining the Mediterranean

13. The Maghreb
Includes the North African nations of Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco
“western isle”
Chief features of this region are the Sahara and Atlas rugged mountains
Major crossroads-commands the southern rim of the Mediterranean and a gateway to the Atlantic
Traders exchanged goods from West Africa, Europe, and the Middle East

14. Climate and Resources Climate has dictated where people live in the ME
Nearly all of the region is a desert
People clustered in well-watered areas along the coasts and in river valleys where they irrigate and farm
Less than 10% of the region receives enough water to farm
Irrigation is extremely important for life in the ME
Oil is the most important resource in the ME

15. Peoples Many different peoples, languages, religions and traditions
Major languages are: Arabic, Turkish, Hebrew, Kurdish, Persian, Greek, and Armenian
Major religions are: Islam, Christianity, Judaism
19 countries and almost 350 million people

16. Ethnic diversity Arabs are the majority group in many ME countries
What is an Arab?
Mid-600s Arabs from the Arabian Peninsula conquered many different peoples in the ME
Arabic language and the religion of Islam
Today, the term Arab is used to describe anyone whose native language is Arabic
Other groups include Turks, Iranians and Kurds

17. Religious diversity The majority religion is Islam
Most Arabs are Muslim
Many non-Arabic people are also Muslim
A significant number of Christians live in Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria
Judaism is the most ancient of the three religions in the ME
In Israel, the majority of the people are Jewish