Leading countries Leading countries according to GDPaccording to GDP

Kuwait United Arab Emirates Qatar Israel

Leading countries Leading countries according to Land sizeaccording to Land size

Algeria

Saudi Arabia

Libya

Leading countries Leading countries according to populationaccording to population

Iran

Turkey

Egypt

Physical CharacteristicsPhysical Characteristics Area is the crossroads of

Europe, Africa, and Asia

It has a primarily desert or semi-arid climate

Sahara, Sahel, and steppes are the primary vegetation region

Sahara--world’s largest desert, it stretches over most of North Africa and is growing

Sahel--area separating the Sahara from the tropical rainforest of Africa.

The Sahel is an area of temperate grassland (steppe) moving into sparse desert scrub-like vegetation

Three main mountain ranges 1. Atlas Mountains in

northern Algeria and Morocco

2. Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey

3. Zagros Mountains in western Iran

Even though this is a dry area, water plays a very large role

There are several large bodies of water which play a major role in world politics

Examples : Persian Gulf/Arabian

Gulf Strait of Hormuz Arabian Sea Red Sea

Other important bodies of water

Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Bosporus Strait, Dardanelles Strait, Nile River (longest in the world), Tigris and Euphrates (home to the world’s first civilization) and the Jordan River

The area is also subject to seasonal flooding, alluvial soils, delta regions, oases, and wadis

Seasonal flooding--several of the rivers flood regularly (Nile) which deposit rich alluvial soil for farming

The desert regions are home to many oases (a place where fresh water makes it possible for life to exist in a dry area) and wadi (a gully or usually dry river bed cut by running water after a downpour)

Economic Economic CharacteristicsCharacteristics

The area has a heavy reliance on primary economic activities such as oil drilling, agriculture and herding/grazing

The area is the home of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

Many countries in the area still belong today

Major producers of the world’s oil

Provide large oil revenues

Positive effects--jobs, revenue, position of power

Negative effects--reliance on one industry, pollution, unequal distribution of wealth

Water is the region’s MOST PRECIOUS resource

Aswan High Dam has had positive and negative effects on the region.

Suez Canal enhanced shipping routes in the region

Positive effects of the Aswan High dam Controls flooding,

recreation areas, power Negative effects of the

Aswan high Dam land losing fertility, lost

homes when dam built,

There is a great variation in the standard of living in the region.

It ranges from the relatively high to the poverty stricken.

There is also a wide range of per capita income and differing levels of development

Trade has been important to the region from the earliest time.

Today regional conflicts and political unrest have affected trade and tourism

The area today has contemporary trade routes (sea lanes)

Cultural CharacteristicsCultural Characteristics

The area has experienced rapid urbanization

Most modernization has centered around urban areas and more traditional life has continued in the rural areas

Large percentage of the population is under the age of 15 due to conflict, disease and the hardships associated with the region.

The population is generally unevenly distributed due to the environment and resources

All but three of the countries are Arab nations and they use the Arabic language.

Turkey, Iran and Israel are the non-Arab countries

North Africa and Southwest Asia are the birthplace to three major monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

All three claim similar holy places and the dominant group has changed over the years.

Since 1949, the region has been in conflict over the area known as PALESTINE. This area is present day Israel.

Much of the region has a nomadic lifestyle

NOMADIC-to wander from place to place behind a food source or for other reasons

The art of the region reflects the diversity of the religions;

stained glass, geometric tiles, calligraphy, mosaics, and prayer rugs

Cities as centers of trade Cities as centers of trade and cultureand culture

Baghdad, Iraq Cairo, Egypt Istanbul, Turkey Jerusalem, Israel Mecca, Saudi Arabia Tehran, Iran

Cultural LandscapeCultural Landscape Mosques, minarets

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Hagia Sophia

bazaars, sugs

Western Wall (of Jerusalem)

Dome of the Rock

Kaaba

Pyramids

Oil rigs

walled cities

Sahara desertSahara desert

OasisOasis

Stained Glass/MosaicsStained Glass/Mosaics

Prayer RugsPrayer Rugs

Oil RigsOil Rigs

KaabaKaaba

Dome of the RockDome of the Rock

Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia

Church of the Holy Church of the Holy SepulcherSepulcher

PyramidsPyramids

Western WallWestern Wall

Western WallWestern Wall