Middle East Physical Geography

The Middle East• Many people refer to this

region as the Middle East because of its location.

• For centuries empires and kingdoms have fought for control of these lands.

• One reason is the location-whoever held control of the region influenced trade.

Trade Routes

Location• SW Asia is referred to as the crossroads

of continents because it is located between 3 major continents: Europe, Africa, Asia

Deserts• SW Asia is

mostly covered by deserts.

Deserts

Sahara Desert

ArabianDesert

NegevDesert

SinaiDesertLibyan Desert

Rubal-Khali

Importance of Deserts• Deserts serve as a natural barrier against

invasion.• Deserts have also led to a way of life developed

around surviving the harsh conditions.• People (Bedouins – desert nomads) have

managed to live in the desert in tent camps and survive as sheep and camel herders. – They trade animals and handmade goods with those

who live in towns on the desert’s edge.

Desert Bedouins

Climates in the Middle East

• A large majority of the Middle East is arid and semi arid.

• Mountain ranges block moisture coming from the oceans and seas nearby; most of the interior is desert ( it can reach 140° F in the desert!).

Climates Defined

• Arid is word that means dry. An arid climate is one that is hot and dry all year with very little rain.

• A semiarid climate has hot, dry summers and cool, dry winters.

How Climate Affects Agriculture

• Huge portions of the Middle East cannot be farmed without water.

• Some countries such as Israel uses desalination plants which remove the salt from water.

Farming is Difficult

• Many people in the ME practice subsistence agriculture: growing small amounts of crops to take care of local needs.

• Because the climate is hot and dry, farmers must irrigate their fields.

• There is some commercial agriculture: growing crops for industrial markets, but it is limited by lack of water.

Got Water? Got Water?

Water creates conflict in the Middle East!

Rivers in the Middle East

• 3 major river systems are located in the Middle East– Euphrates River

• runs through Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait

– Tigris River • runs through Turkey, Iraq, and Kuwait

– Jordan River • part of the border of Syria, Jordan, the West

Bank, and Israel

The Tigris & Euphrates

River System

Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the Two Rivers”

Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the Two Rivers”

TheJordan RiverSystem:

Israel & Jordan--A Fight OverWater Rights?

Importance of Tigris, Euphrates, and Jordan Rivers

• Water for drinking• Water for irrigation• Water for transportation

and trade• Boundaries between

nations• Major cities are located

on or near these rivers – centers of industry (jobs)

Water Creates Conflict• Water is a critical resource as a source of life and a route for trade.• The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have been a source of many

political conflicts because they are shared by more than one country.

• Several countries have built dams across their portions of the rivers to

create lakes for irrigation and to generate hydroelectric power.• Each dam cuts down on water available to countries downstream.