Physical Features of the Middle East

SlideShowMr. Regan’s World Cultures and Geography Class

West Essex Middle School

Ahaggar MountainsLocated in southern Algeria. Contains salt mines. Dry and rocky mountains.

Arabian DesertLocated in northern Saudi Arabia

Arabian SeaLocated to the south of the Arabian peninsula and is an arm of the Indian Ocean.

Area is dominated by oil trade.

Atlas MountainsLocated in Morocco and Algeria. Tall, rocky and arid mountains. Some peaks as tall at 13,000 feet.

Black SeaLocated to the north of Turkey is almost landlocked except for the Dardanelles and the Bosporus straits connecting it to the Mediterranean Sea

Caspian SeaLocated north of Iran. Is a landlocked fresh water sea. One of the largest freshwater bodies in the world.

Dead SeaLocated on the border of Israel and Jordan. It is the 1,300 feet below sea level and has

Euphrates RiverWestern of the two rivers of the are known as Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq). Longer than Tigris. Flows from the mountains of Turkey to the Persian Gulf.

Gulf of OmanBody of water to the east of Oman on the Arabian Peninsula. Leads to the Arabian sea from the Persian Gulf. Modern cities are popping up with the oil profits.

Gulf of AdenBody of water connecting the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the deadliest sea routes because of the threat of Somali pirates.

Mediterranean SeaLarge sea located to the north of Africa and west of Turkey and Southwest Asia.

Nile RiverFlows from central Africa to and through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. Longest river in the world.

Persian GulfBorders Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Gulf States. Dominated by oil rigs and oil tankers for trade.

Red SeaLocated between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. It connects the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea with the help of the Suez Canal

Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter)Area of southern Saudi Arabia dominated by sand dunes and unlivable conditions because of the lack of usable land and water.

Sahara DesertLargest desert in the world. Located in the northern part of Africa. Larger than the continental United States.

Strait of HormuzSmall waterway connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Suez CanalManmade waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

Taurus MountainsMountian range in the southern part of Turkey.

Zagros MountainsMountain range in the western part of Iran. Prone to many earthquakes due to its proximity to a major fault.

Tigris RiverLocated to the east of the Euphrates River. It is the shorter of the Mesopotamia rivers. Its begins near the border mountains of Turkey and flows south to the Persian Gulf.