Cultural Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia

Chapter 18

1. North AfricaBirthplace of earliest civilizationsRich cultural heritageTraditions and cultures have changed with

modernization and urbanization

Population PatternsIndigenous ethnic groups, migrations, and

the dramatic climate have shaped population patterns in North Africa

Indigenous cultures in North Africa have mixed with those from Arabian Peninsula and Europe

The PeoplePrimary influence on the sub region is a

mix of indigenous and Arab culturesIndigenous people of North Africa called

BerbersMost are farmers todayPreviously they were pastoral nomads,

groups of people who move from place to place grazing their animals

Berbers are most populous in the Atlas Mountains and in the Sahara

The PeopleOther principal ethnic group in North Africa

- ArabsEgyptian civilization, 6000 years agoSpread throughout North Africa in the 600’sBedouin - nomadic, Arabic-speaking people,

migrated from deserts of Southwest Asia, herd animals in deserts

The PeopleNorth African peoples have had continuous

contact with Europe for hundreds of yearsFrench, Spanish Muslims and Romans have

all influenced the culture in this sub region

Density and Distribution Geographic factors, such as availability of water, influenced

settlement in North Africa People settled along seacoasts and in river deltas, or mouths,

such as along Nile River in Egypt Nile Delta region one of world's most densely populated areas Major population centers in North Africa are urban Examples:

Casablanca, Morocco

Algiers, Algeria

Tunis, Tunisia

Tripoli, Libya

Cairo, Egypt Cities in the region have grown rapidly some have not had the infrastructure, basic urban necessities

such as streets and utilities, to support this growth

Early Peoples and CivilizationsHunters and gatherers settled in North Africa

about 10,000 years agoBy 6000 BC, farming communities rise up along

Nile River and Mediterranean SeaRegion’s farmers among the first to domesticate

plants and animalsEgyptian civilization developed along the Nile

River about 6000 years agoEgyptians:1.Created a calendar year with 365 days2.Used sophisticated irrigation systems3.Built pyramids as tombs to for their rules4.Invented form of picture writing called

hieroglyphics

Invasions of North AfricaSeventh century invasions of Arabs from Arabian

Peninsula Arabs have heavily influenced cultures of North

Africa sinceArabs brought Islamic religion and culture to

MoroccoSpanish Muslim and Jewish exiles fleeing Christian

persecution settled in Morocco in 1400sOttoman Empire conquered Algeria in 1500sFrance conquered Algeria in mid 1800sGeometric boundaries, or straight line boundaries

which do not account for natural and cultural features, exist between Libya, Egypt and Algeria

These boundaries were drawn by European colonial powers, often caused conflict

IndependenceDuring 1800’s, well-educated urban middle class

adopts nationalism, or a belief in the right of an ethnic group to have its own independent country

Egypt gained independence from UK in 1922Suez Canal, important shipping lane that connect

the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea across Egypt, has made Egypt a key power

Algeria gained independence from France in mid 1900s

Libya won independence from Italy in 1951Then ruled by strong, Western-friendly monarchyIn 1969, coup led by Colonel Muammar al-

Qaddafi overthrew the monarchyQaddafi has ruled the oil rich country to this day

Religion and Language Arabs brought religion of Islam to North Africa when they

invaded Most were Sunni, which makes up 85% of 1.5 billion Muslims

world wide Sunnis believe that leadership should be in the hands of the

Islamic community at large Most Berbers have adopted Islam Calls to worship occur five times each day in countries with

large Muslim populations Muezzin, or crier, calls the faithful to prayer from a tower of

each local mosque Following the movements of the imam, or prayer leader, they

bow and kneel, touching foreheads to the ground in the direction of the holy city of Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia

Arabic language also spread across North Africa Non-Arab Muslims learned Arabic in order to read the Quran,

the Islamic holy book Arabic became the regions main language

Education and Health CareMost young people in North Africa attend

schoolPrimary education is freeLiteracy rates range widely, from 52

percent in Morocco to 82 percent in LibyaHealth care has also improved recently People often go to government-owned

hospitals for medical treatment, but doctor shortages mean limited care for rural people

The ArtsEgyptians built towering pyramids to serve

as royal tombs for their leadersArts of weaving, embroidery and

metalworking in the region are highly influenced by Islam

2. The Eastern MediterraneanEastern Mediterranean birthplace of three

major world religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Different peoples have laid claim to the lands for religious reasons

Periods of conflict and war have resultedIn Israel today, Jewish and Palestinian

people both claim rights to the same lands

Population PatternsMigrations, claims to ancestral homes,

boundary disputes have influenced pop. patterns in the eastern Mediterranean

Inhabited by millions of Arab and Jewish people

Jewish people speak Hebrew, and if they are religious, practice Judaism

Arabs speak Arabic, and primarily practice Islam

The People7.1 million people living in E. Mediterranean

are Israelis living in Israel80% are JewishJews trace heritage to IsraelitesIsraelites in ancient times settled in Canaan,

land shared today by Israel and LebanonIsraelites believed that God had given them

this area as a homelandOver time, many Jews moved to other

countries

The PeopleIn 1948, Israel founded as a Jewish stateArabs in the region did not want Jewish

stateTensions between Arabs and Jews have

led to many warsPalestinians – Arabs displaced from their

homes during wars with Israel, forced to live as refugees in neighboring countries such as Syria, Lebanon and Jordan

Density and DistributionDry climate causes majority in Eastern Mediterranean to live

along Euphrates RiverSome of the highest population densities in Southwest AsiaLebanon - population density of 941 people per square mileRegion is primarily urbanMore than 75% of people in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon live

in citiesOver 50% in Syria and Palestine live in citiesIsrael has experienced intense immigration since founding in

19481 million Jews have migrated from former Soviet Union since

1989People of Israel have migrated from more than 100

countries, making it ethnically diverse

History and GovernmentEastern Mediterranean home to three of

the world's major religionsHas shaped politics and culture here for

centuriesDue to proximity to Europe, Africa and

Asia, Eastern Mediterranean has been occupied throughout history

Early CivilizationsRegion has been occupied by important

cultures and empiresEbla, Syria was an important commercial

trade center by 3000 BCpopulated by hundreds of thousands of

people by around 2400 BCDamascus, Syria, one of the oldest cities in

the world, continuously settled

Religion as HistoryThree major religions began here: Judaism,

Christianity, and IslamAll share many beliefs, particularly

monotheism, or belief in one godJerusalem is of special importance to all

three religions

JudaismOne of the oldest of the monotheistic faithsTrace origin to the ancient Israelites, who

created kingdom of Israel along the eastern Mediterranean coast

Jerusalem was their capital and religious center

Jews recorded their history in the Hebrew Bible, consisting of the Torah, the prophets and the sacred writings

ChristianityIn 30 AD, Jewish teacher named Jesus

began preaching and gathering followersFollowers believed they would go to heaven

after deathBecame basis for ChristianityChristian Scriptures included the Hebrew

Bible (Old Testament), the New Testament (writings and teachings of Jesus and early Christian communities)

IslamStates that AD 610, revelations from God

came to MuhammadMuhammad a merchant in the city of Mecca

in the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia)Followers claimed he was last in line of

prophets, or messengers, that included Abraham and Jesus

By AD 700, Islam spread through the region and into Europe

Muslims built mosques, or houses of worship

SHAHADAH. This Pillar is believing and saying the words. “There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”.

SALAH. This Pillar is praying five times a day. There are set prayers which Muslims should say, and all Muslims should face Mecca in Arabia when praying, and should pray on a prayer mat. People should wash before they pray. There are fixed movements, which include kneeling with the forehead placed on the ground in front. This expresses the servant status of the human being in relation to Allah.

ZAKAH. Each year, Muslims are supposed to give a fixed proportion of their savings for endeavours such as helping the poor. In this way, they believe that their wealth is “made pure”

SAWM. Refraining from food and drink during the month of Ramadan during daylight hours.

HAJJ. This is making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your life, if it can be afforded.

Independence and ConflictOver time, Islamic empires in region rose

and fellPhysical geography limited sub regions

economic developmentLacked resources such as minerals, wood

and coal to fuel industrial revolution like Europe

By late 1800s, European powers controlled large areas in the eastern Mediterranean

Arab-Israeli ConflictJews expelled from their homeland by the RomansJews settled in communities all over the world, often

experiencing persecutionMany Jews, called Zionists, began to call for a return to

PalestineAfter WWII, wars broke out among Jews, Arabs and British

forces in the regionUN decided in 1947 to divide Palestine into a Jewish state

and an Arab stateWhen British withdrew form the area, the Jews proclaimed

the Independent state of Israel in 1948Arabs and Israelis fought 6 wars in next 25yearsIn 1948 and 1967 conflicts, victorious Israeli forces

occupied Arab lands

Religion and LanguageMajority who practice Islam follow Sunni branchArabs in Syria and Lebanon follow the Shia branch Jews and Christians make up only a small

percentage of the populationMost Jews live in IsraelChristians live in Lebanon and SyriaDuring Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, Muslims

fast during daylight hoursMany Muslims dress modestlySome Muslim women wear a veil over their face

and completely cover their hands and feetPrimary language is Arabic

Education and Health CareCompulsory and freeLiteracy rates vary from 76 percent in Syria

to 96 percent in IsraelHospitals are often government owned

3. The NortheastPrimarily Turkey, Iraq and IranRegion where cultures are fundamentally

tied to religionsIslam is the most practiced of them all.Islam now the fastest growing religion in

the world.

The People Ethnic populations in Northeast migrated

from Central Asia and Arabian PeninsulaReligion of Islam has become a dominant

aspect of these cultures

TurksPresent day Turkey (formerly Anatolia) has been

occupied by many different peoples in past 8000 years

Turks migrated to the peninsula around AD 1000 from Central Asia

One group, known as Ottoman Turks, built the Ottoman Empire

OT ruled much of the eastern Mediterranean for more than 600 years

Spanned an area that covered northern Africa, western Asia and southeastern Europe

Most Turks practice Islam, speak Turkish

IraniansAppr. 67 million people live in Iran

(formerly Persia)Iran means “land of the Aryans”, or Indo-

Europeans who came from Southern RussiaIranians speak Farsi, or PersianApproximately 90 percent practice Shia

Islam

ArabsMajority of people living in Iraq are Arabs

(migrated from Arabian peninsula)Most Arabs in Iraq are Shia MusliamsOnly about 35 percent are SunniIraqi’s mostly speak Arabic

KurdsHave lived for more than 2000 years in the

mountainous border areas of Turkey, Iraq and Iran

Most are Sunni MuslimsMost speak Kurdish, language related to

FarsiKurds call their territory KurdistanKurds have not gained independence,

despite several tries

Density and DistributionMost populous countries in Northeast are

Turkey and Iran (around 70 million each)Large cities and towns are commonLarge cities:Istanbul, TurkeyBaghdad, Iraq Tehran, Iran These cities dominate social and cultural

life in their respective countries

Civilizations and EmpiresMany civilizations arose in Mesopotamia, the area

between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (present day Iraq)

This area became one of the worlds first culture hearths, or centers where cultures developed and spread outward

Mesopotamia part of a large agricultural region known as the Fertile Crescent

Mesopotamia was home to the Sumerian civilizationSumerians mastered farming by using irrigationMade great progress in mathematics and engineering,

and created a code of lawDeveloped a writing system call cuneiform, using wedge

shaped symbols written on clay tablets

Civilizations and EmpiresPhoenician civilization, began along eastern

Mediterranean coast, around 3000 BCDeveloped a new alphabet in which letters

stood for sounds, formed the basis for modern alphabets

500 BC, Persian Empire extended across the region

Persians built ganats ,or underground canals, meant to prevent water from evaporating in surface canals

Civilizations and EmpiresOttoman Empire, 1000 – 1600, present day

TurkeySpanned an area that covered northern

Africa, western Asia and southeastern Europe

The Modern EraEuropeans controlled much of Northeast by

late 1800sBritain controlled Iraq until 1932Since Iraq has experienced turmoilOttoman Empire ended during WWITurkey established in 1923In Iran, their secular (non – religious)

government was overthrown during the Islamic Revolution of 1979

Clerics, or mullahs, came to power, continue to rule today

The Era of OilOil discovered in Persian Gulf in early

1900sIn late 1950’s, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi

Arabia, and Venezuela formed OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

In 1973, OPEC placed an embargo, or ban on trade, to the US after becoming angry at US support of Israel in Arab-Israeli War

Language and ReligionMost people who live in this region speak

ArabicThis is not the case in Iran and Turkey,

howeverIn Turkey, Turkic peoples speak TurkishIn Iran, Persians speak Persian or FarsiShia Muslims are the most populous

religious group in both Iraq and IranIn Turkey, majority of Muslims are Sunni,

but Turkey is more secular

Education and Health CareRequired through grade 6 in Iraq and grade

8 in TurkeyLiteracy rate 80 percent in Iran and 86

percent in TurkeySince the 1979 Islamic Revolution,

education in Iran has become more religious in focus

Hospitals are government owned and often suffer from doctor shortages

4. The Arabian PeninsulaA mix of tradition and modernity, religion

and growing commercePeople of the peninsula have adapted to

this climate, especially the nomadic peoples

Population PatternsHarsh desert climate of Arabian Desert has

led most people to live along the coasts.

The People Most people in the subregion are ArabsMost Arabs are MuslimsDescent from ancient groups such as

Egyptians, Phoenicians, Saharan BerbersToday, many immigrants have come to the

Arabian Peninsula from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Iran in search of good jobs

Density and DistributionHarsh desert, lush coastal climates dictate where

the majority of people live on the APIn Bahrain, 89 percent of the population live in

Manama and Al Muharraq, its two main citiesDiscovery of oil in the early 1900s led to increased

wealth, modernization and immigration in many Arab countries

In the United Arab Emirates, immigrants make up a majority of the population (only 15-20 % of pop. are citizens)

Foreign workers make up greater than 50 percent of Qatar’s population and more than 60 percent in Kuwait

History and GovernmentConquering empires have imposed cultures

on peoples of the Arabian Peninsula that remain influential to this day

People of the region sought protection from Great Britain in fighting off rule by other outsiders, such as the Ottoman Empire

Early Cultures and ConquestsVibrant cultures have existed on the AP for 5000 yearsLarge settlements have existed primarily along the

coastPowerful family ruled Arabian Peninsula beginning

around 1750 Arabs struggled against invasion by Ottoman EmpireThreatened by the Ottoman Empire, Arabs signed

treaties with GB for protection in the 1800-early 1900s Kuwait, Bahrain and Quatar signed treaties with GB

as wellSaudi Arabia was established in 1932

IndependenceKuwait gains independence from GB - mid 1900sUnited Arab Emirates - established in 1971UAE formed from a group of tribal sheikhdoms, or

territories ruled by an Islamic religious leaderKuwait and Qatar are ruled by emirs, or princesSaudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman are monarchiesSaudi Arabia follows sharia’ah, or Islamic law, based on

the QuranStandards of living vary widely across APUrban countries with oil wealth have relatively high

standards of livingQatar’s oil and gas reserves have given its people one of

the highest per capita incomes in the world

CultureForeign workers are bringing their own

cultures to the areaLarge cities are growing in need for more

foreign workers to support growing industries

ReligionSunni and Shia Muslims dominant on the peninsulaMany believe in making a pilgrimage, or haji, to

Mecca at least once in their lifeIbadhism, found in Oman, differs form Shia and

Sunni sectsIbadhists practice a moderate conservatism,

choose ruler by communal consensus and consentOman is the only Islamic country to have a

majority Ibadhi populationWahhabi sect of Sunni branch, advocates the literal

teachings of the Quran

Education and Health CareMost children and young people attend schoolKuwait, 83 % literacyQatar, 89% literacyBarain, 89% literacyHealth care varies widely from country to

country, and even more widely from urban to rural

Government owned hospitals are not always fully staffed

Private health care available, but often associated with a particular social or religious group

5. Central AsiaA crossroads of cultures and empiresA destination for people emigrating from

their homelands to escape harsh political or economic situations

Population PatternsChallenges for Central Asia:InvasionsDomination by numerous empires Rugged landscape

The PeopleAfghanistan, located at southern tip of

Central AsiaMountainous countryHome to many ethnic groups due to

migrations and invasionsPashtun is the predominant ethnic group

Density and DistributionAfghanistan – 30 million people, most

populous country in Central AsiaPopulation has been shaped by conflict1915, 1 million Armenians in Turkey killed,

deported or died of illness at hands of Ottoman Turks

20 percent of Armenia's people left looking for better life

Georgia, 300,000 have left or been displacedMajority of Tajikistan’s people live and work in

river valleys

History and GovernmentLocation of C.A. has left people vulnerable

to centuries of invasion After centuries of foreign domination,

countries of C.A. working to find economic and political stability

Cultures and ConquestCultural roots go back 2500 yearsKingdom of Urartu dates back to 800 BCRuled the entire Caucasus regionBeginning in 100BC, parts of CA prospered

from the Silk Road, trade route connecting China with the Mediterranean Sea

Many cities along this route thrived as trading centers

Cultures and ConquestIn 1200s AD, Genghis Khan and Mongol forces invade

area and establish empireNegatives: killed manyPositives: Brought paper money and safer trade routesArmenia resistedToday, Armenia is an enclave - territory that is culturally

or ethnically different from surrounding larger culturesOver 90 percent of Armenians practice ChristianityPeople of Azerbaijan, Islamic, surrounded by Christian

Caucasus, form an exclave, or a distinct group of people who are isolated from the main or larger part of the country

During 1900’s, Central Asia dominated by Soviet Union

IndependenceNumerous CA countries declared independence

when Soviet Union dissolved in 1991Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 prompted

fighting by the mujahedeen, or freedom fightersAfter Soviets left, the fundamentalist Islamic

Taliban took control of most of countryPoverty and unemployment widespread across

CA2001, US overthrows Taliban in Afghanistan in

retaliation for 9/11New Afghan government still faces many

challenges, corruption, resurgent Taliban

Language and ReligionMajority speak Turkic languagesRussia remains official language in

KazakhstanIslam dominant religion, with most

practicing Sunni branchChristianity majority in two countries,

Armenia and Georgia

Education and Health CarePublic education, mandatory through

secondary school in a few countriesTajikistan – 88 % literacyArmenia and Georgia – 99% literacyHealth care weakened by breakup of Soviet

Union