Iran and Turkey Objective 1: Summarize the geography of these countries.Objective 2: Describe the political geography. Objective 3: Explain important historical events, particularly the Iranian Revolution.Objective 4: Current events

Physical Geography

• Turkey – located on two continents (which ones?)

• Bosporus strait (def) splits Turkey • Anatolian Plateau and Iranian Plateau • Both Iran and Turkey are ringed by mountains

Physical Geography

Climate

Temp. and Rainfall

Land Use and Energy • Qanats help to

channel water into villages for irrigation.

• Advantages? • Iran has 10% of the

worlds natural gas• Oil is 85% of Iran’s

income.

History

• In Turkey – persecution of the Armenians from 1915-1918 (Armenian Genocide)– 600,000 – 1,500,000 Armenians killed

• Collapse of Ottoman Empire after WW1• Modernization under Mustafa Kemal

Ataturk

History

• Russia and the U.K. controlled Iran’s oil resources

• Military coup -1920s leads to Pahlavi taking power.

• Elected government overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, returned to power with U.S. help in 1953.– Shah became an oppressive ruler

Iranian Revolution and Hostage Crisis • Shah of Iran was US ally since 1950s

– Corrupt– Brutal

• Secret police- Savak- tortured and executed thousands

• January 1979- Ayatollah Ruhollah Kohmeini returns from exile in Paris- establishes government based strictly on the Qur’an

• October 1979- Shah flees Iran– Goes to the United States for cancer treatment

• November 4, 1979- Iranian students storm US embassy in Tehran- capturing 52 Americans for 444 days

• Carter severed diplomatic relations and severed trade with Iran• Not released until January 20th 1981

Shah of Iran

Ayatollah Kohmeini

Iranian Revolution