the middle east crossroads of the world. what is the middle east? crossroads of 3 continents: europe...
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The Middle EastCrossroads of the World
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What is the Middle East?
• Crossroads of 3 continents:
EuropeAsiaAfrica
• Extends from Morocco to Iran
• Region in Southwest Asia
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What is the Middle East?• Its people share common traits:
languagehistoryreligion
• Access to many major waterways
The Tigris River
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Climate• Short period
of rainfall• Rains wash
away topsoil• Temperature
extremes• Hot and dry • Deserts and
green coastal lands
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Natural Resources• Oil is the
Middle East’s most important natural resource
• 70% of the world’s known oil reserves are located in the Middle East
•Middle Eastern countries produce 2/3 of the world’s oil
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Natural Resources
•Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil producer
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Natural Resources• Other natural
resources include:gold, iron, and copper
• Water is scarce and difficult to harness
• Fertile river valleys and coastal lands
Aswan High Dam in Egypt
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Geographic Features• Desert – an area
that has less than 10 inches of annual rainfall Arabian DesertSyrian Desert
• Oasis – fertile place in a desert where water is available through an underground spring
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Five Physical Regions
1) Northern Tier
2) Arabian Peninsula
3) Fertile Crescent
4) Nile River Valley
5) Maghreb Beach in Lebanon
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1. The Northern Tier
• Anatolian Peninsula* fertile soil and moisture available for farming to support a large population
• Iranian Plateau* Elburz and Zagros Mountain ranges* dry region with a small population
• Stretches across present-day Turkey and Iran
A bazaar in Turkey
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2. Arabian Peninsula• A plateau that borders
the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf
• Mostly barren desert• Beneath the desert is a
huge amount of oil, which supports the country
• Small population because of lack of water
• Most of the population lives around the oases
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2. Arabian Peninsula• Birthplace of Islam
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3. Fertile Crescent
• Arc-shaped region that stretches from the eastern Mediterranean along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to the Persian Gulf
• Rich soil and abundant water have led to a large population
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3. Fertile Crescent
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Mesopotamia • “land between two
rivers”• Part of the Fertile
Crescent• Between the Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers
• Located in modern-day Iraq
• Land is very fertile• Some of the earliest
civilizations began here
Ancient Babylon
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4. Nile River Valley
• Located in northeastern Africa• Nile River supports the
population of this region
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5. Maghreb• North African nations of Algeria,
Tunisia, and Morocco• Lies west of the Arabian Peninsula• Isolated land surrounded by water,
mountains, and deserts
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5. Maghreb• Sahara Desert and
Atlas Mountains• Few people live
here because of scarcity of water
• Major crossroad of the southern rim of Mediterranean
• Gateway to the Atlantic Ocean Mosque in Morocco
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Review Questions1) The Middle East is at the
crossroads of which 3 continents?2) Describe the climate of the
Middle East.3) What country produces the most
oil?4) Define oasis.5) Which 2 rivers make up the
region called Mesopotamia?