Presentation Plus! Glencoe World Geography
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Developed by FSCreations, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Send all inquiries to:
GLENCOE DIVISION
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
8787 Orion Place
Columbus, Ohio 43240
Chapter Introduction
Section 1 Population Patterns
Section 2 History and Government
Section 3 Cultures and Lifestyles
Chapter Summary & Study Guide
Chapter Assessment
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slides.
Chapter Objectives
• Explain population patterns found in
North Africa, Southwest Asia, and
Central Asia. 
• Discuss the history and governments
of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and
Central Asia. 
• Describe the cultures and lifestyles of
the people in the region.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
As you read this chapter, use your journal
to note the ethnic diversity of North Africa,
Southwest Asia, and Central Asia. Record
both similarities and differences among
the peoples who inhabit this region.
Population Patterns
Objectives
• Examine how movement and interaction in
North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central
Asia led to ethnic diversity. 
• Explain how the region’s seas, rivers, and
oases influence where people live. 
• Discuss how growing migration into cities
has affected the region.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Population Patterns
Terms to Know
• ethnic diversity 
• infrastructure
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Population Patterns
Places to Locate
• Turkey 
• Afghanistan 
• Armenia 
• Georgia 
• Kazakhstan 
• Tajikistan 
• Uzbekistan 
• Tehran
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Armenia today is recovering from disasters
that beset it during the 1980s and 1990s.
An earthquake in 1988 devastated the
country, killing 55,000 people and leveling
cities and towns. War later erupted with
neighboring Azerbaijan over disputed
territory. Fuel shortages, caused by
wartime trade blockades and two harsh
winters, created near-famine conditions.
Many Peoples
Because the region is a crossroads for
Asia, Africa, and Europe, its population
is ethnically diverse.
(pages 439–442)
Many Peoples (cont.)
• Arabs Most people in the region are
Arabs, and most Arabs are Muslims. 
• Both Islamic culture and Arabic, the
language of the Arabs, have had a
significant impact on the region.
(pages 439–442)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Many Peoples (cont.)
(pages 439–442)
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Many Peoples (cont.)
• Israelis About 6.1 million people in the
region are Israelis living in Israel. 
• Of these, 82 percent are Jews; the
remaining 18 percent are mostly
Arabs. 
• In 1948, Israel was founded as a Jewish
state. 
• Tensions between Arabs and Jews
resulted in four wars that have brought
severe hardship to the area’s peoples.
(pages 439–442)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Many Peoples (cont.)
• Turks The Turks are descended from
ancient Turkic peoples who migrated to
Anatolia from Central Asia. 
• Most Turks practice Islam and speak
the Turkish language. 
• Their culture blends Turkish, Islamic,
and Western elements.
(pages 439–442)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Many Peoples (cont.)
• Iranians and Afghans Iran is home to
about 66 million people, most of whom
speak Farsi and are Shiite Muslims. 
• Neighboring Afghanistan is made up of
many ethnic and language groups, most
of whom practice Islam.
(pages 439–442)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Many Peoples (cont.)
• Caucasian Peoples The Caucasus
region is home to many ethnic groups,
but most of the population is Armenian
or Georgian. 
• Armenia and Georgia both have distinct
languages and Christian cultures. 
• They became independent after the
breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
(pages 439–442)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Many Peoples (cont.)
• Turkic Peoples The republics of Central
Asia are populated by various Turkic
peoples, including the Uzbeks, Kazaks,
and Tajiks. 
• Most are Muslims, and they speak
Turkic languages.
(pages 439–442)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Many Peoples (cont.)
• Kurds The Kurds have a common
language and culture, but they have
no country of their own. 
• They live in the areas that surround the
borders shared by Turkey, Iraq, Iran,
Syria, and the Caucasian republics. 
• This area is sometimes called
Kurdistan.
(pages 439–442)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Many Peoples (cont.)
Many ethnic groups have always lived
side by side in this region. Why have
these groups not been able to settle
their differences?
Cultural identity is very strong. No
group is willing to be ruled by a group
whose culture, language, and customs
are different. Religious beliefs differ,
and religious differences often result
in serious disagreement.
(pages 439–442)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Population and Resources
• Control of a Vital Resource Water has
been a major issue in border disputes
between Israel and Syria. 
• Syria wants Israel to return the Golan
Heights. 
• Israel refuses, partly because 30
percent of its water comes from the
Sea of Galilee, which is partly fed
by streams beginning in the Golan
Heights.
(pages 442–443)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Population and Resources (cont.)
(pages 442–443)
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Population and Resources (cont.)
• Population Growth Overall, the region’s
population is growing rapidly, and the
resulting unemployment causes a steady
flood of migration to other countries.
(pages 442–443)
Population and Resources (cont.)
• Urbanization Population density is
greatest in urban areas like Istanbul,
Cairo, Tehran, and Baghdad. 
• Living standards are low because the
population has grown too fast for
housing and facilities to keep pace
with needs.
(pages 442–443)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Population and Resources (cont.)
How might cities in the region solve
their housing and sanitation problems?
Possible answers: Get people to leave
the city by moving large employers to
smaller communities. Recover
abandoned buildings and turn them into
housing. Use international loans to
improve sanitation. Start sanitation and
construction projects that will solve the
problem of unemployment as well as
the problems of housing and sanitation.
(pages 442–443)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
B 1. the basic urban necessities like
streets and utilities
A. ethnic
diversity
__
A 2. differences among groups of
people based on their origins,
languages, customs, or beliefs
B. infrastructure
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
Critical Thinking
Comparing and Contrasting In what ways
is the population of Turkey similar to and
different from the population of Iran? What
may account for these differences and
similarities?
Both are mostly Muslim, but they speak
different languages and have different
cultures. Most Turks descend from Turkic
peoples of Central Asia. Iranians descend
from the Aryans of southern Russia.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Identifying Cause and Effect What
historical event accounts for the large
number of Armenians living outside their
homeland?
In 1915 the Turks killed or deported about
1 million Armenians in Turkey. Many survivors
fled the country.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Predicting Consequences What might
happen if Israel returns the Golan Heights
to Syria? How would this affect life in Israel?
In Syria?
Syria would control Israel’s access to
freshwater from the Golan Heights. Israel
could suffer a water shortage, while Syria
could gain water resources.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Maps
Location Study the population density map
below. Where are the largest concentrations
of people in the region? Why are they
concentrated there?
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Maps
Most people live near seacoasts, rivers,
or the highlands where drinking water is
available.
Applying Geography
Ethnic Diversity Think about the diverse
groups of people you have read about. Write
a paragraph describing positive aspects of
ethnic diversity in the region. Also mention
any drawbacks to ethnic diversity.
Possible answer: Ethnic diversity gives
people of the region an opportunity for a wide
exchange of ideas and customs.
Unfortunately, it often creates conflict among
groups.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Close
Work with your classmates in groups to
make travel brochures about a major city
in the region.
History and Government
Objectives
• Name the great civilizations that arose in
North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central
Asia. 
• Discuss the three major world religions that
originated in the region. 
• Explain how countries of the region gained
independence in modern times.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
History and Government
Terms to Know
• domesticate 
• prophet 
• culture hearth 
• mosque 
• cuneiform 
• nationalism 
• hieroglyphics

• qanat 
• monotheism 
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
• nationalize 
• embargo
History and Government
Places to Locate
• Mesopotamia 
• Fertile Crescent 
• Persian Empire 
• Silk Road 
• Samarqand 
• Jerusalem 
• Makkah (Mecca) 
• Iraq 
• Iran
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Bedouins make up only about 15 percent
of the total population of Southwest Asia,
and their numbers are decreasing as
many Bedouins move to towns to work in
the oil industry. Traditionally, Bedouins
lived in tents made of woven goat hair.
Men and women resided in separate tents
in different areas.
Prehistoric Peoples
• People have been living in North Africa,
Southwest Asia, and Central Asia for at
least ten thousand years. 
• Hunters and gatherers first settled in
the area, and later the region’s farmers
were among the first in the world to
domesticate livestock.
(page 446)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Prehistoric Peoples (cont.)
What is the relationship between the region’s
geography and the fact that its early farmers
were among the first to domesticate
livestock?
People living in grassland areas or along
the banks of rivers discovered that grains
and other vegetation could be raised for
food. People gave up nomadic ways and
settled in farming villages. With better food
supplies and settled ways, animals could
be managed for domestic use and for sale.
(page 446)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Early Civilizations
• Mesopotamia Mesopotamia, the fertile
area between the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers, was one of the world’s first
culture hearths. 
• The Sumerians used irrigation for
farming and made advances in
mathematics and engineering. 
• They also kept records by using a
writing system.
(page 447)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Early Civilizations (cont.)
• The Egyptian civilization flourished along
the Nile River and used irrigation for
farming the fertile soil. 
• The Egyptians developed a calendar
with a 365-day year, built impressive
pyramids as tombs for their rulers, and
invented hieroglyphics for writing.
(page 447)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Early Civilizations (cont.)
What does the development of writing
systems suggest about these
civilizations?
Possible answers: The people must
have had more than enough to eat
because life was not strictly a matter
of survival. The people must have been
very successful at farming because
they had free time to devote to the arts
and sciences.
(page 447)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Empires and Trade
• The Phoenicians of the eastern
Mediterranean developed the basis
for alphabets used by most Western
countries. 
• The Persian Empire of the 500s B.C.
stretched from Egypt to Central Asia. 
• Persians developed a system of
underground canals that irrigated their
crops. 
• The Silk Road was an overland trade
route connecting China with the
Mediterranean Sea.
(page 447)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Empires and Trade (cont.)
• Many present-day cities in the region,
such as Samarqand, were originally
trading posts along the Silk Road. 
• In the 1200s, nomadic Mongols led by
Genghis Khan invaded Central Asia,
establishing a vast inland empire. 
• The Mongols at first caused widespread
destruction but later introduced such
benefits as paper money and safer
trade routes.
(page 447)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Empires and Trade (cont.)
What effects did the Silk Road have on
the region’s culture?
Possible answers: The Silk Road made
thriving trade possible among people of
different cultures. People traveled and
learned one another’s languages and
customs, and some people probably
settled in the countries to which the
Silk Road led them. The Silk Road
contributed to a blending of many
(page 447)
cultures.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Three Major Religions
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam began
in Southwest Asia. All three share many
beliefs, especially monotheism. 
• Judaism Judaism is the oldest
monotheistic faith. 
• The Jews trace their origin to the
ancient Israelites, who made Jerusalem
their religious center. 
• Jews eventually settled other areas,
taking their beliefs with them.
(pages 448–449)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Three Major Religions (cont.)
• Christianity Christianity, which
developed from Judaism, is based
on the life and teachings of Jesus. 
• Christianity spread throughout the
Mediterranean world into Asia, Africa,
Europe, and eventually to the Americas
and the South Pacific region.
(pages 448–449)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Three Major Religions (cont.)
• Islam Islam is the major religion of the
region. 
• Its followers, called Muslims, believe in
one God and acknowledge Muhammad
as the last of a series of prophets. 
• By the 800s Islam had spread from the
Arabian Peninsula to other parts of Asia,
North Africa, and Europe.
(pages 448–449)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Three Major Religions (cont.)
What do these three religions have in
common? How are they different?
All believe in one God. Each has a
holy book. All call for regular prayer,
certain periods of fasting or eating
special foods, observance of certain
holy days, and attendance at worship
services. The specific rules of each
faith are different.
(pages 448–449)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
The Modern Era
By the late 1800s, European powers
controlled much of North Africa, Southwest
Asia, and Central Asia. European influence
led to the development of an educated
middle class that demanded self-rule.
(pages 449–452)
The Modern Era (cont.)
• Independence By the 1960s most
territories in North Africa and Southwest
Asia had gained independence. 
• Countries controlled first by Russia
and then by the Soviet Union did not
become independent until 1991.
(pages 449–452)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Modern Era (cont.)
• Arab-Israeli Conflict Most of the
region’s countries are Arab or Muslim. 
• An exception is Israel, founded in 1948
as a Jewish state in what was once
British-ruled Palestine. 
• During the next 25 years, Arab
opposition to Israel and Israel’s concern
for its security led to conflict in the
region. 
• In 1967, Israeli forces occupied
Palestinian Arab areas.
(pages 449–452)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Modern Era (cont.)
(pages 449–452)
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
The Modern Era (cont.)
• Israelis and Palestinians Arab-Israeli
conflicts forced many Palestinian Arabs
to live as refugees or settlers abroad. 
• Palestinians today want to set up their
own state in the Israeli-occupied West
Bank and Gaza Strip, a goal
complicated by the many Jewish
settlements built in the West Bank.
(pages 449–452)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Modern Era (cont.)
• In the early 1990s, peace talks began
between Israelis and Palestinians. By
2002, however, disagreements had
halted this peace process. 
• Palestinian militants then staged suicide
bombings in Israel. 
• In response, Israeli forces entered
Palestinian towns.
(pages 449–452)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Modern Era (cont.)
• War in Afghanistan In 2001, American
and British warplanes bombed targets
in Afghanistan to uproot Saudi exile
Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network
and the Taliban government that
supported it. Anti-Taliban forces won
control of most of the country.
(pages 449–452)
The Modern Era (cont.)
• Border Conflicts Disputes over borders
and scarce water resources fuel conflict
in the region. 
• In 1980 a border dispute led to years of
war between Iran and Iraq. 
• In 1991 Iraq invaded oil-rich Kuwait, but
a joint military effort of the United States
and other countries during the Persian
Gulf War forced Iraq to withdraw.
(pages 449–452)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Modern Era (cont.)
• Today’s Governments Eight countries
in the region are monarchies, including
Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. 
• The rest call themselves republics, but
their governments range from
parliamentary democracies to a military
dictatorship.
(pages 449–452)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Modern Era (cont.)
• Saddam Hussein, the former leader of
Iraq, was removed from power in 2003
by United States led forces. 
• Immediately after his removal the long
process of rebuilding Iraq’s government
began.
(pages 449–452)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Modern Era (cont.)
What is the relationship between the
region’s geography, its cultural history,
and the frequency of violent border
disputes?
Migrations and conflicts over the centuries
have created diverse populations, the vast
empires of the past, and the modern
nations of today. Boundaries often have
been imprecise, especially in remote
areas, or subject to constant changes.
(pages 449–452)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
G 1. in Islam, a house of public
worship
A. domesticate
__
A 2. to adapt plants and animals
from the wild to make them
useful to people
C. hieroglyphics
__
B 3. Sumerian writing system using
wedge-shaped symbols
pressed into clay tablets
E. monotheism
__
H 4. belief in the right of each people
to be an independent nation
__
C 5. Egyptian writing system using
pictures and symbols to
represent words or sounds
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
B. cuneiform
D. qanat
F.
prophet
G. mosque
H. nationalism
I.
nationalize
J.
embargo
Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
F 6. person believed to be a
messenger from God
__
I 7. to place a company or industry
under government control
__
D 8. underground canal used in
water systems
A. domesticate
B. cuneiform
C. hieroglyphics
D. qanat
E. monotheism
__
J 9. a ban on trade
F.
prophet
__10.
belief in one God
E
G. mosque
H. nationalism
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
I.
nationalize
J.
embargo
Critical Thinking
Drawing Conclusions Why was the
domestication of plants and animals so
important for the early peoples in the region?
It enabled people to settle in one area and
led to the growth of cities and civilizations.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Comparing and Contrasting How are
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike, and
how do they differ? Describe the similarities
and differences.
Possible answer: All are monotheistic, have
designated places of worship, books of
scriptures, and similar origins. Differences
might include that they revere different
religious leaders, practice different rituals,
and have different standards of behavior.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Identifying Cause and Effect What are the
main causes of conflict in the region today?
The main causes of conflict are religious
differences, border conflicts, and competition
for homelands and resources.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Maps
Place Study this
map of
Afghanistan. What
challenges might
military forces face
in fighting a war
there?
Rugged terrain
hinders combat but
provides hideouts
for military groups.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Applying Geography
Expansion and Geography Look at the
map of Muslim empires on page 449 of your
textbook. Consider the physical geography
of the region. Then write a paragraph
explaining why the locations of the three
empires are similar.
Possible answer: The three empires
controlled the Tigris and Euphrates, the Nile,
and the Persian Gulf, as well as the important
cities of Baghdad, Makkah, Madinah,
Alexandria, and Damascus.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Close
Do you think North Africa, Southwest Asia,
and Central Asia are still a crossroads of
civilization?
Cultures and Lifestyles
Objectives
• Explain how religion and language have both
unified and divided the peoples of North
Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia. 
• Describe arts that are popular in the region. 
• Discuss the characteristics of everyday life in
the region.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Cultures and Lifestyles
Terms to Know
• ziggurat 
• bedouin 
• bazaar
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Cultures and Lifestyles
Places to Locate
• Qatar 
• United Arab Emirates
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Nearly 5,000 years ago, thousands of
laborers built the massive stone pyramids
of Egypt as tombs for the pharaohs. The
Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the largest,
covers thirteen acres and is believed to
contain over two million blocks of stone.
Religion
• The great majority of people in the
region are Muslims. 
• Most belong to the Sunni branch of
Islam, which believes that leadership
should reside in the Islamic community
at large. 
• The Shia branch holds that only
Muhammad’s descendants should lead
the community. 
• Most of the region’s Jews live in Israel.
(pages 453–454)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Religion (cont.)
• Christians predominate in Georgia and
Armenia; large groups of Christians also
live in Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria.
(pages 453–454)
Religion (cont.)
Explain how religious beliefs both unite
and divide the people of the region.
People of the same faith have a strong
bond, even if they are not from the
same country. Differences sometimes
result in conflict, either between
separate branches within a religion or
between people of different religions.
(pages 453–454)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Languages
• Arabic is the region’s main language. 
• Other languages include Hebrew in
Israel, Berber in southern Morocco
and Algeria, Turkish in Turkey, and
Farsi in Iran. 
• The people of Central Asia speak
various Turkic languages.
(page 454)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Languages (cont.)
Why is this region home to so many
languages?
Because the region is a crossroads
between continents, it has diverse
cultures. Each cultural group continues
to speak its own language.
(page 454)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
The Arts
• Art and Architecture The region’s early
civilizations built impressive palaces and
temples. 
• Later, Muslims built mosques, and their
artists produced geometric and floral
designs.
(pages 454–455)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Arts (cont.)
• Literature Literary masterpieces from
the region include poems and epics like
the Rubaiyat by the Persian poet Omar
Khayyam and the collection of Arab,
Indian, and Persian stories known as
The Thousand and One Nights.
(pages 454–455)
The Arts (cont.)
• Modern literature includes novels
and poems, many with themes of
nationalism and the conflict between
tradition and modernity. In 1988
Egyptian Naguib Mahfouz became
the first winner of the Nobel Prize in
literature whose native language is
Arabic.
(pages 454–455)
The Arts (cont.)
Why does modern literature deal with
themes of nationalism and social change?
Nationalism is an extension of strong
cultural identity, which is important to
people in the region. The region’s
traditional ways of life are being challenged
by the effects of urbanization, world trade,
and new technologies. Literature commonly
deals with contemporary issues; it can help
people come to terms with these
(pages 454–455)
challenges.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Everyday Life
• Home and Community Everyday life in
the region has changed greatly in the last
century, with improved health care, rapid
population growth, and the introduction of
technology. 
• People’s activities, however, still center
on home, family, and religion. 
- The largest cities of the region have modern
high-rise buildings side by side with small
houses that are hundreds of years old. 
- Much of the rural population lives in stone or
wooden housing, some without running water
or electricity.
(pages 455–457)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Everyday Life (cont.)
- Staple foods include wheat and barley, fruits
and vegetables, dairy products, lamb, and
mutton. 
- Rural people grow their own food and shop
at village markets. 
- Urban dwellers shop at supermarkets, but
bazaars, or traditional markets, are also
popular gathering places in cities.
(pages 455–457)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Everyday Life (cont.)
• Standards of Living Countries whose
economies are based on oil production
or manufacturing and trade are
prosperous. 
• People in developing countries that lack
these advantages often do not have
access to basic necessities.
(pages 455–457)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Everyday Life (cont.)
• Education and Health Care 
- Most of the region’s youth–male and
female–attend high school. 
- Some attend universities. Literacy rates in
the region vary but have improved greatly in
the past 20 years. 
- Health care has improved and expanded,
but there is a shortage of hospital beds and
doctors, particularly in rural areas. 
- Average life expectancy is low in much of
the region.
(pages 455–457)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Everyday Life (cont.)
• Celebrations and Leisure Time 
- In all countries with large Muslim
populations, a muezzin calls the faithful to
prayer five times a day. 
- Muslims, Christians, and Jews observe their
own holy days throughout the year. 
- People visit with friends and family during
their leisure time. 
- Soccer, board games, and chess are
popular in many areas.
(pages 455–457)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Everyday Life (cont.)
(pages 455–457)
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Everyday Life (cont.)
- Muslim women have been restricted in some
public activities because of interpretations of
Islamic law. 
- Some, however, have begun to resist the
restrictions. They are winning greater
freedom, both in dress and in activities.
(pages 455–457)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Everyday Life (cont.)
How does the five-times-daily call to
prayer affect the rhythm of everyday
life in a Muslim city in the region?
For the religious person, the saying of
prayers at set times gives a sense of
order to the flow of the day’s activities.
(pages 455–457)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
C 1. a traditional marketplace
ranging from a single street of
stalls to an entire city district
__
B 2. member of the nomadic desert
peoples of North Africa and
Southwest Asia
__
A 3. large step-like temple of mud
brick built in ancient
Mesopotamia
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
A. ziggurat
B. bedouin
C. bazaar
Critical Thinking
Making Generalizations How has religion
been expressed in the arts from earliest
times in North Africa, Southwest Asia, and
Central Asia?
Religion has been expressed in the arts
through religious sculpture and architecture,
including temples, ziggurats, churches, and
mosques. Religion has also been expressed
in art and literature.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Predicting Consequences What are two
possible effects of recent increases in
literacy in Iran?
Possible answer: Possible effects include
more exposure to non-Islamic ideas and a
new interest in the West, more study of the
Quaran and a tightening of religious
fundamentalism, and a change in the status
of some groups, such as women.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Identifying Cause and Effect Why does a
large segment of the region’s population live
in poverty, even in oil-rich countries?
Much of the population does not share in
the benefits of the available natural
resources, and population growth has
surpassed the ability of some economies
to meet citizens’ needs.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Graphs
Region Study the graph of religions below.
How does the percentage of Sunni Muslims
compare to the percentage of Shiite
Muslims in the region?
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Graphs
There are about four times as many
Sunni Muslims as there are Shite
Muslims.
Applying Geography
Ways of Life Think about the language,
religion, systems of education, and customs
in this region. Then write a paragraph
comparing the ways of life there with your
own.
Close
Identify changes in the ways of life of
people in the region since 1900. Classify
each change as generally positive or
negative. Discuss differences of opinion.
Section 1: Population Patterns
(pages 439–443)
Key Points
• Movement and interaction of people have
created the region’s ethnic diversity. 
• The largest concentrations of population are in
coastal and river valley areas where water is
readily available. 
• Urbanization has caused increased pollution
and overcrowding, challenges that cities and
regional governments are addressing in many
ways.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Section 2: History and Government
(pages 446–452)
Key Points
• Early peoples in the region were among the
first to domesticate plants and animals. 
• Two of the world’s earliest civilizations arose in
Mesopotamia and the Nile River valley. 
• Three of the world’s major religions–Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam–trace their origins to
Southwest Asia. 
• After centuries of foreign rule, independent
states arose in North Africa, Southwest Asia,
and Central Asia during the 1900s.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Section 3: Cultures and Lifestyles
Key Points
(pages 453–457)
• Islam and the Arabic language have been
unifying forces in much of North Africa,
Southwest Asia, and Central Asia. 
• Many people in the region speak Arabic. Other
major languages in the region include Hebrew,
Berber, Greek, Farsi, Pashto, Kurdish, and
various Turkic languages. 
• The peoples of North Africa, Southwest Asia,
and Central Asia have expressed themselves
from the earliest times through the arts and
architecture.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Section 3: Cultures and Lifestyles
Key Points
(pages 453–457)
• Tradition, especially religious observance,
plays an important role in everyday life in
the region.
Reviewing Key Terms
Insert the key term that matches the definition below.
bazaar
cuneiform
qanat
bedouin
hieroglyphics
ziggurat
culture hearth
monotheism
1. ___________________
center where cultures
culture hearth
developed and from
which ideas and traditions
spread outward
2. ___________________
form of picture writing
hieroglyphics
cuneiform
3. ___________________
writing system developed
by the Sumerians
monotheism
4. ___________________
belief in one God
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
Reviewing Key Terms
Insert the key term that matches the definition below.
bazaar
cuneiform
qanat
bedouin
hieroglyphics
ziggurat
culture hearth
monotheism
5. ___________________
large, mud-brick temple
ziggurat
shaped like a pyramid
6. ___________________
traditional marketplace
bazaar
7. ___________________
desert nomad
bedouin
8. ___________________
underground canal
qanat
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
Reviewing Facts
Section 1: Population Patterns
What groups of people live in the region?
Arabs, Israelis, Turks, Iranians, Afghanis,
Caucasian peoples, Turkic peoples, and
Kurds live in the region.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Facts
Section 1: Population Patterns
How has urbanization affected cities in North
Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia?
Cities have been growing rapidly as rural
residents move there in search of a better life.
Cities have grown too fast to supply enough
jobs and housing or improve the
infrastructure. Poverty, snarled traffic, and
pollution have resulted.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Facts
Section 2: History and Government
What physical features allowed areas in
Mesopotamia and the Nile Valley to become
culture hearths?
Rivers, rich fertile soil, and proximity to
other waterways have allowed areas of
Mesopotamia and the Nile Valley to
become culture hearths.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Facts
Section 2: History and Government
What basic idea is shared by Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam?
Monotheism is shared by these religions.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Facts
Section 2: History and Government
In which areas of Israel do the Palestinians
want an independent state of their own?
The Palestinians want the West Bank and
Gaza Strip areas as an independent state
of their own.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Facts
Section 3: Cultures and Lifestyles
How do religion and language influence the
region’s cultures?
Religion and language both unify and divide
the peoples of the region.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Facts
Section 3: Cultures and Lifestyles
How does tradition blend with modern ways
in everyday life?
Customs and traditions still survive despite
contact with others through travel, trade,
and the Internet.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Comparing and Contrasting How are
Armenians and Georgians similar?
Different?
They are both in the Caucasus and were
both part of the Soviet Union, but they
have different religions, languages, and
customs.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Predicting Consequences How might
the impact of new technologies affect the
region’s ways of life?
Technology will increase contact with other
peoples throughout the world and will
change lifestyles. It may also improve the
standard of living.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Locating Places
Match the letters on the map with the places and physical
features of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia.
__1.
Tripoli
A
__2.
Iran
F
__3.
Istanbul
H
__4.
Casablanca
I
__5.
Riyadh
E
__6.
Israel
D
__7.
Tehran
G
__8.
Suez Canal
C
__9.
Astana
J
__10.
Cairo
B
__11.
Kabul
K
__12.
Uzbekistan
L
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
The following question refers to the accompanying
quotation. Read the quotation carefully and then
answer the question.
1. Which of the following statements CANNOT be inferred about Saudi
Arabia from the excerpt?
F
There is a great amount of censorship in Saudi Arabia.
G
People in Saudi Arabia are not interested in technology.
H
The Saudi Arabian government feels threatened by the impending
technological revolution.
J
Many Internet sites are off-limits in Saudi Arabia.
Test-Taking Tip Many questions ask you to identify information that
can and cannot be inferred from a passage. In this example, you are
asked to identify information not implied by the passage. Eliminating
answers that are directly referred to in the passage helps narrow the
possible choices. Ask yourself: Which of the statements are true about
the passage, and which of the statements are false? Eliminate
statements that you are certain can refer directly to the passage.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
In the 1980s King Fahd of this country
adapted the title Guardian of the Two
Holy Shrines. Which country does King
Fahd rule and why is this title
appropriate?
King Fahd rules Saudi Arabia. This title is
appropriate because both of Islam’s holiest
cities, Madinah and Makkah, are located in
Saudi Arabia.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Explore online information about the topics
introduced in this chapter.
Click on the Connect button to launch your browser and go to the
Glencoe World Geography Web site. At this site, you will find
interactive activities, current events information, and Web sites
correlated with the chapters and units in the textbook. When you
finish exploring, exit the browser program to return to this
presentation. If you experience difficulty connecting to the Web
site, manually launch your Web browser and go to
http://geography.glencoe.com
Proximity to water is especially important in the
region because 16 of its 29 countries contain less
than 10 percent arable land.
Refugees Afghanis make up the world’s largest
single refugee population, with about 3 to 4 million
people living mainly in Pakistan and Iran.
Decline of the Sumerians Around 2100 B.C., after
centuries of irrigation, salts began to soak down to
root level and destroy crops in southern
Mesopotamia. Within 400 years, the lower TigrisEuphrates Valley was producing only one-fourth of
its previous harvests. Without enough food, Sumerian
cities declined.
Israel Israel’s immigrant Jews come from many
places around the world–especially Russia, Yemen,
North Africa, North America, and Europe. They bring
to Israel a wide mix of cultural traditions.
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Using an Electronic
Spreadsheet
Electronic spreadsheets are used to manage numbers quickly
and easily. Formulas may be used to add, subtract, multiply,
and divide the numbers in the spreadsheet. If you make a
change to one number, the totals are recalculated
automatically.
Using an Electronic
Spreadsheet
Learning the Skill
An electronic spreadsheet is a worksheet for numerical
information. All spreadsheet programs follow the same basic
design of rows and columns. Columns, arranged vertically,
are assigned letters. Rows, arranged horizontally, are assigned
numbers. The point where a column and a row intersect is
called a cell. The cell’s position on the spreadsheet is labeled
according to its column and row. For example, the cell at the
intersection of Column A and Row 1 is labeled A1. 
Spreadsheets use standard formulas to perform calculations
using numbers in the cells. To create an equation using the
standard formulas, you should first select the cell in which you
want to display the results of your calculation.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Using an Electronic
Spreadsheet
Learning the Skill
Here are some examples of equations you can build: 
• The equation = B4 + B5 applies a standard formula to
add the values in cells B4 and B5. 
• The equation = B5/B6 divides the value in cell B5 by
the value in cell B6. 
• An asterisk (*) signifies multiplication. The equation =
(B7 * C4) + D4 means you want to multiply the value in
cell B7 by the value in cell C4, and then add the value
in cell D4 to the total.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Using an Electronic
Spreadsheet
Learning the Skill
Because adding is the most common function of spreadsheets,
most spreadsheet programs have an AutoSum key () that you
can click on to place a sum in a highlighted cell.
Using an Electronic
Spreadsheet
Practicing the Skill
To practice using an electronic spreadsheet, follow these
steps. 
1. Open a new spreadsheet file. 
2. Enter the information in Columns A through E as shown
in the spreadsheet on page 458 of your textbook. 
3. In cell C9, use the AutoSum function () to calculate total
population in millions for North Africa. 
4. Print your results and share them with the class. 
The total population for North Africa is 145.2 million.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Maps
Early Civilizations, c. 3000 B.C.
Muslim Empires, A.D. 750–1600
Afghanistan: Physical–Political
Charts
Levels of Urbanization
North Africa, Southwest Asia, and
Central Asia: Religions
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slide.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
End of Custom Shows
WARNING! Do Not Remove
This slide is intentionally blank and is set to auto-advance to end custom
shows and return to the main presentation.