Chapter 21: Harsh and Arid Lands
Section 2 Climate and Vegetation
Variety in Arid Lands
• Southwest Asia is extremely arid.
The vegetation and animals living in
the desert can survive on little water
and in extreme temperatures.
A camel caravan in Afghanistan
Variety in Arid Lands
• In other parts of the region, a
Mediterranean climate prevails,
making the land green and lush for
at least part of the year.
Coast of Lebanon
Deserts Limit Movement
• The most famous desert in the
region is the Rub al-Khali, also known
as the Empty Quarter. During the
summer, the temperature on the
surface of the sand often exceeds
186°F.
Deserts Limit Movement
• Next to this desert is the An-Nafud
Desert. Severe sandstorms and
brutal heat make this desert a barrier
to travel across the Arabian
Peninsula.
Salt Deserts
• In Iran, the high mountains block
rain, and dry winds increase
evaporation. So when winds
evaporate the moisture in the soil,
chemical salts remain, creating a salt
flat.
A hiker resting
on a salt flat in
Iran
Semiarid Lands
• On the fringes of the desert are
regions with a semiarid climate.
These regions offer good pasture
lands for grazing animals. In Turkey,
large herds of mohair goats graze on
these lands. Their hair, and fabrics
made from it, are among Turkey’s
exports.
Angora goats in Turkey
Well-Watered Coast Lands
• Southwest Asia does have some
areas with adequate rainfall. Along
the Mediterranean coast and across
most of Turkey, hot summers and
rainy winters create a good climate
for growing citrus fruits, olives, and
vegetables.
Section Three
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTION
Providing Precious Water
• The most critical resource in
Southwest Asia is water.
• Turkey is building a series of dams
and a man-made lake on the upper
Euphrates River.
Attaturk Dam on the
Euphrates River in Turkey
Providing Precious Water
• The dams and lake will provide water
and hydroelectricity for parts of the
country.
Providing Precious Water
• The National Water Carrier project in
Israel carries water from the north of
the country to sites in the center and
south of the nation.
The National Water Carrier near Beit Netofa
Providing Precious Water
• Several countries in the region use
drip irrigation.
• This is the practice of using small
pipes that slowly drip water just
above ground to conserve water
used for crops.
Drip irrigation
system in Israel
Providing Precious Water
• Some countries in the region are
developing ways to use ocean water.
• Desalinization, the removal of salt
from the ocean water, is done at
technically sophisticated water
treatment plants.
A desalinization
plant in Saudi Arabia
Providing Precious Water
• Water pumped from underground
aquifers is called fossil water
because it has been in the aquifer for
a long period of time.
• This water has very little chance of
being replaced because the region
has so little rainfall to recharge the
aquifers.
Oil From The Sand
• The oil fields discovered in the
sands of Southwest Asia have been
a bonanza for the region.
• These fields contain about twothirds of all the petroleum reserves
in the world.
Oil From The Sand
• Oil and natural gas do not exist in
large pools beneath the ground but
are trapped inside rocks.
Rocks with oil trapped
in its pores.
Oil From The Sand
• The first Southwest
Asia oil discovery
was in 1908 in
Persia, now known
as Iran.
Oil From The Sand
• Petroleum that has not been
processed is called crude oil.
• This oil must be moved to a refinery,
where it is converted into useful
products.
Oil From The Sand
• Moving oil from one location to
another always involves the risk of
oil spills.
• Most modern tankers have a double
hull to help prevent this type of
accident.