Name _____________________________ Period _________
Atlas Activity: Using the Atlas, answer the following questions ABOUT SW ASIA (THE MIDDLE EAST). Make sure you are
looking at the correct location on the WORLD MAP to answer the questions.
SS7G7 The student will explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteristics, Distribution of natural resources and population distribution on
Southwest Asia (Middle East).
a. Explain how the distribution of oil has affected the development of Southwest Asia (Middle East).
b. Describe how the deserts and rivers of Southwest Asia (Middle East) have affected the population in terms of where people live, the type of work they
do, and how they travel.
Pg. 13: Land Cover
1. How would you describe the most wide spread type of Land Cover in the Middle East?
2. Which area or countries of the Middle East have Land Cover that is different from most of the rest of the region?
3. Using the descriptions, what is:
a. Croplandb. Semi-desert and desertPg. 16: Rainfall
4. Describe the Rainfall for most of the Middle East, according to the map.
5. How does Turkey’s rainfall compare to most of the rest of the area?
6. What conclusion can you make about Turkey’s rainfall and the land cover (pg. 13)?
Pg. 17: Growing Season
7. What is meant by ‘Growing Season’?
8. Look at Saudi Arabia’s Growing Season on the map. Why do you think the growing season is long when its rainfall is so
little?
Pg. 18: Climate
9. What are the 2 most important elements of climate?
10. Describe the climate of SW Asia (Middle East).
11. What area(s) have a climate that is different from most of the rest of the region?
Pg. 20: Land Use & Food Resources
12. Compare Subsistence Farming to Commercial Farming.
13. What parts of the region is there commercial farming?
14. What parts of the region is there subsistence farming?
15. How can you explain your answers to #12 & 13?
16. Where are most of the ‘urban’ cities located? Why do you think they are located there?
17. Compare Ranching & Nomadic Herding. How are they alike and how are they different?
18. Why do you think there is so much nomadic herding in Saudi Arabia?
19. Only 1 Middle Eastern country is a major producer of wheat. Who is it? Why do you think they are able to grow
wheat so easily?
20. How do the other Middle Eastern countries get the grains that they need?
Pg. 22: Energy Resources
21. Which energy resources can be found in the Middle East?
22. How did fossil fuels form?
23. Why are they considered ‘consumable’?
Turn to page 81.
24. Which countries in the Middle East have oil?
25. Which countries in the Middle East do not have oil?
26. What does OPEC stand for?
27. Which Middle Eastern countries belong to OPEC?
28. Describe the location of the Major Oil Fields of the Middle East.
Pg. 23: Standard of Living
29. What is ‘standard of living’?
30. What does People Per Car mean?
31. Why is ‘people per car’ a good measure of standard of living?
32. Which country appears to have the highest standard of living based on the number of people per car?
33. Look on pg. 82. How many people per car does Israel have?
34. What conclusion can you make about the standard of living in Israel compared to most other countries in the Middle
East?
Pg. 24: Population
34. Looking at the map, which areas of the Middle East are most densely populated (most people)?
35. Which areas are most sparsely populated (fewest people)?
36. Using all the other information you have learned, how can you explain why the population is distributed (spread out)
in the way that it is?