Geography
Middle East
Desert – Deserts are the major geographic feature of the M-E. There has long been a problem with the
water Known as the” Crossroads of the World.” Why – located at
junction of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
scarcity of this resource –
Advantages of location – Great location for trade; great deal of Cultural Diffusion,
Fertile Crescent is great place to farm
Disadvantages – easy to invade, strategic location makes it very desirable, only
limited areas are open to be settled
What two rivers did civilization develop around – Tigris and Euphrates
Mesopotamia – “between rivers”, 1st known civilization
Also known as Fertile - Crescent
These structures served as ceremonial temples – Ziggurats
Africa
Geographic features found in Africa – desert, savannah, rainforests, rivers, mountains,
etc.
Desertification – once fertile land becoming desert (increase in the size of a
desert(s))
Causes – over farming, over grazing, cutting down entire sections of forests
Solutions – crop rotation, rotate where animals graze, cut in tree belts,
replant trees after cut down
Noted for these architectural structures – pyramids
Regents Rivers – Nile, Niger, Congo, Zimbabwe
Importance of Med Sea to Africa – major center of trade
Suez Canal
Location – connects Red Sea to Med Sea
Impact of Suez Canal on trade – decreased travel time, decrease in price of goods,
increase in cultural diffusion
India
Mountain Chains – Himalaya, Hindu Kush
Regents Rivers – Indus, Ganges
Monsoons – dominant climate feature w/two main parts; wet windy season, dry
windy season
China
World’s largest population; yet the majority of the population live on less than half of the available land.
Why – most of land is inhospitable for human habitation
Regents Desert – Gobi
Regents rivers – Yellow, Yangtze
Mountain Chain on the southern border – Himalayas
S-E Asia
Peninsula – piece of land surrounded by water on three sides
Regents Rivers – MeKong, Irrawaddy
Like India the Monsoons have helped to dictate life in India
General Geographic Knowledge
Early Civilizations developed near - rivers
List four reasons (at least for this) –
1.
2.
3.
4.
Deserts
Positives of living in/near a large desert – barrier to invasion, cultural diversity
Negatives – lack of water, irrigation/farming obstacles, make trade (and therefore cultural diffusion
harder)
Mountains
Positives –barrier to invasion, cultural diversity
Negatives – difficulty in farming, obstacle to trade (and cultural diffusion)
Island Nations
Positives – harder to invade, availability of fish, and possibly trade
Negatives – easier to isolate/cut-off, must have large navy to protect country
Cultural Diffusion –
Cultural Diversity –
Cataracts – rapids
Archipelago – chain of islands