North Africa and Southwest Asia
trade- at the crossroads of three continents, trade has always
been important here North Africa and Southwest Asia
Alluvial soils - deposits left by floods, allow for the same land
to be farmed year after year without wearing out.
delta regions - triangle shaped formations at the mouths of
rivers such as the Nile
Aswan High Dam - extended the growing season, more than
one crop per year, extended irrigation, (by 3 million acres),
produces 50% of Egypts electrical power, but (on the negative
side) reduced the deposits of alluvial soil. prevents floods from
washing away salt from the soil, more diseases caused by
parasites.
wadis - river beds that are dry most of the year.
oases - place in the desert where water comes to the surface and
allows a town to exist.
OPEC
formed in 1960, the Organization Petroleum Exporting
Countries--Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc. are members
Per Capita Income
like the standard of living, it varies widely, some (the owners of
the oil) are very rich, others (nomadic herders) are not
guest workers
a lot of oil workers are from the U.S., etc.???
Suez Canal 394
built by a French company in the middle of the 1800s, it is still
economically and strategically critical
water
Libya is pumping water from beneath the Sahara to the coast,
other oil rich nations can afford to take the salt out of sea water
(desalination)--in other words water is a scarce and precious
commodity in this area.
positive effect of oil revenue
education is free, hospitals and medical care are mainly free,
some of the money has been used to industries such as steel
making, oil refining, textile production, diamond-cutting,
petrochemical plants, etc. jobs have been created, the standard
of living is improving.
negative effects of oil revenue
none mentioned in our book
primary economic activity
many countries are dependent on one economic activity--oil
production, pastoralism, agriculture
tourism
important in places like Egypt, but hurt by regional conflicts and
political unrest
contemporary trade routes
the sea lanes, from the Persian gulf through the straits of
Hormuz, and through the Suez canal.
urbanization
rapid, in the cities life is modern, (although it has been hard for
the governments to keep up with the services needed, but out in
the countryside. many live without electricity or running water
population pyramid
a large percentage are under 15
population distribution
not even
Arabic language and Arab countries
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Oman, etc.
Non-Arab countries
Turkey, Iran, Israel
Art
reflects a diversity of religion--stained glass, geometric tiles,
calligraphy, mosaics, prayer rugs
nomads
desert wanderers
Palestine
the Jews dont want to give it up, some Arabs call themselves
Palestinians and want to drive the Jews into the sea
Judaism
born in Israel
Christianity
born in Israel
Islam
born in Saudi Arabia
Kaaba
cube shaped temple in Mecca (Muslim)
Pyramids
burial places for the mummies in Egypt
oil rigs
off the coast and dotting the countryside
Dome of the Rock
sacred temple for Muslims, in Jerusalem
Western Wall
a wall once used to support the temple mount, a holy spot for
Jews but, in land they have only occupied since 1967.
Bazaars
outdoor markets
suqs
indoor market places
Hagia Sophia
built as a Christian church, now a Mosque in Istanbul
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Christian church many believe to be built on the spot where
Christ was buried and resurrected.