Middle East Geography study Guide
7th Grade Social Studies
SS7G5 The student will locate selected features
in Southwestern Asia (Middle East).
Euphrates River
Jordan River
Tigris River
Suez Canal
Persian Gulf
Strait of Hormuz
Arabian Sea
Red Sea
Gaza Strip
Afghanistan
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Saudi Arabia
Turkey
SS7G6 The student will discuss environmental issues across
Southwest Asia (Middle East).
Know the following terms and why they are significant to the
Middle East and the environmental issues:
1. aquifers
an underground layer of rock and sand that contains water,
Middle East use it for drinking water and irrigation
2. ground water- water below the surface that supplies
wells and springs, Middle East uses it for drinking water
and irrigation
3. desalination process of taking salt out of seawater and
using it for drinking water, not a lot of water in the
Middle East, this helps people get drinking water
4. water shortages throughout the Middle East, people
have to find ways to deal with this problem
(desalination, ground water, aquifers)
5. unequal distribution There is an uneven distribution of
water in the Middle East causing people to have to find
other ways to get water (desalination, ground water,
aquifers, building dams, etc.)
6. pollution Afghanistan open sewers, failed septic systems,
pesticides, fertilizers, etc. Pollution from cars. Oil Spills
in Turkey.
SS7G7 The student will explain the impact of location, climate,
physical characteristics, Distribution of natural resources and
population distribution on Southwest Asia (Middle East).
7. What impact did the discovery of oil have on the Middle
East?
For the first time the attention turned to the Middle East and
everyone around the world became interested in their Oil.
Brought the area wealth.
8. Why did the industrialized nations of Europe become
interested in the Middle East in the 1930’s?
Discovery of oil
9. How is the distribution of oil described in the Middle
East?
Uneven
10. About what percent of the world’s oil reserves are
found in the Middle East?
50% (half)
11. What is the most common landform in the Middle East?
Desert
12. How many square miles of desert are there in the Middle
East?
2.8 billion
13. What is the land between the Tigris River and Euphrates
River called and why?
Fertile Crescent. It is called this because of the fertile soil
from the rivers.
14. Where are the highest populated areas in the Middle
East?
Near rivers and oil reserves
15. How would you describe the transportation of
Afghanistan? Turkey? Iran? Iraq?
Afghanistan- less than 16 miles of Railroad tracks, pile into
buses and trucks, bicycle or bus in city, in countryside travel
by foot or donkeys, horses, camels
Iran- 55 cars for every 1,000 people, 7,000 miles of railroad
track, mass transit systems, paved roads
Iraq- not enough space on roads for all of the cars, people
drive on odd/even days, high traffic, pollution
Turkey- modern and inexpensive bus system, drive, 127
airports
SS7G8 The student will describe the diverse cultures of the
people who live in Southwest Asia (Middle East.)
Define the following terms and give an example in the
Middle East:
16. Ethnic Groups: identified based on characterisics,
traditions, religion, race, national origin.
Examples: Kurds, Persians, Arabs
17. Religious Groups distinct identity based on common
religious beliefs and practices
Examples: Islam, Christianity, Judaism
18. Name the four ethnic groups of the Middle East and tell
me their religion, language, where they live, and one
interesting fact.
1. Kurds- Mostly (60%) Muslim ( Small amount Babis),
Kurdistan-mountains of Iraq and Turkey,
2. Arabs- mostly Muslim, Arabic, all over the Middle
East, largest ethnic group in the Middle East
3. Persians- mostly Muslim, (Zoroastrian, Bahai,
Christianity, and Jewish), Live in Iran which used to
be named Persia.
4. Jewish- Ethnic group and a religious group
19. What is the most prominent religion of the Middle East?
Islam
20.
What is the holy book of Christianity? Islam?
Judaism?
Christianity- Bible
Judaism- Torah and Talmud
Islam- Koran
21. What are the two divisions of Islamic faith?
Sunni and Shia (Shiite)
22. Which division includes about 90% of Muslims?
Sunni
23. What is the division between Muslims about?
After Muhammad died there was an argument over who
should become the leader of the Muslim nation. Sunni
thought it should be elected, Shia thought it should be a
family member.
24. What is monotheism?
Belief in one God.
25. Where do all three religions originate?
Middle East
26. List 3 facts other than what is listed above about each
religion:
Islam
Christianity
Judaism
27. Define standard of living:
The financial health of a nation measured by how much that
nation consumes
28. Define literacy rate:
Amount of adults who can read and write
29. Which country has the highest literacy rate in the
Middle East? 87% in Turkey
30. Which country has suffered because of political turmoil
and has a literacy rate of 28%?
Afghanistan
31. Which country has suffered in the government and
economy because of wars?
Afghanistan and Iraq
32. What is the literacy rate in the Gaza strip? Why?
92% Because UNICEF helped them.