Review Middle East- Study guide
1. Name the countries where the following physical features are located and why each
is important to the M. East:
 Suez Canal Egypt Important to connect Red Sea and Med Sea
 Tigris River Turkey, Iraq Fresh water source
 Euphrates River Turkey, Iraq Fresh water source
 Persian Gulf Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran shipping of oil
 Strait of Hormuz opens to Indian Ocean for ship of oil
 Red Sea Egypt, Saudi Arabia trade between Europe, Africa, Asia
2. Oil-How do M. Eastern deserts affect water usage?
Oil is traded for water. Irrigation is needed for the crops in countries
without water
3. What is OPEC? Why is it important to the world?
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Determines amount and
price of oil in world market
4. Economic systems: define each
 Mixed economy market and command-business owned by individ and govt
 Market businesses owned by individual
 Command govt owns businesses
 Tariff tax on imports
 Embargo law passed to prevent trade
 Trade barrier law or practice that prevents voluntary trade
5. M. East oil industry- why is there political unrest and conflict between countries?
World Economy depends on oil, traditional Islamic values
and US materialism
6. What was the Persian Gulf War in 1991
Iraq invaded the country of Kuwait to get access to the Persian Gulf
7. Name the 3 main religions in the M. East. What do the all have in
common? Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All Believe in one God
(the same God)
8. Governments-describe each briefly and give an example (a name a country) of each.
In which country do citizens have the most rights
(Democracy-Israel)?
 Theocracy govt leader is the religious leader (Iran)
 Oligarchy family or clan governs (Saudi Arabia)
 Democracy citizens have most rights, elect officials (Israel)
 Monarchy absolute-king/queen have all power (Saudi Arabia)
Constitution-power limited to the power given
(Jordan)
9. Ottoman Empire-1924 ended-how did it affect the M. East?
Regional conflict based on land and religion. Land divided between European
victors of WWI
10. Where do most people in the M. East live ? why?
Big Cities near water. Transportation and
deserts/mountains found prevent living in other areas
11. Who are the Sunni and Shia? Divisions of Islamic faith Why do they disagree? Who
should lead the faith-who should replace Mohammed where do most Shia live? Iran
Most Muslims are Shia or Sunni? Sunni
12. M. East economies-describe type and what is the main resource, standard of living.
 Israel- No oil Industries and high standard of living
 Saudi Arabia- Oil and high standard
 Iran- Oil and low standard
13. What is specialization within an economy of a country? How does specialization help a
country?
Allows countries to use resources, skills and able to make quality products to
trade.
14. What happened in Palestine in 1948? Palestine was no longer under the control of
Britain Who was involved in the mandate? United Nations and Great Britain What
state was created in 1948? Israel Why does the conflict still occur today and
between whom?
Arabs/Jews fighting over the Holy Land
What were the Camp David Accords in 1979? Who was involved and what was the outcome?
Israel and Egypt . Israel gave the Sinai Peninsula back to Egypt
And Egypt accepted Israel as a nation
15. Religions
Ethnic groups/country
*Islam- Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq
*Arabs-Persian/Saudi Arabia
*Judaism-Israel
*Jews-Israel
Iraqis consider themselves Arabs
16. What affected the development of the M. East after WWII?
Conflict and religion
17. Define currency and exchange rate-currency-medium of exchange. Exchange ratesystem of one currency to another Why is it important? Makes it possible for nations to
trade