THE MIDDLE EAST GEOGRAPHY

GPS STANDARDS

The student will locate selected

features in Southwestern Asia (Middle East).

 a) Locate on a world and

regional political-physical map: Euphrates River, Jordan River, Tigris River, Suez Canal, Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and Gaza Strip.

 

 

 a) Locate on a world and

regional political-physical map the nations of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

 

CROSSROADS OF CONTINENTS

Africa Europe Asia

THE ARABIAN PENINSULA IS PRIMARILY STEPPE AND DESERT

CLIMATE.

* The Rub 'al-Khali, or "Empty Quarter" is a large desert in Saudi Arabia. It is the largest area of continuous sand in the world.

THE ARABIAN PENINSULA IS MOSTLY DESERT

*The climate is extremely arid. Few places receive more than 7 in of rain a year, and no permanent streams exist. Summer temperatures reach as high as 130 F in some areas.

TaurusSpreads across TurkeyHighest Point- Mt. Ararat-16, 583 ft., Biblical historians believe Noah’s Ark landed here.

ZagrosExtend through southwestern Iran, and through northern Iraq

Highest point- Zard Kuh, 14, 921 ft.

MIDDLE EAST MOUNTAINS

Water is the most precious resource for this region of deserts and steppe areas.Many areas (ex. Nile River Valley) dependent on seasonal floods.

The fertile soil around the river and the delta regions are especially good for farming.

WATER

OASES

Oasis is a place where water comes to the surface in desert area.

"oasis" is believed to come from an ancient Egyptian word, "wah," meaning "fertile place in the desert."

About 75 percent of the Sahara's population live in oases

MAJOR WATER FEATURES

Mediterranean SeaRed SeaArabian SeaPersian/Arabian GulfJordan RiverTigris RiverEuphrates RiverStrait of Hormuz

SINAI PENINSULALOCATED BETWEEN

EGYPT AND THE ARABIAN PENINSULA

SUEZ CANAL

*

The 101-mile waterway in Egypt that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

• The Suez Canal is used to transport goods to and from all three continents.

• The canal was built to make trade easier and faster from Europe to Asia.

Strait of Hormuz

Tigris RiverEuphrates

River

MAJOR WATER FEATURES

*Greeks called this region Mesopotamia, which means "between the rivers."

*Many different civilizations developed in this small region. -First came the Sumerians, who were replaced in turn by the Assyrians and the Babylonians. -Today this land is known as Iraq

THE FERTILE CRESCENT

Jordan River

Dead Sea

MAJOR WATER FEATURES

JORDAN RIVER

DEAD SEA

Lowest point on Earth- 1,320 feet below sea level

Saltiest water in the worldYou float in its waters!Average of 330 days of full sunshine a year

DEAD SEA

Jordan River

Euphrates River

Tigris River