Today’s Issues:

Southwest Asia

Oil and religion have shaped modern Southwest Asia, but they’ve also brought the region lasting, often devastating conflicts and challenges.

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SECTION 1 Population Relocation

SECTION 2 Oil Wealth Fuels Change

Today’s Issues:

Southwest Asia

Case Study Religious Conflict Over Land

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Section 1

Population Relocation • Economic growth brings foreign workers to

the region. • Political factors have shifted the region’s

population.

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New Industry Requires More Workers

The Oil Boom Changes Economies and Lives • Life in Southwest Asia doesn’t change much from

1100–1900- some people live in villages, cities; others live

nomadic lives • Petroleum, natural gas discovered in early 20th

century- Western oil companies leased land, brought in

technology, workers • Oil profits bring wealth to countries, urbanization

begins- road construction makes cities accessible- thousands migrate to cities for jobs

SECTION

1

Continued . . .

Population Relocation

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SECTION

1

Foreign Workers • Oil creates so many jobs that local workers can’t fill

them all- oil companies employ “guest workers” from

South, East Asia- mostly unskilled laborers; do jobs native peoples

find unacceptable • In places, immigrant works outnumber native

workers- 90% of United Arab Emirates’ workers are

immigrants

continued New Industry Requires More Workers

Continued . . .NEXT

SECTION

1

Problems of Guest Workers • Cultural differences exist between guest workers,

employers- misunderstandings over customs can bring

severe penalties • Often, workers live in special districts away from

Arab population- some are abandoned or don’t get wages for

months • Concerns over intolerance, violence toward workers • Some fear immigrants weaken countries’ national

identities

continued New Industry Requires More Workers

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Political Refugees Face Challenges

Stateless Nation • After WWI, land intended for Kurds was kept by

Turkey, Iraq, Syria • Kurds a stateless nation—people without land to

legally occupy • Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria try unsuccessfully to

absorb Kurds - Kurds resist governments’ control, are forcibly

moved • Iraq forces Kurdish migration, uses chemical

weapons on settlements- In 2000, 70,000 Kurds are displaced, many

forced into camps

SECTION

1

Continued . . .NEXT

SECTION

1

Palestinian Refugees • Palestinians—Arabs and descendents who lived in

Palestine—displaced- stateless nation; living in relocation camps in

Israel, elsewhere • When Israel is created, Palestinian Arabs are

promised a homeland- during Israeli war of 1948, Israel occupies some

of those lands • As many as 1 million Palestinians flee Israel,

become refugees- 52 camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, West Bank,

Gaza Strip

continued Political Refugees Face Challenges

Continued . . .NEXT

SECTION

1

Palestinian Refugees • West Bank—strip of land on west side of Jordan

River- originally controlled by Jordan, but lost to Israel in

1967 • Gaza Strip—along Mediterranean Sea northeast of

Sinai Peninsula- occupied by Israel in 1967

• Refugees unable to return to Israeli areas they claim- 8.2 million worldwide by 2005

• Their demand to return to Palestine is at heart of many regional conflicts

continued Political Refugees Face Challenges

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Section 2

Oil Wealth Fuels Change • Oil wealth brings political and economic

changes to the region.

• To achieve a diversified economy, countries need to improve infrastructure and resource use.

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Meeting the Global Demand

The Pros and Cons of “Black Gold” • Oil (“black gold”) fuels world industries,

transportation, economies- strategic commodity—important resource

nations will fight over • Region has 64% of world’s oil deposits, 34% of

natural gas reserves- by 2020 will provide 50% of world demand

• Oil prices rise, fall unpredictably; revenue not assured- makes steady economic growth difficult; nations

need to diversify

Oil Wealth Fuels Change SECTION

2

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Using Oil Wealth to Diversify

Modernizing the Infrastructure • Saudi Arabia builds roads, irrigation networks,

agricultural storage- also, desalinization plants to remove salt from

seawater • Other nations build airports, malls, ports

- efforts are not always well planned- UAE builds four international airports that are

underused • Nations have made an effort to build information

technology systems

SECTION

2

Continued . . .NEXT

SECTION

2

Developing Resources • Nations seek to diversify, develop non-oil

resources, agriculture- governments build dams, dig wells to tap

underground reservoirs •Saudi Arabia uses oil profits to improve agriculture,

water supplies- by 1985 it met its demand for dairy, meat, poultry,

eggs- by 1992 it produced enough grain for own needs,

some export • Oman revives copper, chromium industries,

reduces oil dependence

continued Using Oil Wealth to Diversify

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Continued . . .

SECTION

2

Human Resources • Human resources—skills and talents of a nation’s

people- nations must invest in people, including women- must provide education, technology training- Kuwait has free education through university level- Kuwait also pays fees, expenses if students study abroad

•Many societies have strict rules about women’s roles- hard to get education or jobs; shortages create

opportunities

continued Using Oil Wealth to Diversify

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Case Study Religious Conflict Over Land

BACKGROUND• Land conflicts between Jews, Arabs disrupt life

in Southwest Asia • Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, Christians, and

Muslims • The issue of control of the city affects the area’s

politics, people

Who Should Control Jerusalem?

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Case Study

Conflicts Over Holy Sites • After WWII, the UN designated Jerusalem an

international city- intended to be controlled by international body

• City is divided in 1948 after the Arab-Israeli war- Arabs take Old City, East Jerusalem in West

Bank- Israelis control West Jerusalem, then after 1967

capture rest of city • Muslims keep control of Haram ash-Sharif (Temple

Mount to Jews) • Israelis settle nearby Arab lands; Palestinian Arabs

flee- UN Resolution 194 supports Palestinians’ “right

of return” NEXT

Control of Jerusalem

Case Study

A Difficult Problem to Solve • Emotional issue: both sides claim city as their

capital; solutions? • Palestinians could retain control of parts of East

Jerusalem- Israel would annex several nearby settlements,

expand territory • Israel retains control of West Jerusalem, Jewish

Quarter of Old City- Palestinians would retain control of Old City,

East Jerusalem • Palestinians control Temple Mount, give up

refugees’ right of return • International agency controls all holy sites

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Proposed Solutions to the Conflict

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