Middle East? OR Near East?OR Southwest Asia? OR….?

HERE IS THE WORLD…

…AND HERE IS NORTH AFRICA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA

Due to the location, it’s called the Crossroads of Continents: Europe,

Africa, and Asia

SOME COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE:

ISRAEL

SAUDI ARABIA

TURKEY

IRAN

KUWAITQATAR

AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)

IRAQ

AFGHANISTAN

The Fertile Crescent

The Tigris & Euphrates

River System

Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the

Two Rivers”

Marsh Arabs, So. Iraq

Fertile Crescent

Dust Storms Along the Tigris-Euphrates Flood Plains

Dead Sea: Lowest Point on Earth

HighestSalt

Content(33%)

2,300’ below sea level

MOSQUES: places of

worship for Muslims. Typical

features are domes and minarets

DOME

MINARETS

The Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey. Built between 532 and 537 by the Christian Emperor Justinian I as a Byzantine church, which it functionedas for the next 900 years. In 1453, the Islamic-faithed Ottomans took over Constantinople (now Istanbul). They wasted little time in converting the Hagia Sophia into a mosque. It served the Muslims for almost 500 years. The Ottomans painted over the Christian mosaics - and erected the four defining minarets we see today. In 1934, Turkey changed the Hagia Sofia's status from mosque to museum and uncovered the priceless Byzantine mosaics.

http://www.sacredsites.com/1st30/domeof.html

The Dome of the Rock

Jerusalem: This Muslim holy site was built on the remains of the Temple of Solomon, a holy site for Jews

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~brvs/kaaba.html

The Kaaba

Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Kaaba is the most sacred site for Muslims. A Muslim must take the haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca at least once in his/her life.

http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go-visual.asp?MFAJ01wh0

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Jerusalem: This church was built on the site where Christians believe that Jesus Christ was crucified.

http://www.igc.apc.org/ddickerson/western-wall.gif

The Western Wall in Jerusalem: Also known as the

Wailing Wall

http://www.sacredsites.com/1st30/domeof.html

Part 2

Other notable cultural landmarks:

A “Bazaar” is an open-air market, usually in the center of a Middle eastern town. This bazaar specializes in woven Arabian carpets- verrrrrrry popular!!!!

Bazaars are also called “suqs”

Cultural Landscapes are old….

Like the many walled cities around the Arab World…

…and new

Like the oil rigs around the Middle East

TheJordan River

System:

Israel & Jordan--A Fight Over

Water Rights?

Mountain Ranges in Mid-East

Elburz Mts., Iran Zagros Mts., Iran

Lebanese Mts. Taurus Mts., Turkey

Wadis – Instant Springs

Desert Bedouins

Breeding Areas of Desert Locusts

Swarms of Desert Locusts!

Locusts Swarm the Pyramids Complex at

Giza!

Israel Hit By Worst Locust Plague

Since the 1950s!

Rub al-Khali:“The Empty Quarter”

Desert Oases: Water at a Premium!

Fresh Groundwater Sources

Desalinization

Plants

The Middle East vs. the U. S.

Latitude Lines

Middle East: Climate Regions

Middle East: Population Density

The Middle East:Natural Vegetation

The Natural Resources of the

Middle East

World Oil Reserves

Persian Gulf Oil Exports (2003)

Saudi Oil Fields & Refineries

Kuwait: An Island Floating on a Sea of Oil

Kuwait

City

Leading U. S. Oil Suppliers

The U. S. imports 30% of its oil needs from the Middle East.