GEO 143 Recitation #1 PDF

Countries of West Asia ​ Majority are muslims; minority (1) Bahrain, Manama Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and ​ Kingdom of Bahrain Judaism. ​ having the most independent economy...

Countries of West Asia ​ Majority are muslims; minority (1) Bahrain, Manama Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and ​ Kingdom of Bahrain Judaism. ​ having the most independent economy ​ Official lang: Arabic & Kurdish; others in the Middle East are Assyrian, Turkish, and Armenian ○​ Recognized for its banking and ​ Two major rivers: Tigris & Euphrates financial services sector, which ​ Rocky deserts cover about 40 percent are fastest growing in the world of Iraq. ​ 50 natural islands, 33 artificial ​ home to seven terrestrial ecoregions: ​ 3rd smallest nation in Asia 1.​ Zagros Mountains forest steppe, ​ Connected by the King Fahd Causeway 2.​ Middle East steppe, ​ mild winters and very hot, humid 3.​ Mesopotamian Marshes, summers 4.​ Eastern Mediterranean ​ 92% of Bahrain is desert with periodic conifer-sclerophyllous broadleaf droughts and dust storms forests, ​ Environmental issues: 5.​ Arabian Desert, ○​ Desertification, coastal 6.​ Mesopotamian shrub desert, and degradation, & illegal land 7.​ South Iran Nubo-Sindian desert reclamation and semi-desert. ○​ over-utilization of the Dammam ​ almost entirely landlocked Aquifer, the principal aquifer ​ majority of employment opportunities (roughly 60%) are in the public sector. (2) Iran/Persia, Tehran ​ The oil industry of Iraq makes up about ​ Officially Islamic Republic of Iran and 95% of its foreign exchange revenue. also known as Persia ​ 17th globrally in geog size & population (4) Israel, Jerusalem ○​ 2nd largest in west Asia ​ State of Israel ○​ 6th largest in asia ​ Tel Aviv is the country's largest urban ​ Islamic republic area and economic center. ​ Has 5 region, 31 provinces ​ home to a variety of geographic ​ one of the world's most mountainous features: countries (Iranian Plateau) ○​ from the Negev Desert in the ○​ Caucasus, Zagros, and Alborz, south to the inland fertile and the last Mount Damavand, Jezreel Valley, with mountain Iran's highest point, ranges of the Galilee, Carmel ​ home to the largest supply of natural and towards the Golan in the gas in the world and the 4th largest north. supply of oil reserves. ​ Majority of the population is Jewish ​ member of both OPEC and the United ○​ often known as the Jewish Nations State. ​ (GDP) of Iran rely on the services sector. ​ economy is based on the technology and industrial sectors and is considered (3) Iraq, Baghdad the most advanced in the Middle East. ​ Republic of Iraq ​ 35th most populous country (5) Jordan, Amman ​ the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan  ​ Jordan River - flowing into the dead sea, ○​ most of Lebanon receives a is located along the country's western relatively large amount of border within the Jordan Rift Valley. rainfall ○​ area of arable land and ○​ certain areas in north-eastern Mediterranean evergreen Lebanon receives only little forestry because of the rain shadow ○​ Separates Jordan from Israel created by the high peaks of the ​ Jordan has a 26 kilometers (16 mi) western mountain range. shoreline on the Gulf of Aqaba in the ​ one of the smallest, non-island Red Sea countries in the Middle East ​ The Yarmuk River, an eastern tributary ​ was able to resist the global economic of the Jordan, forms part of the crisis of 2008 boundary between Jordan and Syria ​ services sector makes up the largest ​ Amman - capital and largest city, as part of the country's economy well as the most populous city in the Levant. (8) Oman, Muscat ​ Jordan sits strategically at the ​ Sultanate of Oman crossroads of the continents of Asia, ​ has one of the hottest climates in the Africa and Europe, in the Levant area of world the Fertile Crescent, a cradle of ​ absolute monarchy and all government civilization. responsibilities carried out by the ​ (92%) of the population identify as Sunni Sultan, which a hereditary position. Muslims. ​ economy depends on the oil and ​ known as a safe haven for refugees petroleum industry, particularly as its ​ most politically stable countries in the largest export contributor. Middle East. ○​ However, the tourism industry in Oman is growing rapidly. (6) Kuwait, Kuwait City ​ State of Kuwait (9) Palestine (Gaza) ​ one of the smallest countries in the ​ Gaza is a small territory located on the world in terms of land area. eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; ​ generally low-lying (below sea level) it is the smaller of the two Palestinian ​ Kuwait's Burgan field has 70B barrels of territories, the other being the West proven oil reserves Bank ​ During the 1991 Kuwaiti oil fires, more ​ Inhibited by Palestinian refugees than 500 oil lakes were created. ​ The territory has been under Israeli ○​ The oil spills during the Gulf occupation since 1967. War also drastically affected ​ shares borders with both Israel and Kuwait's marine resources. Jordan and the country claims ​ 70% of its population are foreign ownership of the Gaza Strip and West nationals due to petroleum industry Bank regions. ○​ sector makes up around 50% of ​ The services industry in Palestine Kuwait's GDP. makes up 82% of the country's $10 Billion GDP. (7) Lebanon, Beirut ​ Republic of Lebanon (10) Qatar, Doha ​ Moderate mediterranean climate ​ State of Qatar  ​ Gulf of Bahrain - separates Qatar from ​ Agricultural areas: nearby Bahrain ○​ Al Jazira (Northeast) ​ Most of the land area is made up of flat, ○​ Hawran (South) low-lying desert. ​ Euphrates - Syria’s most important river ​ Qatar is a peninsula protruding 160 ​ one of the fifteen states that comprise kilometers (100 mi) into the Persian the so-called "cradle of civilization". Its Gulf, north of Saudi Arabia. land straddles the northwest of the ​ Jebel Dukhan - contains Qatar’s main Arabian plate. onshore oil deposits ​ Petroleum became Syria's leading ​ has a population size of over 2.83 natural resource and chief export after million, 2.3 million of which are foreign 1974. nationals due to the natural gas and oil ○​ Natural gas was discovered at industries the field of Jbessa in 1940. ​ population represents a decrease over (11) Saudi Arabia, Riyadh previous years, given a large number of ​ Kingdom of Saudi Arabia people who have been killed or fled the ​ largest country in the Middle East country due to civil war, military violence, ○​ 5th largest in Asia and political instability. ○​ 12th in the world ​ occupies about 80% of the Arabian (13) Turkey, Ankara Peninsula (the world's largest ​ Republic of Türkiye peninsula). ○​ Officially a secular state ​ The gulf of Aqaba ○​ Muslim-majority population ○​ Separates Saudi Arabia from ​ Istanbul - largest city and economic and Egypt & Israel financial center ​ most of its terrain consists of arid ○​ Other major cities include İzmir, desert, lowland, steppe, and mountains. Bursa, and Antalya. ○​ dominated by the Arabian ​ Turkey bridges Western Asia and Desert - Rub' al Khali ("Empty Southeastern Europe. Quarter") in the southeastern ○​ Turkey's Asian side covers 97% ​ the largest country in the world by area of its surface, called Anatolia. with no permanent rivers. ○​ Eastern Thrace, Turkey's ○​ Wadis - non-permanent rivers European side, covers 3% of the ​ Other major cities include Jeddah and surface area. the two holiest cities in Islam, Mecca ​ Encircled by seas on three sides: and Medina. ○​ Aegean sea - west ​ 90% of which identify as Arabs. ○​ Black sea - north ​ The majority of individuals in Saudi ○​ Mediterranean sea - south Arabia speak 1 of 3 Arabic dialects: ​ located between Europe and Asia and is Najdi, Hejazi, and Gulf. considered a transcontinental country. ​ population identifies as ethnic Turks (12) Syria, Damascus ​ newly industrialized and has a GDP of ​ Syrian Arab Republic $2.199 trillion, over half of which is ​ climate varies from the humid generated by the services industry. Mediterranean coast, through a semi-arid steppe zone, to arid desert in the east. (14) United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi Lebanon, and Israel (Levant ​ Dubai is its most populous city and is an region). international hub. ○​ Scholars studying the ancient ​ World’s #7 in oil & natural gas reserve past usually use the term “Near ○​ depends heavily on the oil East” for this area. industry. ​ Arabs as the largest ethnic group ​ It is in a strategic location slightly south ○​ Arabic is the most spoken langu of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit ○​ Other popular languages include point for world crude oil. Persian, Kurdish, Hebrew, and ​ has one of the largest economies in the Turkish. Middle East ​ Islam is the largest religion in the region ​ The region is the birthplace of Islam, (15) Yemen. Sana’a Judaism & Christianity ​ Republic of Yemen ​ second largest country on the Arabian ​ Largest countries in the region: Peninsula. 1.​ Saudi Arabia 2.​ Iran ​ has a population size of over 29 million, 3.​ Egypt nearly half of which is 15 years of age 4.​ Pakistan or younger. ○​ Yemen's population is expected ​ Smallest Countries: to reach 60 million by 2050 1.​ Bahrain ​ Petroleum industry 2.​ Cyprus 3.​ Lebanon 4.​ Qatar Climate, Biomes & Physical Geography of the (1) Arid Climate/Deserts Middle East ​ As a result of its arid climate, the middle east is home to several of the world’s General Information: largest deserts. ​ majority of the Middle East region is ○​ Syrian Desert - both traditional characterized by a warm desert climate. desert and steppe geography ​ climate is very high during the summer ​ features rocky or ○​ Iraq and Iran recorded over 160 gravelly desert with degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees occasional wadis or Celsius) riverbeds. ○​ Ave. temp during summer is 49 ○​ Arabian desert - contains more deg. Celsius of the rolling sand dunes ​ very little rainfall, resulting in large ​ Rub' al Khali (Empty desert regions Quarter) - at the center ​ “Middle East” of the Arabian Desert is ○​ One term sometimes applied to the largest sand-only part of this area is “Fertile desert on the planet Crescent,” which was coined by ○​ Sahara desert - best-known James Henry Breasted in 1914 desert in the world to refer to the arc of fertile ○​ These deserts are rich in oil and agricultural zones that formed natural gas reserves the basis for early civilizations, in what is now Iraq, Syria, Despite the proliferation of deserts within the them to serve as economic and region, the Middle East also has several seas, cultural hubs. gulfs, and rivers. ​ Mediterranean Sea ​ Black and Caspian Seas ​ Arabian Peninsula: ​ Suez Canal and Gulf of Suez ○​ Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, ○​ man-made Suez Canal, 120 Saudi Arabia, UAE & Yemen mile waterway that opened in ​ extreme temperatures, limited rainfall, 1869 and sparse vegetation ​ Nile River ○​ one of the driest and hottest regions on Earth ​ Dead Sea ○​ the saltiest lakes in the world ​ drought-resistant plants (e.g. cactus, and is also lowest point on the thyme, rosemary, etc.) Earth’s land surface ​ and desert-adapted animals (e.g. ​ Red Sea camels and lizards) ○​ a crucial waterway for ​ Nomadic pastoralism and traditional shipping and trade Bedouin lifestyles ○​ It is connected to the Mediterranean Sea by the man-made Suez Canal (2) Semi-Arid Steppe ​ Tigris and Euphrates Rivers & Jordan ​ found in parts of Iraq, Syria, and Iran River ​ moderate rainfall and support sparse ○​ key river systems in the vegetation such as grasses, shrubs, and Middle East drought-resistant plants. ○​ enabled the development of ​ transitional zones between desert and ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia Mediterranean climates ​ The Persian Gulf ​ Support pastoralist communities ○​ rich in oil and natural gas; one of the most important (3) Mediterranean Climate regions for energy resources ​ Levant region: in the world ○​ Levant - after the French term ○​ It narrows to the Strait of for “rising,” here referring to the Hormuz before emptying into the Gulf of Oman and Indian rising sun Ocean. ○​ Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel ​ Gulfs of Aden and Oman and Palestine ​ Arabian Sea ○​ A subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean sea to Middle East is home to several mountain the west and core West Asia, or ranges: ​ Zagros Mountains - Iran by the political term, Middle ​ Alborz Mountains - northern Iran East, to the east. ​ Taurus Mountains - Turkey ○​ represents the land bridge between Africa and Eurasia. Coastal plains in this region that border the ​ hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters Mediterranean Sea, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and ○​ supports a diverse range of Arabian Sea are vital for maritime trade, vegetation, including evergreen fishing, and urban development. ​ Cities like Beirut, Tel Aviv, and Dubai forests, shrublands, and are located on coastal plains, allowing grasslands ○​ rich marine ecosystem  ○​ rich agricultural land and Mesopotamia (the “land between the relatively abundant rainfall, and rivers”) having easy access to land and ○​ Mesopotamian civilization is a sea routes series of diverse languages and ​ Olive cultivation & cultures bound together by a viticulture common script and written ​ Among the first areas to develop tradition. Ancient languages in agriculture (as far back as 11,000 BCE), the area included Sumerian, ancient cultures that developed in this Akkadian, Amorite, Babylonian, region include Canaanite, Amorite, Assyrian, and Aramaic. Israelite, and Phoenician. ○​ Mesopotamia is a particularly LEVANT REGION fertile agricultural zone ​ bordered on the north by the Taurus ​ Northern Mesopotamia Mountains, which separate the Levant receives enough rainfall from the Anatolian plateau in modern while Turkey. ​ southern Mesopotamia ○​ Anatolian plateau is a relatively receives virtually no isolated but fertile agricultural rain zone, and ○​ the Taurus Mountains are rich in Geography plays a significant role in the metals and minerals—they were formation and maintenance of cultures. known as the “silver mountain” ​ earliest civilizations with large in some ancient texts, but population centers developed near copper was even more abundant sources of water and abundantly available. agricultural land, rather than in areas of ​ Southeast of the Levant is the Arabian other valuable raw materials, like metals, Peninsula with its extensive deserts, oases, and coastal regions along the Geography also provides a basis for distinctive Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Persian Gulf attributes of regional cultures that were more often suited to ​ e.g. the importance of olive oil and wine permanent settlement. in the cuisine of the eastern ○​ Arab culture first appears in the Mediterranean region (where grapes and historical record after the olives can easily be cultivated). introduction of the camel in about 1200 BCE, which allowed more extensive use of arid zones of Saudi Arabia, ○​ and Islam first developed in the oasis towns of Mecca and Medina before spreading over much of the Middle East by 700 CE. ​ East of the Levant and south of the Taurus Mountains is the area of Iraq defined by the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, that has sometimes been called