Major Physical Features Major Physical Features of Southwest Asiaof Southwest Asia

By Mr. WashingtonBy Mr. Washington

Physical FeaturesPhysical Features• Jordan River• Rising in Syria and flowing about (200 mi) south

to the northern end of the Dead Sea.• Tigris River• Originates in the Taurus Mountains at Lake

Hazar and flows 1,180 mi SE through Turkey and past Baghdad to unite with the Euphrates

• Euphrates River• SW Asia river flowing about (1,700 mi) from

central Turkey through Syria and into Iraq.

                                           

Physical FeaturesPhysical Features

• Golan Heights• In wars with its Arab neighbors, Israel occupied and

unilaterally annexed (added to its country) this territory• West Bank• Controlled by Israel (taken in a war with its Arab

neighbors), parts administered by the Palestinian authority

• Gaza Strip• Controlled by Israel, but parts of it run by the PLO

(Palestinian authority)• Suez Canal• Dug in 1869, it connects the Mediterranean and Red

Seas

More Physical FeaturesMore Physical Features

• Strait of Hormuz• A narrow waterway that allows ships to pass

from the Arabian Sea to the Persian Gulf• Persian Gulf• Important trade route since ancient times;

gained added importance after the discovery of oil in the Gulf States.

• Black Sea• A large inland sea, area 163,400 square miles

SW Asia Physical FeaturesSW Asia Physical Features

• Red Sea• A body of water that lies between Arabia and NE

Africa, 1200 miles long, 180 miles wide• Arabian Sea• The NW part of the Indian Ocean between

Arabia and western India. • Caspian Sea• Inland salt lake between Europe and Asia,

bordering Russia and Iran.