Southwest Asia Geography

SS7G5: The student will locate selected features in Southwestern Asia; SS7G7: The student will explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteristics, distribution of natural resources and population distribution on Southwestern Asia; SS7G6: The student will discuss environmental issues across Southwest Asia

ELEMENTS• 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

• Locate on a world and regional political-physical map the nations of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey

• Explain how water pollution and the unequal distribution of water impacts irrigation and drinking water

• Explain how the distribution of oil has affected the development of Southwest Asia (Middle East).

• Describe how the deserts and rivers of Southwest Asia (Middle East) have affected the population in terms of where people live, the type of work they do, and how they travel.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS• Where are the Euphrates River, Jordan River,

Tigris River, Suez Canal, Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and Gaza Strip?

• Where are Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey?

• How does the distribution of oil affect the development of Southwest Asia (Middle East)?

• How do the deserts and rivers of Southwest Asia (Middle East) affect the population in terms of where people live, the type of work they do, and how they travel?

• How do water pollution and the unequal distribution of water impact irrigation and drinking water in Southwest Asia?

THE PHYSICAL FEATURES OF SOUTHWEST ASIA• Southwest Asia lies between Eastern Asia, Africa

and Europe• SW Asia contains many key physical features:• Rivers• Tigris River and Euphrates River• Jordan River

• Bodies of Water• Suez Canal• Persian Gulf• Strait of Hormuz• Arabian Sea• Red Sea

• Landforms• Gaza Strip

KEY COUNTRIES OF SW ASIA• Afghanistan• Iran• Iraq• Israel• Saudi Arabia• Turkey• Other countries include Kuwait, Lebanon,

Israel, Jordan, Bahrain, Palestine, Yemen, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates

MAP OF SOUTHWEST ASIA

Water is a very scarce resource in SW AsiaLack of fresh water for citizensLeads to an unequal distribution of

water Countries fight over water boundaries

Countries have agreements for water called water rights

Water supplied by Tigris, Euphrates and Nile rivers

To get water, citizens practice desalinationRemoving the salt from water for

drinking and farmingIrrigation is also practiced, which is

purifying water to use for farming Water pollution is a serious issue

Countries pollute water through war damaged facilities, petroleum drilling, open sewers and oil spills

WATER POLLUTION AND IRRIGATION

THE PROBLEM OF OIL DISTRIBUTION• Most of the people in SW Asia stay near some

source of oil, the major resource in the region• Countries of Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran contain the most oil reserves• Oil is a major cause of water pollution, but also provides most of the money to the region’s economy

• Oil is unevenly distributed throughout the region• Iraq and Iran have fought wars over the money oil brings• Turkey trades their oil with Europe, while Afghanistan looks to trade oil with Central Asia

OIL ISSUES IN SOUTHWEST ASIA

LIFE IN THE DESERT• Desert covers most of the 2.8 million

square miles in Southwest Asia• Some people live as nomads in the

desert and travel•Nomads are those who move from place to place and do not permanently settle•They move to follow work near the cities•They must move because of little to no resources in the desert

THE SAHARA DESERT

LIFE NEAR THE RIVERS• Many cities in SW Asia

are built near rivers• Allows for goods to be

transported in and out and to be near water for farming• Most of the areas are

populated heavily

• Tigris and Euphrates Rivers contain the Fertile Crescent• A very rich and useful soil

area• Canals are built here for

irrigation

• Port Cities• The area’s population

grows near port cities• Ports are harbors

near rivers where ships come to load and unload

• Cities are hotspots for job opportunities• Port cities are located

in Turkey and Saudi Arabia

FERTILE CRESCENT AREA

MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION

There are many means of transportation in SW AsiaCars

Most people do not have cars, but those that do face traffic issues and air pollution

Public transportation is also a major weakness

Railroads Very little tracks run through the

region

Airplanes Turkey has the most airports, with 127

Others walk, take camels, or ride on top and inside buses