World Regional GeographyWorld Regional Geography

February 15, 2010February 15, 2010

Reading: Marston Chapter 4 pages 154-187,

192-193 (Darfur and Western Sahara), and198-199 (Petroleum)

Goode’s World Atlaspages 188-200 (Middle East) and 225-230 (North Africa)

The Middle East & North AfricaThe Middle East & North Africa

1. Political Boundaries2. Physical Geography

A. Physical Features & Topography B. ClimateC. Land UseD. Physiographic Regions

3. Human GeographyA. Population Characteristics

4. Key ConceptsA. Culture, Ethnicity, and Religion

a. Historyb. Politics

B. The Politics of Oila. Economicsb. International Politics

Political BoundariesPolitical Boundaries

The Middle East & North AfricaThe Middle East & North Africa

• Why group the Middle East and North Africa?• Culture

• Islamic Religion• Arabic Languages

• Economics• Oil

• Environment• Arid

• “Middle East” or Southwest Asia

Physical FeaturesPhysical Features

Sandstorm!Sandstorm!

TopographyTopography

Temperature and RainfallTemperature and Rainfall

• Annual Rainfall• 75% of the Region receives less than 10 inches• Some desert areas average less than 1 inch• Mountain (orographic) and some coastal areas

account for vast majority of regions rainfall.

• Average Temperature• Large temperature variations in desert areas

• Radiational cooling• Large variations can lead to wind/dust storms

• More humid climactic regions = less extremes• Western Atlas Mountains• Turkey• Mediterranean Coast• Western Zagros & Elburz Mountains

RainfallRainfall

ClimateClimate

Land UseLand Use

• Arable Land and Agriculture• Irrigated river valleys, coastline, and mountains

• Forested Land: Agriculture and Grazing• Atlas and Pontic Mountians, Southern Sudan

• Mountains• Major Ranges

• Atlas • Zagros and Elburz• Taurus and Pontic• Asir and Yemen

• Important sources of water

• Tectonically active

• Refuge for minority populations

Physiographic Regions

• Plateaus and Coastline• Plateau Regions

• Iranian• Anatolian

• Coastal Regions• Persian Gulf• Southeastern Red Sea• Eastern Mediterranean• Nile River Delta• Northwestern Africa

• More rainfall

• Higher population density

Physiographic Regions

• Deserts• Sahara

• Libyan• Nubian

• Arabian (Rub’ al Khali)

• Extremely low rainfall

• Major temperature variation

• Oases

• Very low population• Nomadic herders

Physiographic Regions

• Riverine Landscapes• Major River Systems

• Nile• Tigris and Euphrates

• Agriculture• Support large populations• Political issues

• Water rights• Access

Physiographic Regions (338)

Environmental History• Domestication of Plants and Animals

• Between 9000 and 7000 B.C.• Technological implications

• Irrigation• Food storage• Milling

• Major social implications • Long-term settlement• Non-agricultural (food-related) specialization• Trade and barter systems

• Overexploitation• Forests and Soils• Animals• Water

• Desertification• Overgrazing• Water withdrawal

Environmental IssuesEnvironmental Issues

Population DensityPopulation Density

Population Density: Egypt & SudanPopulation Density: Egypt & Sudan

Population CharacteristicsPopulation Characteristics

RegionRegionPopulationPopulation

(Millions)(Millions)Birth Birth RateRate

Death Death RateRate

Natural Natural IncreaseIncrease

(%)(%)

Net Net MigratioMigration Raten Rate

Projected Projected Pop. Change Pop. Change

(2050)(2050)

Middle Middle EastEast 286.6286.6 2424 55 1.91.9 11 +60%+60%

RegionRegion IMRIMR TFRTFR % Pop % Pop <15<15

% Pop% Pop

>65>65

Life Life ExpectancyExpectancy MaleMale FemaleFemale

Middle Middle EastEast 3535 3.03.0 3232 44 7171 6969 7474

RegionRegion HIV/AIDS %HIV/AIDS % % Urban% UrbanGNI PPPGNI PPP

(US$)(US$)

Middle Middle EastEast 0.1*0.1* 6666 12,95012,950

* Data missing for many countries

Population CharacteristicsPopulation Characteristics

RegionRegionPopulationPopulation

(Millions)(Millions)Birth Birth RateRate

Death Death RateRate

Natural Natural IncreaseIncrease

(%)(%)

Net Net MigratioMigration Raten Rate

Projected Projected Pop. Change Pop. Change

(2050)(2050)

North North AfricaAfrica 205205 2525 77 1.91.9 -1-1 +54%+54%

RegionRegion IMRIMR TFRTFR % Pop % Pop <15<15

% Pop% Pop

>65>65

Life Life ExpectancyExpectancy MaleMale FemaleFemale

North North AfricaAfrica 3838 3.03.0 3333 55 6969 6767 7171

RegionRegion HIV/AIDS %HIV/AIDS % % Urban% UrbanGNI PPPGNI PPP

(US$)(US$)

North North AfricaAfrica 0.40.4 5050 5,3705,370

MigrationMigration

• Pull Factors• Oil• Guest workers • Jews returning to

Israel

• Push Factors• Lack of work• War• Civil unrest

A pull factor is a characteristic of the receiving region that draws migrants, while a push factor is a characteristic of the sending region that drives out-migrants.

The DiasporaThe Diaspora

• Refugee Populations• Workers• Distribution of Middle Eastern Culture

• Worldwide spread of Islam

WednesdayWednesday

• Culture and Ethnicity•Religion

• Economics

• The Politics of Oil