World Studies

Geography of Southwest Asia and Northern Africa

Where in the world?

Northern Africa and Southwest Asia

Southwest AsiaSaudi Arabia Iraq IranTurkey JordanSyriaLebanonKuwait/ UAE/ Qatar/BahrainYemen/ Oman IsraelPalestinian Territories

EgyptLibyaMoroccoAlgeriaTunisia

Countries of the Region

Northern Africa

The term “Middle East” was based on the location of Europe (Eurocentric)

The Middle East was in between Europe and the Far East (China, Japan)

Southwest Asia puts Asia at the center and not Europe.

Why not the Middle East?

Why not the Middle East?Europe

Far East

Middle East

This region connects 3 continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Many major bodies of water also surround the region.

Because of this, Southwest Asia has always been a major focal point for trade.

Crossroads of the World

Crossroads of the World

LanguageThe dominant

language throughout the region (both SW Asia and Northern Africa) is Arabic.

280 million native speakers

Exception 1: Farsi in Iran.

Exception 2: Hebrew in Israel

ReligionThe dominant religion

in the region is Islam.Two major branches of

Islam:Sunni (80-90%)Dominant in most

countriesShi’ite (10-20%)

Dominant in Iran/ IraqException: Judaism in

Israel/ Christianity throughout the region

ArabsWho is an Arab?

1.) Native Arab speaker2.)Comes from an Arab speaking country

Turks (Turkey)Kurds (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey)Iranians (Iran)Jews (Israel)

Ethnic Groups

Major Region #1: Northern TierModern day Turkey

and IranMountains and

plateausAnatolian Plateau

(Turkey): Fertile soil, adequate precipitation allows for large population

Iranian Plateau (Iran): Dry, small population

Major Region #2: Arabian PeninsulaSaudi Arabia, Yemen,

Oman, Qatar, U.A.E.Covered in desert

(Rub Al- Khali)Surrounded by

important bodies of water.

Small populationLarge amounts of oil

lay beneath the surface= $$$

Major Region #3: Fertile CrescentIraq, Syria, Lebanon,

Israel.Tigris and Euphrates

rivers create rich soils that sustain large populations

Home of the earliest civilizations

Major Region #4: Nile River ValleyEgyptPeople live along the

Nile due to abundance of fresh water and fertile soil.

The rest of Egypt is desert and sparsely inhabited.

SinaiPen.

Med. Sea

Red Sea

Major Region #5: The MaghrebNorthern Africa, inc.

Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco.

Sahara desert, Atlas mts.

Major cities on the Mediterranean coast.