The Middle EastCrossroads of the World

What is the Middle East?

• Crossroads of 3 continents:

EuropeAsiaAfrica

• Extends from Morocco to Iran

• Region in Southwest Asia

What is the Middle East?• Its people share common traits:

languagehistoryreligion

• Access to many major waterways

The Tigris River

Climate• Short period

of rainfall• Rains wash

away topsoil• Temperature

extremes• Hot and dry • Deserts and

green coastal lands

Natural Resources• Oil is the

Middle East’s most important natural resource

• 70% of the world’s known oil reserves are located in the Middle East

•Middle Eastern countries produce 2/3 of the world’s oil

Natural Resources

•Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil producer

Natural Resources• Other natural

resources include:gold, iron, and copper

• Water is scarce and difficult to harness

• Fertile river valleys and coastal lands

Aswan High Dam in Egypt

Geographic Features• Desert – an area

that has less than 10 inches of annual rainfall Arabian DesertSyrian Desert

• Oasis – fertile place in a desert where water is available through an underground spring

Five Physical Regions

1) Northern Tier

2) Arabian Peninsula

3) Fertile Crescent

4) Nile River Valley

5) Maghreb Beach in Lebanon

1. The Northern Tier

• Anatolian Peninsula* fertile soil and moisture available for farming to support a large population

• Iranian Plateau* Elburz and Zagros Mountain ranges* dry region with a small population

• Stretches across present-day Turkey and Iran

A bazaar in Turkey

2. Arabian Peninsula• A plateau that borders

the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf

• Mostly barren desert• Beneath the desert is a

huge amount of oil, which supports the country

• Small population because of lack of water

• Most of the population lives around the oases

2. Arabian Peninsula• Birthplace of Islam

3. Fertile Crescent

• Arc-shaped region that stretches from the eastern Mediterranean along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to the Persian Gulf

• Rich soil and abundant water have led to a large population

3. Fertile Crescent

Mesopotamia • “land between two

rivers”• Part of the Fertile

Crescent• Between the Tigris

and Euphrates Rivers

• Located in modern-day Iraq

• Land is very fertile• Some of the earliest

civilizations began here

Ancient Babylon

4. Nile River Valley

• Located in northeastern Africa• Nile River supports the

population of this region

5. Maghreb• North African nations of Algeria,

Tunisia, and Morocco• Lies west of the Arabian Peninsula• Isolated land surrounded by water,

mountains, and deserts

5. Maghreb• Sahara Desert and

Atlas Mountains• Few people live

here because of scarcity of water

• Major crossroad of the southern rim of Mediterranean

• Gateway to the Atlantic Ocean Mosque in Morocco

Review Questions1) The Middle East is at the

crossroads of which 3 continents?2) Describe the climate of the

Middle East.3) What country produces the most

oil?4) Define oasis.5) Which 2 rivers make up the

region called Mesopotamia?