The Geography of the Middle East

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The Geography of the Middle East
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Deserts
NegevDesert
SinaiDesert
Libyan Desert
ArabianDesert
Rubal-Khali
Sahara Desert
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Deserts

• Arabian Desert is 900,000 sq. miles covers most
  of the Arabian Peninsula.
• Other deserts Sinai, Syrian, Negev Deserts
• As well as the Rub al-Khali (The Empty Quarter)

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Arabian Desert
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Desert Bedouins
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Rub al-KhaliThe Empty Quarter
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Bodies of Water
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Bodies of Water

• Important world waterway the Suez Canal is
  located in Egypt, shortens travel trade routes.
• Wadis Oasis- fresh water sources found in
  deserts

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Suez Canal
Completed by the British in 1869
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Fresh Groundwater Sources
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Wadis springs found in valleys after seasonal
rains.
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Desert Oases found near springs from
underground sources
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Rivers

• Jordan, Tigris Euphrates
• Rivers create fertile soil in surrounding areas
  and were the sites of some of the earliest
  civilizations.
• Alluvial Soils- deposits by rivers during their
  annual flooding. Rich in nutrients for planting
  crops.

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The Tigris EuphratesRiver System
Mesopotamia Land Between the Two Rivers
Marsh Arabs, So. Iraq
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Dust Storms Along the Tigris-Euphrates Flood
Plains
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TheJordan RiverSystem Israel Jordan--A
Fight OverWater Rights?
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Fertile Crescent
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The Fertile Crescent
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Seas Gulfs

• Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Red Sea, Dead Sea,
  Persian Gulf
• Dead sea is 2,300 feet below sea level, and is
  33 salt water making it the saltiest body of
  water on earth.
• Not enough fresh water available so Middle
  Eastern countries use Desalinization technology
  to produce fresh water.
• Desalinization the removal of salt and minerals
  from salt-water.

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Dead Sea Lowest Point on Earth
2,300 below sea level
HighestSaltContent(33)
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DesalinizationPlants
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Middle East Population Density
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Mountains Plateaus
Caucasus Mts.
?Elburz Mts.
AnatolianPlateau
Iranian Plateau
Taurus Mts.?
Zagros Mts.
?Atlas Mts.
Hejaz Mts.
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Mountain Ranges in Mid-East
Elburz Mts., Iran
Zagros Mts., Iran
Lebanese Mts.
Taurus Mts., Turkey
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Climate

• Climate zones include
• Semi-Arid (semi-desert), Arid (desert),
  Mediterranean.
• Located along the equator.
• Warm winters Hot dry summers

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Middle East Climate Regions
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The Middle EastNatural Vegetation
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Resources

• OIL!
• The Middle East contains 1/2 of the worlds known
  oil reserves.

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The Natural Resources of theMiddle East
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World Oil Reserves
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Persian Gulf Oil Exports (2003)
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Saudi Oil Fields Refineries
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Kuwait An Island Floating on a Sea of Oil
KuwaitCity
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Leading U. S. Oil Suppliers
The U. S. imports 30 of its oil needs from the
Middle East.