HOLT CHAPTER 9 World Geography Today The Arabian

HOLT CHAPTER 9 World Geography Today The Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and Iran Section 1: Physical Geography Section 2: The Arabian Peninsula Section 3: Iraq Section 4: Iran 1 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 1 Physical Geography HOLT World Geography Today Objectives: n What landforms and rivers can be found in the Persian Gulf area and the interior of Southwest Asia? n How does the region’s physical geography affect its climates and biomes? n What natural resources does the region have? 2 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 1 Physical Geography HOLT World Geography Today Physical Features: n Saudi Arabia— Arabian Peninsula (largest sand desert in the world) n Iraq—wide plain of Mesopotamia, with two great rivers, Tigris and Euphrates n Iran—Zagros Mountains, Elburz Mountains, and Kopet-Dag Mountains, Great Salt Desert n Persian Gulf – countries of this region form a semi-circle around this Gulf 3 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 1 Physical Geography HOLT World Geography Today Effects of physical geography on climates and biomes: n Mountains provide water to valleys below by blocking moist winds and causing rain. n Saudi Arabian lowlands are hot but humid, due to nearby sea. n Higher elevations have cooler temperatures. n Trees are common only in mountains. 4 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 1 Physical Geography HOLT World Geography Today Key natural resources in the region are oil and water. n Water, a scarce resource: n n n Tigris and Euphrates are critical to Iraq. Farmers in northern Iran depend on rain; others rely on irrigation. Desert areas may have oases (oasis – wet fertile area in a desert that forms underground water and bubbles to the surface) and wells (Groundwater in wells is often fossil water). n Fossil Water – water that is not being replaced by rainfall n Desalinization of seawater is possible for wealthy countries. 5 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 1 Physical Geography HOLT World Geography Today Key natural resources in the region are oil and water. (continued) n Oil, plentiful and valuable: n Persian Gulf oil reserves (amount of oil the country has) are the world’s largest. n Oil exports bring great wealth to the countries that have oil fields. n Most of the oil reserves are located near the shores of the Persian Gulf 6 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 2 History and Culture HOLT World Geography Today Objectives: n How have peoples, empires, and Islam affected the history of the Persian Gulf area and interior Southwest Asia? n What are the major features of the region’s cultures? 7 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 2 History and Culture HOLT World Geography Today Various peoples and empires have shaped the region’s history. n Sumerians built the first civilization and cities in the Fertile Crescent. n Akkadians created the first real empire in the area, around 2350 B. C. n Persians established a powerful empire around 550 B. C. n Greeks and Romans arrived later. 8 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 2 History and Culture HOLT World Geography Today Various peoples and empires have shaped the region’s history. (continued) n The rise of Islam had a major impact, beginning in the late A. D. 500 s. n Mongols arrived in the 1200 s. n Safavid Persians built a flourishing empire in the 1500 s. n Ottoman Turks also ruled the region in the 1500 s. 9 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 2 History and Culture HOLT World Geography Today Cultural features: n Islam is the unifying element. n Arabs are the major group in the region; Arabic is the main language. n Kurds live in borderlands of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. n Cultural diversity is more complex in Iran and Afghanistan. n Most Iranians are Persians; other groups include Baloch, Bakhtiari, and Hazara. n Pashtun are the largest group in Afghanistan. 10 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 3 The Region Today HOLT World Geography Today Objectives: n On what activities do the region’s economies depend? n What are the region’s cities like? n What are some important issues in the region today? 11 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 3 The Region Today HOLT World Geography Today Economic activities: n oil and gas production—key activity n agriculture—mainly subsistence, some commercial n nomadic herding n traditional crafts n limited manufacturing 12 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 3 The Region Today HOLT World Geography Today Urban environments: n ancient cities n old sections—twisting streets, bazaars, mosques n newer sections—modern buildings, wide avenues, traffic 13 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON

Section 3 The Region Today HOLT World Geography Today Important issues: n oil wealth—how used n power and authority—democracy versus control by a few n role of Islam—maintenance of Islamic traditions and laws 14 HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON