Human Geography of Eastern Mediterranean CHAPTER 16 2

Human Geography of Eastern Mediterranean CHAPTER 16. 2

Video – Questions of History of Islam 1. When and where did Islam originate? 2. Why did Islamic armies attack Jerusalem after the death of Muhammed? 3. What was the Pact of Omar?

Answers to Video on Islam 1. Islam originated in the early 7 th century on the Arabian peninsula. 2. Muslims considered Jerusalem a sacred site because they believed that Muhammed had visited the city. Therefore, the Muslim leaders wanted to control the city after his death. 3. The pact was a guarantee by the Muslim leader, Omar, that the Christians in Jerusalem could worship freely after the Muslims took over the city.

Human Geography of the Eastern Mediterranean History and Government • The area is the birthplace of three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. • Following World War II, armed conflicts broke out among Jewish and Arab groups in Palestine. • The Jews accepted a 1947 United Nations plan to divide Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state, while the Arabs rejected it. • Since 1948, tensions have riled both sides. • Other countries in the subregion have also struggled since independence.

• People have been living in North Prehistoric Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Peoples Asia for at least ten thousand years.

Three Major Religions • Judaism, Christianity, and Islam began in Southwest Asia. All three share many beliefs, especially monotheism.

• Judaism is the oldest monotheistic faith.

• The Jews trace their origin to the ancient Israelites, who made Jerusalem their religious center.

• Jews eventually settled other areas, taking their beliefs with them.

• Christianity: which developed from Judaism, is based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

• Christianity spread throughout the Mediterranean world into Asia, Africa, Europe, and eventually to the Americas and the South Pacific region.

• Islam is the major religion of the region.

Its followers, called Muslims, believe in one God and acknowledge Muhammad as the last of a series of prophets.

• By the 800 s Islam had spread from the Arabian Peninsula to other parts of Asia, North Africa, and Europe.

• Arab-Israeli Conflict Most of the region’s countries are Arab or Muslim.

Following World War II, armed conflicts broke out among Jewish and Arab groups in Palestine.

The Jews accepted a 1947 United Nations plan to divide Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state, while the Arabs rejected it.

• In 1948, Israel was founded as a Jewish state.

• Tensions between Arabs and Jews resulted in four wars that have brought severe hardship to the area’s peoples

Human Geography of the Eastern Mediterranean Population Patterns • The dry, desert climate causes most people to live along the coastal plains. • Many ethnicities and religious sects reside in the subregion. • Demographics have changed drastically in the past century, with Israel experiencing a large migration of Russian Jews and the displacement of Palestinians following the establishment of the Israeli state.

The dry, desert climate causes most people to live along the coastal plains.

Many ethnicities and religious sects reside in the subregion

• Israelis About 6. 1 million people in the region are Israelis living in Israel.

• Of these, 82 percent are Jews; the remaining 18 percent are mostly Arabs.

Human Geography of the Eastern Mediterranean Society and Culture Today • Arabic is the primary language in the subregion, with Hebrew also spoken in Israel. • Quality of education and health care varies widely from country to country. • Family life usually includes the extended family and often includes religious worship. • In Israel, women generally enjoy equal rights, while in Arabic countries, women's rights vary greatly.

Arabic is the primary language in the subregion, with Hebrew also spoken in Israel.

Quality of education and health care varies widely from country to country.

Family life usually includes the extended family and often includes religious worship.

In Israel, women generally enjoy equal rights, while in Arabic countries, women's rights vary greatly.

Human Geography of the Eastern Mediterranean Economic Activities • Economic growth is dependent on agriculture, small deposits of minerals, and manufacturing. • Service industries play a significant role in the subregion’s economy, as does tourism, although it can be negatively affected by conflicts and political instability. • Water transportation is vital to the area, with the Strait of Tiran linking the Gulf of Aqaba to the Red Sea.

Economic growth is dependent on agriculture, small deposits of minerals, and manufacturing.

Service industries play a significant role in the subregion’s economy, as does tourism, although it can be negatively affected by conflicts and political instability.

Water transportation is vital to the area, with the Strait of Tiran linking the Gulf of Aqaba to the Red Sea.