Physical Geography of North Africa Southwest Asia Middle

Physical Geography of North Africa & Southwest Asia (Middle East) Francisci WG. 4

What countries make up the Middle East? • There is no single agreed upon definition on what specifically makes up the Middle East. • For our class, the Middle East will consist of North Africa and Southwest Asia. • The Middle East is located at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia. • Since ancient times, the Middle East has connected major trade routes between Europe and Asia.

Climate of the Middle East • Climate dictates where people live. • Nearly all of the region is desert so people are clustered along the coastal areas. • Desert: between 0 -10 inches of precipitation per year, very little vegetation • Sahara Desert in northern Africa (growing due to desertification – when a dry area becomes totally dry). • Steppe (semi-arid): between 10 -20 inches of precipitation per; vegetation consists of grasslands; • Sahel located south of the Sahara Desert (shrinking).

Climate of the Middle East • Africa’s mildest, most temperate climates are found along the Mediterranean Coasts. • Snow can be found along the mountain ranges of the Middle East.

• An oasis or a wadi are commonly found in desert climates. • Oasis: place in the desert where there is some water and vegetation all year long (Found in Saudi Arabia, Israel and Syria). • Wadi: Valley, ravine or channel that is dry most of the time, except when there are periods of precipitation. Climate of Middle East

Middle Eastern Mountain Ranges • Mountain regions have historically kept ethnic groups separate. • Atlas Mountains: Northwestern Africa. • Taurus Mountains: Southern Turkey. • Zagros Mountains: Western Iran.

Middle Eastern Rivers • • Tigris River (Iraq) Euphrates (Iraq) Jordan River (Jordan) Nile River: Longest river in the world • Flows from the Sudan through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. • Source of food, water, transportation route • Yearly seasonal floods produce fertile alluvial soil: fine grained fertile soil deposited by flood plains (floods also occur in Tigris and Euphrates. • Delta: Area where the river fans out and deposits rich alluvial soil before it empties into another body of water.

Important Water Features • Mediterranean Sea • Red Sea • Black Sea • Persian Gulf • Arabian Sea

Straits • Strait: A narrow passage of water that connects two large areas of water. • Bosporus Strait • Dardanelles Strait • Strait of Hormuz

People’s Perspective • The names of regions and/or bodies of water may vary depending on perspective. – The Arabian Gulf may be called the Persian Gulf by Iranians. – The region may be called North Africa and Southwest Asia or also the Middle East.