Geography Notes (Middle East)
Middle East -> undefinable region in Southwest Africa
-> term became popular during World War 2
-> junction of trade routes of Asia, Europe, Africa (so there is a
lot of innovation)
-> Source -> world’s most important reserves of crude oil
Burj Khalifa -> located -> United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Middle East)
Ankara -> Capital of Turkey (only country that is both in Europe and Asia in
the Middle East)
Crude oil -> most abundant resource (in Middle East)
-> gets cleaned up at oil refineries -> becomes petroleum
products
Peninsula -> a piece of land that sticks out from a larger area of land (into
an ocean or sea)
Saudi Arabia -> largest country -> in Arabian peninsula
Countries in Middle East:
-> Turkey
-> Syria
-> Jordan
-> Egypt
-> Cyprus
-> Israel
-> Palestine (West Bank + Gaza Strip)
-> Iraq
-> Iran
-> Kuwait
-> Saudi Arabia
-> Yemen
-> Oman
-> United Arab Emirates (UAE)
-> Quatar
-> Bahrain
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2 Climates in Middle East
-> Desert (South)
-> Mediterranean (North)
Desalination -> process of removing salt from seawater, making it
consumable
Aquifers -> underground water body found in rock, sand and gravel
Populated areas in Middle East:
-> Turkey, Iran (North)
-> Arabian Peninsula
-> Along the coast
-> Along the Nile River
Religions found in Middle East:
-> Islam
-> Christianity
-> Judaism
Arabic -> mainly spoken in Middle East
Crude Oil, Natural Gasses -> Hydrocarbons
-> not renewable
Fossil fuels -> form due to -> slow uninterrupted sedimentation of dead
organisms over a long period of time
(This is what happened at the Arabian Plate)
Middle East -> contains -> Around 50% of World’s oil reserves
-> Around 40% of World’s Natural Gas Reserves
(During 19th century, demand for oil increased due to Industrial Revolution)
Diversification -> shifting an economy away from 1 source of income
toward multiple
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Problems with relying on 1 commodity Export:
-> Price can change
-> Trends can change
-> Resource can run out
-> Lack of range and maturity of other sectors
(These problems can cause a country’s revenue, employment, delivery of basic
services to decrease)
United Arab Emirates (UAE) -> made up of 7 emirates (land ruled by Emir)
-> 2nd richest country in Middle East (since
they diversified since 1971 and invested
back into other sectors)
-> Now Dubai is a global hub
-> 90% of UAE population migrant workers
Hub -> Central part where there is most activity
Yemen -> poorest country in Middle East
-> Capital -> Sanaa (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
-> In a civil War (started in 2015) (Between North and South)
Causing:
-> 45% of its population is malnourished
-> 7th most water stressed country in the world
-> Low tourism
-> Low exports
-> Government misuses oil money
-> One of the Worst countries for gender equality (50% of women
are illiterate)
(This war has killed or maimed 10,000 children)
Syria -> Capital Damascus
-> In civil war (since 2011) -> refugees flow to Turkey and Jordan
-> Civil War -> backed by international community
-> President -> Al-Assad (been for 50 years)
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Countries Syria Border:
-> Turkey
-> Jordan
-> Iraq
-> Israel
-> Lebanon
Conflicts in the Middle East start due to:
-> Nationalism
-> Interest in Oil
-> Discontentment with government
-> Religion and Ideology Divide
-> Territorial borders
Arab Spring -> movement started in 2011 (Tunisia)
-> people demanded political and economic changes in the
governments of countries in the Middle East
-> Led to ongoing civil wars in Syria and Yemen (brought
down leaders of both countries at that time)
(Succeeded in Tunisia but backfired in most countries)
Displaced -> forced to migrate
Discontent -> unhappy with your situation
Conflicts (in Middle East) -> caused by carving up of Ottoman Empire -> after
World War 1
Israel -> promised by UN to make a Jewish homeland (1947)
-> declares a Jewish state in Palestine (1947)
-> Israel and Palestine go to war (causing forced migration) (1948)
Kurdish people -> gotten no territory since World War 1
-> 30 million people need to live across countries
(4th Largest group in region)
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Wars Associated with Israel-Arab Conflict (Territory):
-> 6 Days War (1967) (Egypt, Syria vs Israel) -> Israeli Victory
-> Yom Kippur War (1973) (Egypt, Syria vs Israel) (on Jewish holiday) ->
Egyptian/Syrian Victory
-> Israel-Hamas War (2023) -> Ongoing
Wars Associated with Oil supply:
-> Iran-Iraq War (Ceasefire)
-> Iraq-Kuwait War (Kuwaiti Victory)
-> Gulf War (Iraq vs 35 nation coalition) (Coalition Victory)
Proxy wars -> conflicts between major powers fought on soil of 3rd country
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