The Persian Gulf and Interior

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The Persian Gulf and Interior

• Preview
• Section 1 Natural Environments
• Section 2 History and Culture
• Section 3 The Region Today
• Chapter Wrap-Up

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Section 1 Natural Environments

• Read to Discover
• What landforms and rivers can be found in the
  Persian Gulf area and the interior of Southwest
  Asia?
• How does the regions physical geography affect
  its climates and biomes?
• What natural resources does the region have?

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Section 1 Natural Environments
Landforms and Rivers

• Arabian PeninsulaMountains in the west and dry
  plains stretching to the Persian Gulf in the east
• IraqWide plain of Mesopotamia, with two great
  rivers, Tigris and Euphrates
• IranZagros, Elburz, and Kopet-Dag Mountains,
  along with high plateaus
• AfghanistanHindu Kush mountain range

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Section 1 Natural Environments
Question What factors influence the climate of
Southwest Asia?
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Section 1 Natural Environments
High Pressure
Orographic Effect
Elevation
Winds
Cooler temperatures in highlands Resorts in
mountains Skiing in Iran
Westerlies bring winter rains Cyclonic
storms Southerly winds blow over water, drop
rain on Elburz Mountains
Dry climates Humid near coast Lack of
water Clear skies Plants adapted to dry
conditions
Humidity at mountain peaks Rainfall on
mountains Trees in mountain regions
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Section 1 Natural Environments
Natural Resources

• Water, a Scarce Resource
• Tigris and Euphrates are critical to Iraq.
• Farmers in northern Iran depend on rain others
  rely on irrigation.
• Desert areas may have oases and wells.
• Desalinization of seawater is possible for
  wealthy countries.

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Section 1 Natural Environments
Natural Resources (continued)

• Oil, Plentiful and Valuable
• Persian Gulf reserves are the worlds largest.
• Iraq, Oman, and Yemen also have deposits.
• Only Iran has substantial metallic ores.
• There are few other resources in the region for
  developing industry.

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Section 2 History and Culture

• Read to Discover
• How have peoples, empires, and Islam affected the
  history of the Persian Gulf area and interior
  Southwest Asia?
• What are the major features of the regions
  cultures?

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Section 2 History and Culture
Question How have various peoples and empires
affected the history and culture of countries in
Southwest Asia?
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Section 2 History and Culture

• Various peoples and empires have shaped history.
• Sumerians built the first civilization and cities
  in the Fertile Crescent.
• Akkadians created the first real empire in the
  area, around 2350 B.C.
• Persians established a powerful empire around
  550 B.C.
• Greeks and Romans later controlled the region.

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Section 2 History and Culture

• The rise of Islam had a major impact, beginning
  in the late A.D. 500s. Muhammad was born in
  Mecca, and established his Muslim community
  centered at Medina.
• Mongols arrived in the 1200s.
• Safavid Persians built a flourishing empire in
  the 1500s.
• Ottoman Turks also ruled the region in the 1500s.

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Section 2 History and Culture
Arabs
Persians
Largest ethnic group in entire region Arabic
language dominant Muslim
Farsi language Dominant in Iranian society,
hold most important positions
Kurds
Pashtun
Muslim In Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey Desire
self-rule Language like Farsi
Largest ethnic group in Afghanistan Speak
Pashtu language Several small tribes
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Section 2 History and Culture
Cultural Features

• Islam is the unifying element.
• Arabs are the major group in the region Arabic
  is the main language.
• Kurds live in borderlands of Iran, Iraq, Syria,
  and Turkey.
• Cultural diversity is more complex in Iran and
  Afghanistan.
• Most Iranians are Persians other Farsi-related
  groups include Baloch, Bakhtiari, and Hazara.
  Turkic languages are spoken by the Turkmen,
  Azeri, and Qashqai.
• Pashtun are the largest group in Afghanistan.

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Section 3 The Region Today

• Read to Discover
• On what activities do the regions economies
  depend?
• What are the regions cities like?
• What are some important issues in the region
  today?

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Section 3 The Region Today
Question What activities drive the economy of
the region?
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Section 3 The Region Today
Oil Production
Nomadic Herding
Traditional Crafts
Agriculture
Manufacturing
8.25 million barrels a day from Saudi Arabia
Economies modernized by oil wealth Oil-related
manufactur-ing
Mostly subsistence Barley, wheat
Livestocksheep, goats, cattle Farms in river
valleys Commercial farming near cities Import
food
Tend herds of camels, goats, and sheep Make
handicrafts Increased settling in towns due to
lack of grazing land
Wool rugs Use local materials and traditional
designs
Building materials Food products Oil
refining, chemical manufactur-ing Household
supplies
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Section 3 The Region Today
Urban Environments

• Largest cities are the national capitals
• Ancient cities
• Old sectionsBuildings one or two stories tall,
  twisting streets, bazaars, mosques
• Newer sectionsModern buildings, wide avenues,
  traffic, high-rise apartments, fast-food outlets

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Section 3 The Region Today
Important Issues

• Oil wealthCan influence oil prices and affect
  economies world-wide, protect tradition, support
  governments, build military
• Power and authorityDemocracy versus control by a
  few
• Role of IslamMaintenance of Islamic traditions
  and laws

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Chapter Wrap-Up Understanding the Main Ideas

1. In what ways has the plant life of the region
   adapted to the conditions there?
2. Why has Mesopotamia been such an attractive
   target for invasion throughout history?
3. What is the major language spoken in Iran? In
   Iraq, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia?
4. What changes are taking place in the traditional
   rural economy and culture of the region?
5. What are two important factors accounting for
   Saudi Arabias influence in world affairs today?