The Middle East

The Middle East

What is the “Middle East?”• Europeans invented the term to describe region that lies between Europe and distant Asia (Far East)• Term “Middle” only in relation to Europe• SHOULD be called “Southwest Asia”

• Middle East includes North Africa• North Africa has “dual heritage”: Part of Africa, but strong ties to Middle East (Arabic

language & Islam)

OUR Middle East…• For the purposes of this class, we will include the following countries in our discussions of the region…

1. Iran2. Turkey3. Syria4. Lebanon5. Israel6. Jordan7. Saudi Arabia8. Yemen9. Oman10.Kuwait

11.Qatar12.United Arab Emirates13.Egypt14.Libya15.Tunisia16.Algeria17.Morocco

= Southwest Asia

= Africa

Crossroads of the World• Middle East stands at crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe• Since ancient times, it connected major trade routes by land and sea• Over thousands of years, peoples, traders, & conquerors spread ideas, inventions, and achievements.• EX: Iron making, the alphabet,

Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Arabic numerals, lateen sail

• Today, Middle Eastern nations command vital sea routes• Some sit on vast reserves of OIL

Black Gold• Middle East has variety of resources: salt, phosphate (used in fertilizers), copper, etc.• Most valuable = OIL• Unevenly distributed across region• Results in great economic disparity between oil-rich countries and those that lack oil• Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait oil rich

Where’s the oil?

Where’s the oil?*As of 2013, Canada (#3) & Venezuela (#1) should be MUCH larger.

*Map not entirely up to date.

Where’s the oil?

WANTED: Water• Nearly all of the region a desert• Populations clustered in well-watered areas along coasts and in river valleys• <10% of land receives enough water for farming• Irrigation required

Peoples of the Middle East• Many different languages, religions, traditions• Languages: Arabic, Turkish, Hebrew, Kurdish, Persian, Greek, Armenian• Religions: Islam, Christianity, Judaism• 19 countries, 350 million people

What’s an “Arab?”• Arabs are majority group in many Middle Eastern countries• Beginning in mid-600s, Arabs from the Arabian Peninsula conquered many different peoples in the Middle East & North Africa• Over time, conquered peoples adopted Arabic language & Islamic religion• They, too, became known as Arabic

• Today, “Arab” used to describe anyone whose native language is Arabic• Within this group, however, Arabs

may differ greatly from one another

Religious Diversity• Islam is the predominant religion in the region• Most Arabs are Muslim• Many non-Arabs are as well:

Iranians, Turks, Kurds, etc.• Yet Islam itself is divided into different sects (groups): Sunni, Shiite, Sufi

• Significant number of Christians live in Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria

• Judaism oldest of the three religions.• In Israel, majority of people are Jewish