Ch 4 - Middle East Today Flashcards
What type of climate dominates the Middle East?
a hot, dry (desert) climate
What type of climate has hot, dry summers and cool winters with some rain?
a Mediterranean climate
What type of climate do dry grassy plains have?
a steppe climate
What is the term for a temporary river that appears after a downpour but then dries up in the heat?
a wadi
Land that is able to grow crops is…
fertile
What is an area of high level land called?
a plateau
What is a one-humped Arabian camel called?
a dromedary
Most Arabs in the Middle East speak…
Arabic
Most Arabs in the Middle East follow the religion of…
Islam
What are the three most influential religions in the world?
Islam, Judaism, Christianity
What kind of tree has always been important to the people of the Middle East?
date palm
Many modern cities in the Middle East are divided into sections called…
quarters
The head of a Bedouin tribe is called a…
sheik
What is a natural resource?
Natural resources are the riches of the earth, including soil, atmposphere, minerals, water, and fuels.
What is the most important resource in the Middle East today?
oil and oil deposits
What are the three geographical areas the Middle East can be divided into?
The Fertile Crescent
The Arabian Peninsula
The Northern Plateau
What was the purpose of the Zionist movement?
The Zionist movement’s intention was to gather the Jews to form a Jewish nation in the Promised Land (also known as Canaan and Palestine).
What year was the modern nation of Israel founded?
1948
Who was the first prime minister of Israel?
David Ben-Gurion
Which city, meaning “city of peace,” is Israel’s capital city?
Jerusalem
Israel’s important political business is carried on in the city of…
Tel Aviv
What natural resource from Lebanon was treasured in the ancient world?
the cedars of Lebanon
The apostle Paul was converted to Christ as he journeyed to what city in Syria?
Damascus
Which capital city is located on old trade routes and is still a major trading center?
Amman (capital of Jordan)
What aggressive action started the Persian Gulf War?
In 1990, the Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, directed an invasion of Kuwait, a small, oil-rich kingdom to the south.
What is the single largest religious group in the world?
Muslims
What are the two holy cities for Muslims?
Mecca, Medina
In what country is the National Water Carrier located?
Israel
What is the largest city in Turkey?
Istanbul
What island nation is located south of Turkey?
Cyprus
What is the largest Middle Eastern nation?
Saudi Arabia
Which country used to be called “Persia”?
Iran
Name the two largest oil producers of the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia, Iran
What Tropic line runs through the Middle East?
Tropic of Cancer
Who is the god of Islam?
Allah
What is the name of the holy book of Islam?
the Koran
Who was the founder of Islam?
Muhammad
What is the word for an Islamic building for worship?
mosque
Who was the leader of Iran after it became an Islamic state?
Ayatollah Khomeini
What was the name of the missionary who was willing to “burn out” for God?
Henry Martyn
