geography Flashcards
Where is the Middle East located?
It is where Asia, Africa and Europe meet
When was the term Middle East first used?
By European settlers in the 19th Century
Why was the term Middle East coined?
Trader’s used it as a way of distinguishing this area from India and the Far East
How many countries form the Middle East?
The Middle East consists of 16 countries and the State of Palestine
Name all 16 countries in the Middle East
Egypt
Iran
Turkey
Iraq
Saudi Arabia
Yemen
Syria
Jordan
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Israel
Lebanon
Oman
Kuwait
Qatar
Bahrain
Cyprus
What physical features are found in the Middle East?
Includes diverse geographical features such as the Zagros mountains, Hindu Kush mountains, Rub al-Khali desert, the Sahara desert and the Atlas mountains
What are the 2 main rivers in the Middle East?
Euphrates and Tigris
Where do these rivers begin and flow through?
The Euphrates and Tigris rivers begin in Turkey and flow through Iraq
Where does Israel get its water from?
Jordan river
What is the Suez canal?
A man-made waterway that is used to transport goods to and from all 3 continents (Asia, Africa and Europe)
Which seas does the Suez canal connect and why?
Red sea and Mediterranean sea so that the ships do not need to sail around the continent of Africa
Where is the Persian Gulf located?
Between the country of Iran and the Arabian Peninsula
Why do countries rely on the Persian Gulf?
To transport oil
Where is the Arabian sea located?
North of the Indian ocean
Where does the Red sea lie?
Between the continents of Africa and Asia
Where is the Gaza strip located?
On the south eastern shore of the Mediterranean sea, it is one of the world’s most densely populated areas
How do the rivers in the Middle East impact the people that live near them?
They provide agricultural, industrial and commercial support
Why does a river make a good natural boundary between countries?
Because they provide a natural boundary that are easily recognisable and difficult to cross, especially for rivers that are wide and have strong currents as they can serve as effective barriers to movement. They are also a source of water and food so people have historically fought over them so many people have chosen to settle along their banks
What is the population of the Middle East?
Around 460 million people
Which are the most populated countries in the Middle East?
Egypt, Iran and Turkey
Is the population in the Middle East and North Africa increasing or decreasing?
Increasing
What is population density?
How crowded an area is
Why is the River Nile area in Egypt densely populated?
Because the river helps to grow crops, provide transport and leisure and it is cooler
Which areas in the Middle East are sparsely populated?
Arabian desert in North Arabia
How many climate zones are in the Middle East?
3 main ones:
1 - Desert
2 - Semi-Arid
3 - Mediterranean
Why is the Middle East hot overall?
Because it is close to the equator
What is the largest resource in the Middle East
Crude oil
What percentage of the world’s oil reserves are contained in the Middle East
Over half of the world’s oil reserves thats why it is so important and has brought great wealth to the region
Where is the Sahara desert?
North Africa
How hot can it get in the desert areas of the Middle East?
Up to 50 degrees Celsius
Name a creature that you can find in the desert
Scorpians
Why is the Middle East hot overall?
Because it is located next to the equator
Describe the weather system in the desert
Deserts are dry, air descends after losing moisture over the poles. Because most places have little rain, vegetation tends to be sparse but some places have enough rain for forests to grow
Where is the Bekaa valley located
It separates the Lebanon mountains (to the west) and the Anti Lebanon mountains (to the east). The valley forms part of the Great Rift valley
How big is the Bekaa valley?
It is about 16km wide, and 120km long
What do the Lebanon mountains create in the Bekaa valley?
A rain shadow
True or False - the Bekaa valley is part of the Mediterranean Biome?
True
Describe the weather in the Bekaa Valley
It is dry in summer with temperatures reaching 35 degrees celcius, Winter temperatures can be cold and there are heavy showers and even snow between November and March
What are the advantages of living in the Bekaa valley?
Much of the Middle East is desert, however temperatures and higher rainfall in the Bekaa valley mean that the land can be cultivated
What is the main occupation of people living in the Bekaa valley?
Many people are farmers and grow many crops
What are the disadvantages of living in the Bekaa valley?
Lebanon is the sixth largest cannabis producer in the world making $4 billion a year, however cannabis farming is illegal and they risk a long prison sentence if they are caught.
How many Syrian refugees have arrived in Lebanon?
As many as 1.5 million
What has brought great wealth to the Middle East?
Oil (crude oil)
What percentage of the world’s oil reserves are held in the Middle East?
48%
What percentage of the world’s natural gas reserves are held in the Middle East?
43%
Why is oil important?
Because it is the base to most things in the world
Which countries in the Middle East have natural gas reserves?
Iran
Turkey
Egypt
Yemen
Qatar
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Kuwait
Syria
Arabia
Iraq
Oman
Which countries in the Middle East have oil reserves?
Saudi Arabia
Iran
Iraq
Kuwait
UAE
Qatar
Oman
Egypt
Yemen
Syria
Turkey
Why is water a sparse resource in the Middle East?
It rains alot less. The main problem is that both rivers (Euphrates and Tigris) have their source in Turkey and then flow through Syria and Iraq. Turkey created many dams which restrict the flow of water into Syria and Iraq.
What is the Project Gap?
It is a massive 32 billion project to harness the power and potential of the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and to irrigagte the fertile plains that lie between them
Name the tectonic plates in the Middles East
Turkish plate
Eurasian plate
Arabian plate
African plate
Describe the movement of the African plate in the Middle East
It is separating from the Arabian plate creating many volcanoes in the Red sea
Describe the movement of the Arabian plate in the Middle East
It is colliding with the Eurasion plate creating fold mountains
Describe the movement of the Turkish plate in the Middle East
It is sliding along the Eurasian and Arabian plates creating many earthquakes
What is Qatar’s commitment to the Basel convention?
It does not allow hazardous waste to enter its borders
How much of Qatar’s energy was generated from renewable sources in 2013?
Zero percent
How much more energy does the average Qatari person use compared to America and China?
America = 2.5 times more
China = 7.6 times more
How much of Qatar’s land is designated a protected area?
1/5th
