North Africa/Middle East

Question 1

Arab Spring

Answer 1

Protests that occurred across North Africa and parts of the Middle East in Spring 2011

Question 2

Desalinization

Answer 2

Process of converting saltwater to drinking water by removing salt

Question 3

Fertile Crescent

Answer 3

Region arching across the northern part of the Syrian Desert and extending from the Nile Valley to the Mesopotamian Basin in the depression between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

Question 4

Guest workers

Answer 4

Imported labor

Question 5

Jihad

Answer 5

“to strive”, an inward struggle to attain perfect faith

Question 6

Oasis

Answer 6

Fertile places in the desert where water pools

Question 7

Occupied Territories

Answer 7

Arab countries in middle east region, as well as West Bank, Golan Heights, and Gaza Strip

Question 8

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Answer 8

Organization to coordinate the crude-oil policies of its members

Question 9

Secularism

Answer 9

Nonreligious

Question 10

Shari’a

Answer 10

Traditional body of law from Islamic teachings

Question 11

What factors contribute to water scarcity in the region?

What are the significant sources of water in the region?

Answer 11

Economic conditions, as well as changes in global climate and overuse of freshwater resources

Question 12

Why are there concerns about the sustainability of oil and natural gas as energy resources?
What environmental concerns are related to the use of oil and natural gas as energy sources?

Answer 12

We have used over half of the world’s oil reserves, and they won’t come back.
They end up in human/animal food chains, pollute rivers and oceans, etc.

Question 13

Which countries in the region are considered to be oil states?
What challenges do they face and what are they doing about them?

Answer 13

Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar

Irrigation, fluctuations in demand for oil, etc. Some states are diversifying their economies via tourism, trade, etc.

Question 14

How are Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel different from the oil states and from one another?

Answer 14

Their economies aren’t tied to oil. They have sizable middle classes growing agricultural economies, etc. Israel has a strong industrial base while the other countries are just starting to grow theirs. Lebanon has strong banking. Turkey has strong mineral wealth

Question 15

Which countries make up the Maghreb region of North Africa. What are the characteristics of the Maghreb region?

Answer 15

Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco.The scenery is beautiful, and its economy is based on oil and minerals, agriculture and tourism

Question 16

Describe the situation of Kurds in the region

Answer 16

They face discrimination and repression and they want their own country

Question 17

Explain the history of the Arab/Israeli conflict

Answer 17

It has its roots in the Jewish migration to Palestine, and worsened when Palestine was officially partitioned into Jewish and Palestine states.

Question 18

What are the 5 pillars of Islam?

What is the difference between Sunni Muslims and Shi’a Muslims?

Answer 18

Repeating the profession of the faith, praying 5 times a day facing Mecca, giving alms, fasting from sup up until sundown during holy month of Ramadan,making at least one pilgrimage (hajj).
Difference is who should hold political leadership and what the religious dimensions of that leadership should be

Question 19

Describe the variation in women’s roles/rights throughout the region

Answer 19

Some countries (Israel and Turkey) give women full political rights. Saudi Arabia is more restrictive. In countries like Bahrain, marital rape isn’t a thing for Shi’a women. In Egypt, you can’t marry a non-Muslim and be Muslim

Question 20

Many of the refugees who fled from the violence of the Syrian Civil War are living in refugee camps. What are some of the challenges associate with living in a refugee camp?

Answer 20

Under-resourced, overcrowding, weather conditions

Question 21

What factors draw people to the region? What factors push people out of the region?

Answer 21

Founding of Israel, oil economy, lack of opportunity in Africa.
Migration

Question 22

Approximately how many people live in the Sahara Desert? How do they survive there?

Answer 22

2.5 million people

They survive because of oases.

Question 23

What and where is the largest mountain range in Africa?

Answer 23

Atlas Mountains, in Northern Africa

Question 24

What does the red dotted line around Western Sahara mean?

Answer 24

Territory is disputed

Question 25

Which part of North Africa receives the most rainfall? Why?

Answer 25

Northern Algeria. It’s close to the sea

Question 26

What is the predominant use of the Sahara Desert region? Why?

Answer 26

Nomadic herding. There’s not a lot of anything else

Question 27

Where is the population of Egypt concentrated? Why?

Answer 27

Next to the Nile. It’s a river

Question 28

How does the land use of Turkey compare to the land use of other countries in the Middle East? Why?

Answer 28

They farm more

Question 29

How does OPEC exercise influence over world prices? Which country is the Middle East’s largest oil exporter?

Answer 29

They limit oil production

Saudi Arabia

Question 30

What is the predominant religion of the Middle East? How is Israel an exception?

Answer 30

Islam

Judaism

Question 31

What is the status of West Bank and Gaza Strip

Answer 31

They aren’t countries, they were once temporary homes for British Palestinians