The Persian Gulf and Interior

1. CHAPTER 19 The Persian Gulf and Interior Section 1: Natural Environments Section 2: History and Culture Section 3: The Region Today

2. Section 1 Natural Environments Objectives: • What landforms and rivers can be found in the Persian Gulf area and the interior of Southwest Asia? • How does the region’s physical geography affect its climates and biomes? • What natural resources does the region have?

3. Section 1 Natural Environments Landforms and rivers: • Saudi Arabia—mountains in the west and dry plains stretching to the Persian Gulf • Iraq—wide plain of Mesopotamia, with two great rivers, Tigris and Euphrates • Iran—Zagros, Elburz, and Kopet-Dag Mountains, along with high plateaus • Afghanistan—Hindu Kush

4. Section 1 Natural Environments Effects of physical geography on climates and biomes: • Mountains provide water to valleys below by blocking moist winds and causing rain. • Saudi Arabian lowlands are hot but humid, due to nearby sea. • Higher elevations have cooler temperatures. • Trees are common only in mountains.

5. Section 1 Natural Environments Key natural resources in the region are oil and water. • 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.

6. Section 1 Natural Environments Key natural resources in the region are oil and water. (continued) • Oil, plentiful and valuable: • Persian Gulf reserves are the world’s largest. • Iraq, Oman, and Yemen also have deposits. • Only Iran has substantial metallic ores.

7. Section 2 History and Culture Objectives: • 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 region’s cultures?

8. Section 2 History and Culture Various peoples and empires have shaped the region’s 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 arrived later.

9. Section 2 History and Culture Various peoples and empires have shaped the region’s history. (continued) • The rise of Islam had a major impact, beginning in the late A.D. 500s. • Mongols arrived in the 1200s. • Safavid Persians built a flourishing empire in the 1500s. • Ottoman Turks also ruled the region in the 1500s.

10. 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 groups include Baloch, Bakhtiari, and Hazara. • Pashtun are the largest group in Afghanistan.

11. Section 3 The Region Today Objectives: • On what activities do the region’s economies depend? • What are the region’s cities like? • What are some important issues in the region today?

12. Section 3 The Region Today Economic activities: • oil and gas production—key activity • agriculture—mainly subsistence, some commercial • nomadic herding • traditional crafts • limited manufacturing

13. Section 3 The Region Today Urban environments: • ancient cities • old sections—twisting streets, bazaars, mosques • newer sections—modern buildings, wide avenues, traffic

14. Section 3 The Region Today Important issues: • oil wealth—how used • power and authority—democracy versus control by a few • role of Islam—maintenance of Islamic traditions and laws