Name ______Period ______Date ______

Middle East Geography study Guide

7th Grade Social Studies

SS7G5 The student will locate selected features in Southwestern Asia (Middle East).

Euphrates RiverRed SeaTurkey

Jordan RiverGaza StripTigris River

AfghanistanSuez CanalIran

Persian GulfIraqStrait of Hormuz

IsraelArabian SeaSaudi Arabia

SS7G6 The student will discuss environmental issues across Southwest Asia (Middle East).

  1. What is the most common landform in the Middle East?

Desert

  1. How many square miles of desert are there in the Middle East?

2.8 billion

  1. What is the land between the TigrisRiver and EuphratesRiver called and why?

Fertile Crescent. It is called this because of the fertile soil from the rivers.

  1. Where are the highest populated areas in the Middle East?

Near rivers and oil reserves

  1. How would you describe the transportation of Afghanistan? Turkey? Iran? Iraq?

Afghanistan- less than 16 miles of Railroad tracks, pile into buses and trucks, bicycle or bus in city, in countryside travel by foot or donkeys, horses, camels

Iran- 55 cars for every 1,000 people, 7,000 miles of railroad track, mass transit systems, paved roads

Iraq- not enough space on roads for all of the cars, people drive on odd/even days, high traffic, pollution

Turkey- modern and inexpensive bus system, drive, 127 airports

SS7G8 The student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in Southwest Asia (Middle East.)

Define the following terms and give an example in the Middle East:

  1. Ethnic Groups:identified based on characterisics, traditions, religion, race, national origin.

Examples: Kurds, Persians, Arabs

  1. Religious Groupsdistinct identity based on common religious beliefs and practices

Examples: Islam, Christianity, Judaism

  1. Name the four ethnic groups of the Middle East and tell me their religion, language, where they live, and one interesting fact.

1.Kurds- Mostly (60%) Muslim ( Small amount Babis), Kurdistan-mountains of Iraq and Turkey,

2.Arabs- mostly Muslim, Arabic, all over the Middle East, largest ethnic group in the Middle East

3.Persians- mostly Muslim, (Zoroastrian, Bahai, Christianity, and Jewish), Live in Iran which used to be named Persia.

4. Jewish- Ethnic group and a religious group

  1. What is the most prominent religion of the Middle East?

Islam

  1. What is the holy book of Christianity? Islam? Judaism?

Christianity- Bible

Judaism- Torah and Talmud

Islam- Koran

  1. What are the two divisions of Islamic faith?

Sunni and Shia (Shiite)

  1. Which division includes about 90% of Muslims?

Sunni

  1. What is the division between Muslims about?

After Muhammad died there was an argument over who should become the leader of the Muslim nation. Sunni thought it should be elected, Shia thought it should be a family member.

  1. What is monotheism?

Belief in one God.

  1. Where do all three religions originate?

Middle East

  1. List 3 facts other than what is listed above about each religion:

Islam

Christianity

Judaism