Chapter 7: North Africa and Southwest Asia Part Two: pages Regions of the Realm Teacher Notes

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1 Chapter 7: North Africa and Southwest Asia Part Two: pages Regions of the Realm Teacher Notes I. Egypt and Lower Nile Basin ( ) General Information: Egypt controls the Suez Canal This region is the link between Africa & Asia, Mediterranean and Red Sea A. Egypt & the Nile, capital: Cairo Basin Irrigation: flood waters fertilize the region and 95% of population live within 12 miles of Nile Aswan Dam: Created Lake Nasser which provides power and irrigation Fellaheen: subsistence farmers, little change over the past 5000 years Products: oil, cotton, textiles, tourism B. Sudan, capital: Khartoum British Rule: imposed false boundaries on Muslims/Arabs with both Africans/Christians which lead to immediate warfare. Oil: discovery and expansion of industry created new problems. Janjaweed: (Darfur) An informal militia of Arabs/Muslims joined with Government forces to take the farms of Africans of Southwest Sudan II. Maghreb and its Neighbors (Northwest Africa) ( ) A. Atlas Mountains: good rainfall produces fertile land in this region. B. Colonial Impact: , A million plus Europeans settled here, led by the French. Trade and agriculture grew in importance. C. Nations 1. Morocco, capital: Rabat Poor and unstable 2. Algeria, capital: Algiers Oil/gas rich but full of political and military turmoil 3. Tunisia, capital: Tunis Stable government, economically viable, and ties to Europe 4. Libya, capital: Tripoli Population resides along coast, oil rich, past harbored terrorists 5. Mauritania, Capital: Nouakchott Strongly Islamic and fishing is their chief export 6. Mali, capital: Bamako Democratic and multicultural 7. Niger, capital: Niamey A rural population 1

2 8. Chad, Capital: N Djamena Strong division between Northern Muslims and Southern Christians III. Middle East, the Crucible of Conflict ( ) A. Iraq, capital: Baghdad ( ) Size: 60% of the entire M.E. region and 40% of the overall population Heir of Mesopotamia: rich heritage with great prestige and national identity, but little more when comparisons are made. Stateless Nation: a national group aspiring to be a nation-state but lacks the territorial means to do so (examples: Palestinians and Kurds) Concern of its neighbors?: Iraq has to rely upon neighbors to help move its oil. Cultural/Political Geography: Shia : are the majority and live in the oil centers Sunni: are the minority Kurds: the most stable area and control oil. B. Syria, captial: Damascus (376) (oldest continuously inhabited city in the world BC 1500) Sunni: majority Shi ite: minority rule the nation Products: Agriculture and now oil Controlled Lebanon until 2005, forced out by UN Pressure C. Jordan, capital: Amman (376) Palestinians: there are more of them than residents, forced there with creation of Israel Monarchy D. Lebanon, capital: Beirut (376) Potential: location, agriculture, oil terminals, tourism Paris of the Middle East 1950 s Muslims took control from Christians 1975 civil war and influx of Palestinians, Syria entered to take control Hezbollah formed, backed by Iran Today: constant conflict and dysfunction E. Israel, capital: Jerusalem ( ) General: Creation: 1948 by the U.N. and was attacked immediately 1948 War: Israel responded by pushing back and actually taking more territory from the attackers, but Jordan took the West Bank area War: Six Day War: Israeli army was/is powerful. Egypt pushed into Israel, Israel pushed back taking: Golan Heights (Syria), West Bank (Jordan), Gaza Strip & Sinai (Egypt) Later returned Sinai to Palestinians Palestinians: a stateless-nation Allies: US and Europe Obstacle for Peace: 1) West Bank Jewish settlements here has ended the chance for this to serve as the Palestinian homeland. 2

3 2) Golan Heights Has important water and is a strategic area, not likely to return it to Syria 3) Jerusalem both sides want it as their capital IV. Arabian Peninsula ( ) A. Saudi Arabia, capital: Riyadh Government: ruled by Monarchy, King Abdullah; King has used oil profits to benefit most of his people, but only as long as they are making a profit. Product: oil, largest reserves in the world Waist-belt: the core area of development from coast to coast Pressures: Iraq, Iran, Yemen B. Kuwait, capital: Kuwait City More progressive, ruled by Sunni s C. Bahrain, Capital: Manama Island State, ruled by Sunni s over a Shia minority D. Qatar, capital: Doha A peninsula state with a Sunni majority Seeking international economic, social and democratic reforms E. United Arab Emirates, capital: Abu Dhabi Government: Federation of 7 emirates, run by a Supreme Council, with each Sheik serving. Dubai: the chief economic center of the Arabian Peninsula, modern, liberal, stable and prosperous. F. Oman, capital: Muscat Choke point into the Persian Gulf Government: Sultanate, absolute monarchy Steady foreign investments, good infrastructure, and tourism G. Yemen, capital: San a Choke point to Red Sea A representative government Attack on the USS Cole V. Empire States ( ) A. Turkey, capital: Ankara Ataturk: Father of the Turks and father of modern Turkey Modernized nation, Islam lost some its status, created ties to Europe. Used Roman alphabet, stressed monogamy, adapted western laws/concepts. Until recently Turkey has been removed from the Muslim world. Today: Attempting EU membership but meeting resistance from Germany (its number 1 trading partner). Products: Textiles, agriculture, minerals, oil, tourism Istanbul: We called Constantinople and was capital until Center of the Byzantine Empire, containing some of the region s most important history. Where East meets West. Today the city has a crumbling infrastructure with many shanty towns. Armenians: Turkey (Ottomans) forced 2 million to leave their homes in the N.E. with 600,000 dying from the forced evacuation. Today it is an EU obstacle. 3

4 Kurds: Make up 1/5 of their population. Great discrimination practiced against them. While a little better today, there remain deep problems between Turks and Kurds. Alevis: liberal orthodox Shi ites who are persecuted by the Sunni majority. Humanistic practices. European Union: Turkish leadership wants EU membership, but not the populace. They feel European discrimination in light of the acceptance of the Romania & Bulgaria. Either way could stir enormous backlash. B. Iran, capital: Tehran 1. History: Also called Persia The center of numerous empires and power the past 4000 years s the Iran was a democracy and had a popular prime minister. US undermined him and orchestrated a coup to return the monarchy to power (it was pro-west) That Shah s son was toppled from power in 1979 and replaced with a Theocracy, ruled by a Ayatollah and since then has been under strong religious control. Relations with neighbors: None of its neighbors trust Iran nor its intentions. 2. Today: (not in text) there are two groups, those in control run by the Ayatollah and the Iranian Republican Guard vs. the moderates who have been protesting. Population doubled since 1970, 67% live in urban areas, majority are under the age of 25. There is a lot of internal dissention within Iran. Iran hasn t changed that much over the centuries, still much as it has always been, in rural areas. Nomadism: cyclical movement among a definite set of places. Qanats: underground tunnels used for carrying water, supply Tehran and other major cities. 3. Ethnic/Culture: Northwestern region: Kurds and Azeri s live Southwest: Arabs, oil rich, poor and restive Southeast: Baluchis (Pakistan) Iranian s are surrounded with a big mix and many of these areas aren t happy with Iran 4. Energy/Conflict: Income: Oil is 90% of Iran s income Iran/Iraq War: 1980 s, left both nations sapped of money and energy Division: between the Mullahs and Reformers Terrorism: Iran has long supported world-wide terrorists Nuclear power: working on creating it for power and peace 4

5 VI. Turkestan (Central Asia) ( ) Former Soviet Central Asian States, A Cultural Mosaic (map on p. 393) 1. Kazakhstan, capital: Astana Strong Russian connections in the North. Export oil to China and Russia 2. Uzbekistan, capital: Tashkent Uzbeks are 80% of population with a vocal minority of Sunnis revivalists 3. Turkmenistan, capital: Ashgabat Isolated, but controls oil and has good agricultural production 4. Kyrgyzstan, capital: Bishkek Multicultural, rural, oil, poor and a strong Sunni revivalism occurring Week of April 5 they ousted their corrupt president. Russia has been encouraging his removal and replacement. US is using one of their air bases. 5. Tajikistan, capital: Dushanbe Multicultural with regional conflicts 6. Afghanistan, capital: Kabul Three Environmental Zones: North: fertile, well watered plains and basins Central Highlands: rugged, mountainous and earthquake prone Southern Plateaus: deserts Culture: formed from countless groups traveling through and settling in this region. Languages/Ethnic Groups: Pashtun and Dari Conflict: War with Russia: Mujahedeen, Muslim opposition supported by the US Taliban: filled vacuum after Russia left. From Pakistani religious schools strict Islam Everyone objected to their leadership, Muslim & Non-Muslim alike Haven for like-minded extremists Osama (Usama) bin Laden: helped with war on Russia, took it against Saudi Arabia, and US 5