Golan Heights
a hilly plateau overlooking the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee; a strategic location that has been the site of conflict in Southwest Asia for decades
Red Sea
This body of water separates the Arabian Peninsula from Africa.
Suez Canal
A ship canal in northeastern Egypt linking the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea
Wadis
the usually dry bed of a river or stream in a desert or semiarid area
Hindu Kush
A mountain range in Eastern Afghanistan that separates it from the rest of the Asian Continent
Afghanistan
a mountainous landlocked country in Southwest Asia
Fertile Crescent
A geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and Euphrates
Jordan River
a river that serves as a natural boundary between Israel and Jordan, flowing from the mountains of Lebanon with no outlet to the Mediterranean Sea
Dead Sea
a landlocked salt lake between Israel and Jordan that is so salty that almost nothing can live in its waters; it is 1,349 feet below sea level, making it the lowest place on the exposed crust of the earth
oil reserves
oil that has been discovered but remains unused in the ground
Southwest Asia
holds 50% of the world's oil reserves lie in
water scarcity
the lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of water usage within a region
arid land
Lands that receive less than 18 in of precipitation per year and has dry soil that is bad for farming
irrigation
The process of supplying water to areas of land to make them suitable for growing crops.
Mediterranean climate
weather pattern characterized by mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
Rub al-Khali
also known as the Empty Quarter; one of the largest sandy deserts in the world, covering about 250,000 square miles; located on the Arabian Peninsula
An Nafud
This desert is different from the Rub Al-Khali because it has oases
salt flat
flat land made of chemical salts that remain after winds evaporate the moisture in the soil
rain shadow effect
Low precipitation on the far side (leeward side) of a mountain when prevailing winds flow up and over a high mountain or range of high mountains. This creates semiarid and arid conditions on the leeward side of a high mountain range.
Dry with moderate rainfall
A semi-arid climate is described as a climate with
Semi arid climate
Cotton and Wheat are two crops that are easily grown in Turkey's
Citrus fruits, olives, and vegetables
What are some crops found in the Mediterranean climate?
Tigris River
A river in southwestern Asia that flows through the eastern part of the Fertile Crescent
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
The land between these two rivers contained the early civilizations of Mesopotamia
dams and irrigation systems
built to meet needs of large farms and for growing populations
drip irrigation
the practice of using small pipes that slowly drip water just above ground to conserve water to use for crops
fossil water
Water that is not being replaced by rainfall
Ghawar Oil Field
the largest oil field in the world, found in 1948
Pipelines
long networks of underground or aboveground pipes, used to carry oil and other products from one site to another.
refinery
A place where crude oil is converted into useful products
Gulf War Oil Spill
was one of the largest oil spills in history, resulting from the Gulf War in 1991 and occurred off the coast of Kuwait spilling 240 million gallons of oil.
Tankers
Ship designed to transport liquids in bulk form
Major types include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier