Transcript Exploring Our World

Chapter Introduction
Section 1: North Africa
Section 2: Southwest Asia
Section 3: Central Asia
Summary
Jose Fuste Raga/CORBIS
Regions Many countries in
North Africa, Southwest Asia,
and Central Asia are rich in
oil and natural gas resources.
They supply much of the
energy for economies around
the world. Political unrest and
wars, however, have troubled
this area for decades. What
effects can conflict have on
a region?
Section 1:
North Africa
Changes occur in the use
and importance of natural
resources. While some
North African countries are
enjoying income from oil
resources, others still have
struggling economies.
Section 2:
Southwest Asia
Cooperation and conflict
among people have an
impact on the Earth’s
surface. Religious and ethnic
conflicts in Southwest Asia
affect other parts of the world
because of the area’s oil and
gas resources.
Section 3:
Central Asia
Places reflect the
relationship between
humans and the physical
environment. Valuable
natural resources are helping
the people of Central Asia
overcome the limitations of
the area’s harsh environment.
Changes occur in the use and
importance of natural resources.
Content Vocabulary
• fellahin
• casbah
• phosphate
• civil war
• dictatorship
• constitutional
monarchy
• trade
sanction
Academic Vocabulary
• infrastructure
• policy
Do you think refusing to trade with a
country is an effective means of
negotiation?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Sometimes
0%
A
A. A
B. B
C.0%C
B
0%
C
Because Friday is Islam’s holy day, the fundamentalist
Muslim government of Algeria, in 1976, changed the
days of the weekend from the worldwide, traditional
Saturday and Sunday to Thursday and Friday.
Businesspeople who are trying to change this policy
protest that it leaves only three days to do business.
Egypt
Egypt is an important and
powerful country in the
region, but it faces serious
challenges.
Egypt (cont.)
• Egypt has a developing economy with
about a third of its people—many are
peasant farmers called the fellahin—
working in agriculture in the fertile Nile
Valley.
Egypt (cont.)
• Egypt’s main energy resource is oil, and
petroleum products and phosphates,
which are minerals used in fertilizers, are
Egypt’s major exports.
• Egyptian workers also make food
products, textiles, and other consumer
goods.
Egypt (cont.)
• Egypt’s industries have drawn millions of
people to Cairo and Alexandria, but the
cities cannot provide enough houses,
schools, and hospitals.
• The result is poverty, heavy traffic, and
pollution.
Egypt (cont.)
• From about 300 B.C. to A.D. 300, Egypt was
dominated politically by Greece and
Rome, but in A.D. 641, Arabs from
Southwest Asia took control of the country.
• Most of Egypt’s people began to speak the
Arabic language and became Muslims.
Egypt (cont.)
• In the 1800s, Europeans and Egyptians
together built the Suez Canal, one of the
world’s most important waterways, which
eventually came under British control.
• In 1952, army officers overthrew the
British-supported king, and Egypt became
fully independent.
• Today Egypt is a republic with one political
party controlling the government.
What is Egypt’s major export?
A. Hydroelectric power
B. Textiles
C. Phosphates
0%
D
A
B
C
0%
D
C
A
0%
B
D. Food products
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
Libya and Laghreb
Oil-rich Libya is improving
ties with the outside world,
while Tunisia, Algeria, and
Morocco face political unrest
and economic uncertainty.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• As well as being part of North Africa,
Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco also form a
smaller region known as the Maghreb.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• Much of Libya is desert, but aquifers lie
beneath the sands.
• New pipelines carry the water from the
desert to Libya’s growing population in the
modern cities of Tripoli and Benghazi.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• In recent decades, oil has brought Libya
great wealth, which has helped to build
schools and hospitals and to improve the
country’s infrastructure—or roads, ports,
and water and electric systems.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• Almost all of Libya’s people have a mixed
Arab and Berber ethnic background.
• Berbers are a group that settled North
Africa before the arrival of the Muslim
Arabs in the A.D. 600s.
• From that point, Libya has been a Muslim
and Arabic-speaking country.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• Libya became independent in 1951, but
soon Muammar al-Qaddafi set up a
dictatorship, or a government under the
rule of one all-powerful leader.
• From the 1970s to the 1990s, Qaddafi
supported terrorism and sought to acquire
nuclear weapons.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• The United States and the United Nations
forced Qaddafi to chance his policy, or
plan of action, by punishing Libya through
trade barriers called trade sanctions.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• Tunisia is North Africa’s smallest country,
and most of its people are of mixed Arab
and Berber ancestry, speak Arabic, and
practice Islam.
• Tunis is the country’s capital and largest
urban area.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• Tunisia gained independence from France
in 1956 and today has one of the lowest
rates of poverty in Africa as well as many
rights for women not found in other Arab
nations.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• Algeria is North Africa’s largest country,
and its Muslim people are of Arab and
Berber heritage.
• Algiers, the modern capital city and major
Mediterranean port, is still known for its
casbahs, or older sections with narrow
streets and bazaars.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• In spite of industrial growth from Algeria’s
oil and natural gas deposits, widespread
poverty remains, and many Algerians have
moved to Europe to find work.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• Beginning in 1954, Algerian Arabs fought
the French, who had ruled the country
since 1830.
• This conflict between different groups
inside a country is called a civil war.
• Algeria won independence in 1962 and is
now a republic with a strong president and
a legislature.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• In the early 1990s, though, another civil
war occurred between Muslim political
factions.
• Although it ended in 1999, Algeria’s
government is still trying to bring order to
the country.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• Morocco has an Arab and Berber heritage
and was for many years a Muslim
kingdom.
• In the early 1900s, Europeans gained
control, but in 1956 Morocco became
independent once again.
Libya and Laghreb (cont.)
• Today Morocco is a constitutional
monarchy, where a king or queen is head
of state but elected officials run the
government.
• Morocco seized Western Sahara in 1975,
and since then, groups of Western
Saharans have fought for independence.
Which country has one of the lowest
rates of poverty in Africa?
A. Libya
B. Tunisia
C. Algeria
0%
A
A. A
B. B
C.0%C
B
0%
C
Cooperation and conflict among
people have an impact on the Earth’s
surface.
Content Vocabulary
• secular
• clan
• bedouin
• alluvial plain
• kibbutz
• embargo
• moshav
Academic Vocabulary
• regime
• sole
Do you believe religion should play a
role in politics?
A. Yes
B. No
A. A
B. B
0%
A
0%
B
The small nation of Yemen has become a welcoming,
open, and affordable tourist destination for many of its
neighbors. Many of Yemen’s new vacationers come
from countries with strict governmental and religious
codes. Yemen gives vacationers a nearby holiday of
fun and relaxation unavailable in their own countries.
The Eastern Mediterranean
The countries in the eastern
Mediterranean have faced
many conflicts and are
struggling to achieve peace.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Turkey bridges the continents of Asia and
Europe.
• The country’s mild Mediterranean climate
allows farmers to grow food for local use
and cotton and tobacco for export.
• Turkey also produces textiles, steel, and
cars.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Most of Turkey’s people live in cities or
towns such as Istanbul and Ankara.
• Most are Muslims, and Turkish is the
official language.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Turkey became a republic in 1923.
• Muslim political groups have gained
support since the 1990s, but many Turks
prefer a secular, or nonreligious, society.
• Turkey has not allowed the Kurdish
minority group to break away and form its
own county but has promised to respect
the right of Kurds and other non-Turkish
groups.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Most of Syria’s people live in rural areas,
where they grow cotton, wheat, and fruit.
• Dams on the Euphrates River provide
water for irrigation and electric power.
• Damascus is the capital.
• Syria became an independent country in
1946, but since the 1960s, one very strict
regime, or government, has controlled the
country.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Lebanon, independent since 1943,
produces citrus fruits, vegetables, grains,
olives, and grapes.
• Most Lebanese live in or near Beirut, the
capital and major port, and work in
banking, insurance, and tourism.
• Most speak Arabic, but their culture blends
Arab, Turkish, and French influences.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Religious conflict has been a problem for
years, including the 2006 clash between
the Muslim group Hezbollah and Israel.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Jordanian farmers rely on irrigation to grow
wheat, fruits, and vegetables.
• Jordan’s people are mostly Arab Muslims
who live in urban areas such as Amman,
the capital, and work in service and
manufacturing industries.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Jordan’s desert is home to tent-dwelling
bedouin, or nomads who traditionally
raise livestock.
• In 1946 Jordan gained independence as a
constitutional monarchy.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• In 1947, the United Nations gave the Jews
control of land where their Israelite
ancestors had lived about 3,000 years ago.
• Israel was proclaimed an independent
Jewish republic in 1948.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Palestinian Arabs who lived in the region
believed that Israel was founded on land
that belonged to them.
• Arab/Israeli conflict has taken place ever
since and has claimed thousands of lives.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• About 76 percent of Israel’s people are
Jews.
• The rest are Palestinian Arabs and include
both Muslims and Christians.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• Israel has a developed industrial economy
and produces high-technology equipment,
clothing, chemicals, and machinery.
• Advanced irrigation systems allow citrus
fruits, vegetables, and cotton to be grown.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• In an Israeli kibbutz, farmers share all of
the work and property.
• In a moshav, members share in the work,
but each can also own some private
property.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• In 1993 Israel agreed to give self-rule to
the Palestinian Arabs living in the Gaza
Strip and the West Bank in return for their
government’s recognizing Israel’s right to
exist.
• Some Palestinians continue to carry out
bombing attacks on Israelis, causing
Israeli forces to enter the area to hunt
down attackers.
The Eastern Mediterranean (cont.)
• In 2006 the Islamic group Hamas won
legislative elections in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip.
• That group opposes Israel and supports
armed attacks on Israeli territory.
Israel and Palestinian Territories
Which country is home to the
bedouins?
A. Lebanon
B. Jordan
0%
D
A
0%
A
B
C
0%
D
C
D. Palestinian territories
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
C. Israel
The Arabian Peninsula
Oil exports support
economies in the Arabian
Peninsula.
The Arabian Peninsula (cont.)
• Saudi Arabia is the largest country in
Southwest Asia, with vast deserts,
highlands, and valleys with rainfall for
crops.
• Most of Saudi Arabia’s people live along
the Red Sea and Persian Gulf coasts, the
country’s oil region, or around desert
oases.
• The capital and largest city, Riyadh, sits
amid a large oasis in central Saudi Arabia.
The Arabian Peninsula (cont.)
• Saudi Arabia has existed as a country
since 1932 when the Saud family
established a monarchy that united the
country’s many clans, or groups of
families related by blood or marriage.
The Arabian Peninsula (cont.)
• Under Saud rule, Islam has maintained a
strong influence.
• All aspects of life are organized to allow
the required daily prayers and celebration
of holy days.
The Arabian Peninsula (cont.)
• The government helps prepare the holy
cities of Makkah and Medinah for millions
of Muslims who visit each year.
• The role of women in public life is stricter
than in other Muslim countries.
The Arabian Peninsula (cont.)
• The oil profits of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar,
and the United Arab Emirates have built
prosperous economies, but each country
is also planning for when the oil runs out.
• Qatar has developed its natural gas
industry, and Bahrain is now a banking
center.
• Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, is a
large port, financial center, and tourist
resort.
The Arabian Peninsula (cont.)
• Recently some of the Persian Gulf
countries have moved away from
monarchies toward democracies.
• Legislatures elected by voters now hold
some of the power in Bahrain, Qatar, and
Kuwait.
• Women in these nations also have voting
rights.
The Arabian Peninsula (cont.)
• Oman has used its wealth to build its
tourist industry and to build ports for oil
tankers.
• Oman is important to world oil markets
because of its strategic Strait of Hormuz.
• Tankers must go through this narrow
waterway to pass from the Persian Gulf
into the Arabian Sea.
The Arabian Peninsula (cont.)
• Yemen has little oil.
• Most of its people are farmers or sheep
and cattle herders who live in the high
fertile interior where Sanaa, the capital, is
located.
• Farther south lies Aden, a major port for
ships traveling between the Arabian Sea
and the Red Sea.
Which country is NOT located along
the Persian Gulf?
A. Kuwait
B. Bahrain
0%
D
A
0%
A
B
C
0%
D
C
D. Oman
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
C. Qatar
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan
Recent wars have changed
the governments of Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
in Iraq is an area built up by rich soil left by
river floods, called an alluvial plain.
• Farmers grow wheat, barley, rice,
vegetables, dates, and cotton.
• Factories process foods and make textiles,
chemicals, and building materials.
• Oil is Iraq’s major export.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• Most Iraqis live in urban areas such as
Baghdad, the capital.
• Muslim Arabs—the Shia, the Sunnis, and
the Kurds—make the three largest groups
in Iraq’s population.
Iraq’s Religious
and Ethnic Groups
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• Modern Iraq gained its independence in
1932 and in 1958 the last king was
overthrown.
• During the rest of the 1900s, Iraq was
governed by dictators, including Saddam
Hussein, who ruled from 1979 to 2003.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• After Iraq invaded neighboring Kuwait,
the United States led the Persian Gulf War
in 1991.
• Following Iraq’s defeat, the United Nations
put an embargo on the country.
• An embargo is an order that restricts trade
with another country.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• This embargo severely damaged Iraq’s
economy.
• Then, fearing that Iraq owned biological
weapons, in 2003 American and British
forces invaded and overthrew Saddam
Hussein.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• With the goal of building a democratic Iraq,
in June 2004, American forces transferred
power to a temporary Iraqi government.
• Elections in December 2005 had a high
turnout of both Shia and Sunni voters.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• Nearly 90 percent of Iran’s population is
Shia Muslim, but most Iranians are not
Arab.
• Three-fourths of Iran’s people are Persians
or Azeri.
• Most Iranians live in cities, such as the
capital, Tehran.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• In 1979 religious leaders overthrew the
monarchy making Iran an Islamic republic,
or a government run by Muslim religious
leaders and based on Islamic teachings.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• Iran is an oil-rich nation, but it is building
other industries, such as textiles, metal
goods, and building materials, to be less
dependent on oil income.
• Farmers grow wheat, rice, sugar beets,
nuts, and cotton.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• Since 1995, the United States and other
western leaders have accused Iran of
attempting to develop nuclear weapons,
but Iran claims it wants nuclear energy
only to produce electrical power.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• Afghanistan, whose capital is Kabul, is
covered by the Hindu Kush range.
• Its Khyber Pass has been a trade route
through the mountains for centuries.
• Major ethnic groups are the Pashtuns and
the Tajiks.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• Most of the people herd livestock or grow
crops such as wheat, fruits, and nuts.
• Export products include wool and
handwoven carpets.
Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan (cont.)
• Responding to the September 2001
attacks, the United States invaded and
overthrew Afghanistan’s terroristsupporting Taliban government.
• With American help, Afghanistan began to
build a democracy and by 2006, the
country had held elections for a president
and parliament.
What sparked the Persian Gulf War?
A. The United Nations placing an
embargo on Iraq
B. Iraq invading Kuwait
0%
D
0%
C
A. A
B. B
C. 0%
C
0%
D. D
B
D. Iran’s attempt to develop
nuclear weapons
A
C. The Taliban’s attack of the
United States
Places reflect the relationship
between humans and the physical
environment.
Content Vocabulary
• cash crop
• genocide
• fault
• enclave
Academic Vocabulary
• emphasis
• output
Do you think ethnic diversity helps or
prevents a country from developing?
A. Helps development
B. Prevents development
A. A
B. B
C. C
C. A little of both
0%
0%
A
B
0%
C
In the Central Asian country of Azerbaijan, bread is
considered sacred, and it is a serious social error to
make negative remarks about it. It is also unacceptable
to speak outright about death. Instead, Azeris soften
the topic with gentler phrases such as “May his grave
be filled with light” and “He changed his world.”
The Central Asian Republics
The Central Asian Republics
are working to improve their
economies after years of
Communist rule.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• Dry, treeless plains cover much of
Kazakhstan’s landscape.
• Farming is limited, but raising livestock has
become an important industry.
• The country is rich in minerals such as
copper and petroleum.
• Kazakhstan’s people are mostly ethnic
Kazakhs and Russians.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• After the Soviet collapse in 1991,
Kazakhstan became independent but did
not adopt democracy.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• Although Kazakhstan’s leaders keep a
tight grip on citizens and deny rights to
their political opponents, there is a free
market economy, and many governmentrun industries have been sold to individual
buyers.
• Foreign businesspeople are investing in
industries in the country, boosting the
economy.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• Most of Uzbekistan’s people are Uzbeks
who live in fertile valleys and oases.
• Tashkent, the capital, is Central Asia’s
largest city and industrial center.
• About 2,000 years ago, the oases of
Tashkent, Bukhara, and Samarqand were
part of the busy trade route called the Silk
Road that linked China and Europe.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• Uzbekistan relies on agriculture, with an
emphasis on cotton, the country’s major
cash crop, or farm product grown for sale
as an export. Uzbek leaders are trying to
vary the economy by drawing on newly
discovered deposits of oil, gas, and gold.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• Most of Turkmenistan is part of a huge
desert called the Kara-Kum.
• Turkmenistan has a largely ethnic
Turkmen population, and most people live
in oases, where they grow cotton and raise
livestock.
• Turkmenistan contains abundant amounts
of petroleum and natural gas, and the
government hopes to increase oil and
natural gas output to boost the economy.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• Turkmenistan’s capital and major city is
Ashkhabad.
• A powerful president runs the country from
this city, keeping strict control over
education, religion, and printed materials.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• Kyrgyzstan is largely mountainous, but
farmers raise cotton, vegetables, and fruit
in valleys and plains.
• Kyrgyzstan has valuable mercury and gold
deposits but little industry.
• The government has sought foreign
investment in an attempt to help small
businesses grow.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• Ethnic groups in Kyrgyzstan are the
Kyrgyzs, Russians, Uzbeks, and
Ukrainians.
• In 2005 the government was overthrown
during a revolt, but Kyrgyzstan’s new
leaders have resisted democratic reforms.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• Tajikistan has fertile mountain valleys in
which farmers grow cotton, grapes, grain,
and vegetables.
• Factory workers in urban areas produce
aluminum, vegetable oils, and textiles.
• The largest city and industrial center is
Dushanbe, the capital.
• Most of Tajikistan’s people are ethnic
Tajiks or ethnic Uzbeks.
The Central Asian Republics (cont.)
• In the 1990s, a civil war between the
government and certain Muslim political
groups killed many people and damaged
the economy.
• Since the fighting ended in 1997, recovery
has been slow, and political tensions
remain high.
In which country can the majority of
the Kara-Kum be found?
A. Tajikistan
B. Kyrgyzstan
0%
D
A
0%
A
B
C
0%
D
C
D. Turkmenistan
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
C. Kazakhstan
The Caucasus Republics
The Caucasus countries are
new nations with diverse
ethnic groups that often find
themselves in conflict with
each other.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• The Caucasus Mountains extend across
Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, giving
these countries the name the Caucasus
Republics.
• They were once part of the Soviet Union.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• The Caucasus Republics generally have
mild climates that support commercial
farming of tea, citrus fruits, wine grapes,
and vegetables.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• The northernmost Caucasus Republic is
Georgia, a country bordering the Black
Sea.
• Georgia’s mountains contain many mineral
resources, such as copper, coal,
manganese, and oil.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• Swift rivers provide hydroelectric power for
Georgia’s industries. Tbilisi, Georgia’s
capital, lies near the Caucasus Mountains.
• Because the city is located in an area
where tectonic plates collide, it has warm
mineral springs heated by high
temperatures inside the Earth.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• Most of Georgia’s people are ethnic
Georgians who are proud of their unique
language, culture, and Christian heritage.
• Georgia became independent after the fall
of the Soviet Union in 1991.
• Since then, conflict has taken place
between Georgians and other ethnic
groups in the country who want
independence.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• Landlocked Armenia sits on top of many
cracks in the Earth’s crust, called faults,
caused by colliding tectonic plates.
• As a result, the country suffers frequent,
serious earthquakes.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• Armenia’s people are mostly ethnic
Armenians who share a unique language
and ancient culture.
• Yerevan, the capital, is one of the world’s
oldest cities.
• During World War I, the Ottoman Turks
killed hundreds of thousands of Armenians
in a terrible genocide, or the deliberate
killing of an ethnic group.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• In 1991 Armenia became an independent
republic.
• Shortly afterward, the country sent its army
to protect ethnic Armenians living in a
small enclave surrounded and ruled by
neighboring Azerbaijan.
• An enclave is a small territory surrounded
by a larger territory.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• Fighting over this land hurt the economies
of both countries, and the dispute remains
unsettled today.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• Azerbaijan is a developing economy on
the eastern edge of the Caucasus region.
• Most of its people are Azeris and practice
Shia Islam.
• The largest city is the capital, Baku, a port
on the Caspian Sea.
The Caucasus Republics (cont.)
• Farmers use irrigation to grow grains,
cotton, and wine grapes.
• Oil and natural gas deposits under the
Caspian Sea promise a bright future for
Azerbaijan.
Which country made Christianity its
official religion—the first country in
the world to do so?
A. Azerbaijan
A
0%
0%
D
D. Uzbekistan
A
B
C
0%
D
C
C. Armenia
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
B. Georgia
North Africa
• Most of Egypt’s people live in the Nile
River valley.
• Many Egyptians are farmers, although
industries have grown in recent years.
• The landscape of Libya and the Maghreb
is mostly desert and mountains.
• Most people in North Africa are Muslims
and speak Arabic.
Eastern Mediterranean
• Turkey lies in both Europe and Asia.
• Damascus, Syria’s capital, is one of the
world’s oldest cities.
• Farmers grow fruits and vegetables on
fertile coastal land.
• Israel was founded in 1948 as an
independent Jewish republic.
• Religious and political conflicts continue in
the area.
The Arabian Peninsula
• Saudi Arabia is the world’s leading oil
producer.
• The holy cities of Makkah and Madinah
make Saudi Arabia an important Islamic
center.
• Some Persian Gulf states have recently
adopted democratic reforms.
Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan
• In 2003 U.S.-led forces overthrew Iraq’s
dictator. Despite turmoil, Iraq is trying to
build a democracy.
• Most Iranians are Shia Muslims. Since
1979, Iran has been an Islamic republic.
• Mountainous Afghanistan has many
different ethnic groups.
Central Asia and the Caucasus
• The Central Asian Republics and
Azerbaijan are mostly Muslim. Armenia
and Georgia are mostly Christian.
• Central Asia and the Caucasus Republics
have been using natural resources to
rebuild their economies since the Soviet
collapse.
• The Caucasus Republics have faced
ethnic conflicts in recent years.
fellahin
peasant farmers of Egypt who rent
small plots of land
phosphate
chemical salt used to make fertilizer
dictatorship
form of government in which a leader
rules by force and typically limits
citizens’ freedoms
trade sanction
step taken to cut off trade with a
country to show opposition to its
government’s actions
casbah
older section of Algerian cities
civil war
fight between opposing groups for
control of a country’s government
constitutional monarchy
form of government in which a
monarch is the head of state but
elected officials run the government
infrastructure
system of roads and railroads that
allows the transport of materials
policy
a plan or course of action
secular
nonreligious
bedouin
nomadic desert people of Southwest
Asia who follow a traditional way of
life
kibbutz
settlement in Israel where settlers
share all their property and make
goods as well as carry out farming
moshav
settlement in Israel in which people
share in farming, production, and
selling, but each person is allowed to
own some private property as well
clan
large group of people who have a
common ancestor in the far past
alluvial plain
area built up by rich fertile soil left by
river floods
embargo
ban on trade with a particular country
regime
government
sole
being the only one
cash crop
farm product grown for export
fault
crack in the Earth’s crust where two
tectonic plates meet; prone to
earthquakes
genocide
mass murder of people from a
particular ethnic group
enclave
small territory entirely surrounded by
larger territory
emphasis
special attention or importance given
to something
output
results of agricultural or industrial
production
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