Early Georgia History
Southwest Asia (Middle East)
Physical Geography Notes
Standard – SS7G5: The student will locate selected features in Southwestern Asia (Middle East).Element a.: Locate on a world and regional political-physical map: Euphrates River, Jordan River, Tigris
River, Suez Canal, Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and Gaza Strip.
Location:
Describe the location of each of the following physical features. / Connection to the GPS:
Why is ______important to Southwest Asia (Middle East)?
Euphrates River – Begins in Turkey, flows through Syria and Iraq, before emptying into the Persian Gulf. / Why is the Euphrates River important to Southwest Asia (ME)?
Because much of the area is a desert and people need water. Turkey, Syria, and Iraq all use this river for water.
Jordan River – Begins at the end of the Sea of Galilee and flows south until it reaches the Dead Sea. / Why is the Jordan River important to Southwest Asia (ME)?
Brings drinking water to Israel, Jordan, parts of Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Tigris River – Begins in Turkey, flows south through Iraq, before joining with the Euphrates and emptying into the Persian Gulf. / Why is the Tigris River important to Southwest Asia (ME)?
Because much of the area is a desert and people need water. Turkey and Iraq use this river for water.
Suez Canal – East of Egypt, between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. / Why is the Suez Canal important to Southwest Asia (ME)?
Connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, allowing countries to easily ship oil to Europe.
Persian Gulf – Located in between Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Iran. / Why is the Persian Gulf important to Southwest Asia (ME)?
Important for shipping oil out of the ME to the rest of the world.
Strait of Hormuz – At the southern end of the Persian Gulf. Connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. / Why is the Strait of Hormuz important to Southwest Asia (ME)?
Shipping oil (connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea).
Arabian Sea – East of Saudi Arabia and south of Iran. / Why is the Arabian Sea important to Southwest Asia (ME)?
Shipping oil
Red Sea – Bordered by Saudi Arabia to the east and Egypt on the west. / Why is the Red Sea important to Southwest Asia (ME)?
Shipping oil, through the Suez Canal to Europe.
Gaza Strip – Along the southern coast of Israel. / Why is the Gaza Strip important to Southwest Asia (ME)?
There have been numerous battles/wars fought in the Southwest Asia (Middle East) over control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.