North Africa and Middle East Study Guide
What is Christmas?
A holiday created by Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
Amount of income a person makes per year
Why was it important for Egyptians to mummify bodies?
Ancient Egyptians also believed in an afterlife, or life after death. They worked hard to prepare for the afterlife.and help them in the afterlife.
What is the Rain Shadow Effect?
As moist air moves towards mountains it is forced up and cools, moisture condenses and rain falls as the air passes over the mountains.
Location of Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
Both located in Iraq, former historical Mesopotamia-The name comes from a Greek word meaning "between rivers referring to the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Why is it important that other countries share the Nile River with Egypt and don't take too much water for themselves?
Egypt will not have enough water There is great concern about countries upstream using too much water before it gets to Egypt
Which group took control of Gaza in 2006 that changed Israeli-Palestinian relations?
HAMAS
Are oil and gas important in Arabia and Iraq? Why or why not?
Income from oil allows the region to buy goods that it cannot grow or make.
Why is the Quran important to Islam?
It is their holy book
What is Yom Kippur?
Jewish holiday celebrating reflection and atonement
Define Monotheist.
Monotheist, means a belief in one god
Where do most North Africans live?
Most people live near coasts or mountains
What makes this area a "culture region"
Most people speak Arabic and practice Islam.
How do the Atlas Mountains affect people in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria?
North of these mountains gets more rain channels rainfall towards coast
What is a major cause of pollution to this region's water bodies?
Oil spills have killed sea life
Where have Syria's refugees fled to?
Refugees have fled for safety to Jordan and Lebanon, both countries that border Syria
Gross Domestic Product
The amount of income a person makes per year.
What makes North Africa a blend of several different cultures?
The geographical closeness to Southern Europe, Southwest Asia, and Southern Africa affect the culture of this region and allow it to connect to other cultures. They all speak different languages.
Literacy Rate
The percent of people in the country that can read
What is the role of religion in Iran's government
The religions leaders in Iran do not allow laws that might violate Islamic teachings
Describe Saudi Arabia's government.
The rulers of Saudi Arabia are Wahhabis, and their government is an absolute monarchy
How is farming in Arabia and Iraq? Difficult? Easy?
There are few plants and animals. Water is scarce
What happened in Mesopotamia centuries ago that caused people not to have to hunt and gather as their only source of food?
They learned how to plant crops and raise animal
Is a diverse economy important? Why or why not?
To diversify is to go from just one or two sources of income, such as oil and gas, to many sources.
Which resources are most important to people's livelihood in North Africa?
Water and oil are most important to this region.
What advantage does the qanat system have over irrigation channels on the surface?
Water does not evaporate, because the qanat is mostly underground.
Which 2 areas are disputed and the cause of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
West Bank & Gaza
Define Polytheist.
Which means that they believed in many different gods and goddesses.
How did the Arab's view the Sahara desert? Did they see it as helpful or not?
While earlier conquerors saw the Sahara as a barrier, the Arabs saw it as an opportunity. They also saw trade routes across the Sahara.
Are the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall important? Why or why not?
Yes, sacred site of 3 major religions