World Geography : Chapter 16 : The Eastern Mediterranean
Damascus
Syrian city that was capital of Umayyad caliphate
fertilizer
a chemical or natural substance added to soil or land to increase its fertility
pesticide
a chemical used to kill insects, rodents, and other pests
kibbutz
a communal farm or settlement in Israel
moshav
a cooperative settlement of small individual farms in Israel
The Sea of Galilee
a freshwater lake in Israel through which the Jordan river flows
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
The Suez Canal
a human-made waterway, which was opened in 1869, connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea
Gulf of Aqaba
a large gulf at the northern tip of the Red Sea, east of the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Arabian mainland. Its coastline is divided between four countries: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia
Fatah party
a major Palestinian political party, faction of PLO, nationalist, rival of hamas, founded by palestinian diaspora, WANT: to liberate the palestinian homeland
Hamas
a militant Islamic fundamentalist political movement that opposes peace with Israel and uses terrorism as a weapon
Sinai Peninsula
a peninsula linking southwest Asia with northeast Africa at the northern end of the Red Sea between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba
Hezbollah
a radical Shiʿite Muslim organization in Lebanon engaged in guerrilla warfare against Israel
Jordan River
a river in southwestern Asia that flows from the Lebanon Mountains, south through the Sea of Galilee, into the Dead Sea
The 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
Gaza Strip
a territory along the Mediterranean Sea just northeast of the Sinai Peninsula; part of the land set aside for Palestinians, which was occupied by Israel in 1967
rift valley
a valley formed by the separation of tectonic plates
Yom Kippur War
a war that began on Yom Kippur in 1973 with the attack of Israel by Egypt, Syria, and Iraq: Israel recovered most of its initial losses
Makkah
also known as Mecca, crossroads for merchants, and an important religious site
Oslo Accords
an agreement in 1993 in which Israeli prime minister Rabin granted Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank
The Jordan Rift Valley
an eastern Mediterranean landform created by tectonic activity, featuring the Dead Sea, the lowest elevation on Earths surface
stateless nation
an ethnic group without a formal country
Transjordan
area east of the Jordan River
monotheism
belief in one God
Five Pillars
beliefs that all Muslims needed to carry out: Faith, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, and Pilgrimage
The Negev Desert
desert located in southern Israel, it is known for its harsh environment, temperatures can reach 114 degrees F and annual rainfall is barely two inches
stateless nation
ethnic group without a formal country
overgrazing
grazing so heavily that the vegetation is damaged and the ground erodes
mosque
in Islam, a house of worship
Lake al-Assad
large source of fish, used for irrigation and agriculture, drinking water...created by the damming of the Euphrates
The Strait of Tiran
link between the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea
The Lebanon Mountains
mountains that border Phoenicia on the east
Mount Hermon
north of Isreal where there are many cool, fresh springs of mountain water
Euphrates River
one of the two largest rivers in Southwest Asia that flow from the mountains in Turkey to the Persian Gulf
The Syrian Civil War
ongoing conflict between Bashar al-Assad and diverse rebel forces
prophet
person believed to be a messenger from God
alluvial
pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
halophytes
plants that live in highly saline (salty) soil
desertification
process in which arable land becomes desert
Arabian oryx
raised in breeding programs in arabian desert
adequate
satisfactory or acceptable
preliminary
something done in preparation for something more important
output
something produced; a mineral, agricultural, or industrial production
Muhammad
the Arab prophet who founded Islam (570-632)
The Anti-Lebanon Mountains
the border between Syria and Lebanon
Beirut
the capitol of Lebanon
Levant
the eastern Mediterranean region from western Greece to western Egypt
Torah
the most sacred text of the Hebrew Bible, including its first five books
Ramadan
the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset
wadis
the usually dry bed of a river or stream in a desert or semiarid area
Aleppo
this ancient city, located in the Fertile Crescent, can be found in present-day Syria
rely
to be dependent
transform
to change in form or appearance
Mediterranean Shrubland
type of terrestrial biome; rainy winters and dry summers (also called chaparral)
