Chapter 18: The Arabian Peninsula

Water

Although arable land is scarce and precipitation is limited, a variety of fruits, vegetables, and some grains are grown. Agriculture consumes most of the water in the subregion. Food crop production is being developed that uses less water and has a high yield. ______ is the subregion's most important natural resource issue.

Cement

Although petroleum is the major product of the peninsula, there are other important industries. _____ manufacturing is a leading industry, as is ship repair.

groundwater

As _________ has been depleted, the countries of the subregion have greatly increased their dependence on desalination. Qatar is an extreme example of this dependence. It relies on desalination for 99 percent of its water needs. Yemen, on the other hand, has just recently begun to use desalination.

agriculture

By far the greatest overconsumption, however, has been in the practice of ________. During the 1970s, the demand for meat and dairy products increased as the urban population grew richer. An effort was made to supply meat from local ranches, but within 10 years most meat was imported. Many governments became alarmed by increasing prices on the world market and concerned about their countries' dependence on foreign food. In response, the governments of Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia joined in an effort to encourage ________. However, about 85 percent of the region's annual water supply is used for ____________, and much of it is wasted due to inefficient irrigation. Yemen provides another example of impractical water use. Much of its groundwater goes toward khat cultivation, the leaves of which are chewed as a mild stimulant.

rise

Climate change is also causing a _____- in sea level. The archipelago country of Bahrain is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels. A significant rise would be a disaster for the small country, whose population lives mainly on the coasts, as well as for its marine ecology.

drinkable

Desalination is not a perfect solution. Desalinated water must be blended with water from aquifers to make it ______. Even then, many people prefer the taste of imported bottled water to that of their local tap water.

Kuwait, Yemen

Despite its oil wealth, -_____ has not invested in its infrastructure. ____'s oil production is small compared to other countries in the subregion. It has an unstable government and poorly developed economy. It has also been affected by internal division and conflict between Sunni and Shia groups, each wanting to control the country.

absolute

Different tribes of nomads became powerful from time to time and dominated much of the area. Nevertheless, there was no formal government. Each tribal leader had ____ power, and there was no authority above him.

separate

Education for males is compulsory in all of the countries of the subregion. Boys and girls attend _____ schools, and higher education is not as available to women as it is to men. For example, in Saudi Arabia there were no schools for girls until the 1960s, a situation that changed by the twenty-first century.

D

Every aspect of a Muslim's life is governed by Islamic law, or A.laws of migration. B.Ibadhism. C.hajj. D.shari'ah.

aquifers

Every country in the peninsula extracts increasingly higher annual percentages of water from its ________ every year. This increase is not sustainable. The ________ contain fossil water—water trapped in the underground rocks millions of years ago. Only minute amounts of surface water reach these depths over time. Not only is the water virtually a nonrenewable resource, removing it from the ______ draws in seawater. The seawater contaminates the _______ and makes it unfit for drinking. The impact of the rising population on water resources has reached a crisis stage in many countries. For example, Sanaa, the capital city of Yemen, is estimated to have only a three-year supply of water left.

D

Farmers in the region report that increased temperatures have led to an increase of A.erosion. B.fertile soil. C.pollution. D.insect pests and plant diseases.

C

For centuries, specific areas of the Arabian Peninsula were controlled by individual tribes and were called A.Bedouins. B.nomads. C.sheikdoms. D.herders.

B

Higher temperatures in the region have led to A.poor air quality. B.evaporation of water used for irrigation. C.decreasing sea levels. D.contamination of groundwater and soil.

overconsumption

Historically, all of the governments of the Arabian Peninsula have subsidized the cost of water, and cheap water has led to ___________. To cater to wealthy citizens and attract tourists, the Persian Gulf countries have built resorts and spas that feature swimming pools and waterfalls, among other water-intensive attractions. Even the less wealthy are accustomed to using water freely to wash their cars and water their gardens.

Organization Petroleum Exporting Countries

In 1960 Saudi Arabia joined with Kuwait and other oil-producing countries to form the ________ of the _______ _____ ________ (OPEC). Later Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and other countries outside the peninsula joined OPEC. The members of OPEC meet regularly to set production quotas. Every five years, OPEC documents its strategy for dealing with the long-term demands for oil.

increase

In 2012 the Arabian Peninsula was home to approximately 68 million people, and the population is expected to reach 120 million by 2050. Saudi Arabia's population alone is projected to grow by 333 percent over the next 34 years. The population of Kuwait is increasing at an annual rate of 1.88 percent, and Oman's is increasing at a rate of 4.93 percent. Yemen's population is growing by about 700,000 people each year. As the number of people _______, so does the human impact on the environment.

D

In response to the region's dependence on foreign foods, the governments of Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia joined in an effort to encourage A.desalination. B.investment in foreign land. C.water conservation. D.agriculture.

Shari'ah

Islamic law derived from the Quran and the teaching of Muhammad

shari'ah

Islamic law, or _____, governs every aspect of a Muslim's life. ______ specifies what a person owes to Allah, or God, and what he or she owes to other human beings

constitutional

Kuwait and Bahrain are _______ monarchies.

arranged

Most marriages in the subregion are _____ between families. Although not required, the ______ marriages of cousins have been a tradition. Once they are married, most women are expected to stay at home to take

B

Most of the peninsula's population lives along coastal regions of the A.Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz. B.Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. C.Gulf of Aden and the Bab el Mandeb. D.Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.

Persian Gulf, Red Sea

Most of the subregion's population lives along the coasts of the ____ ____ and the ___ ____.

carbon

Most scientists think that these changes can be attributed, at least in part, to human activities. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the air. These carbon emissions are called greenhouse gases because they contribute to the warming climate. Heavy use of fossil fuels for desalination, air-conditioning, and oil processing add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. ______ emissions were the topic of a special meeting of a United Nations convention on climate change in December 2012. The meeting was held in Qatar, which has the highest rate of carbon dioxide emissions per capita of any country in the world.

pollution

Oil extraction comes with a price. Oil _________, whether from extraction, processing, or spills, releases hundreds of chemical gases into the air. These pollutants linger in the air until rain carries them to the ground, where they contaminate the groundwater and the soil

Investments

Oil has produced great wealth for some countries on the peninsula. Some countries have used this wealth wisely. Saudi Arabia, with its enormous oil income, has made large _________ in infrastructure and education.

desalination

One response to the need for water has been to build _______ plants. ________ removes salt from seawater, as well as minerals from undrinkable groundwater. Current methods of _______ require enormous amounts of energy. For example, _______ accounts for 25 to 30 percent of the energy used in Saudi Arabia.

brine

Perhaps more important, desalination has environmental costs. Disposal of the _____ that results from the desalination process presents problems. If it is collected in pools, it can seep into the groundwater and contaminate the aquifer. If it is piped into the sea, it increases the salinity of the water, interfering with the ecology of the coastal waters.

geopolitics

Physical, human, and economic geography can influence government policy. Such _______ determines how world powers respond to shifts in power on the peninsula. The 1991 Persian Gulf War is an example of such a response.

higher

Rainfall has decreased over much of Saudi Arabia. Persian Gulf countries like Oman are experiencing flash floods that erode the topsoil. Drought has affected the fertility of the soil and altered times for planting crops. Farmers report that increased temperatures have led to an increase of insect pests and plant diseases. ______ temperatures also increase the evaporation of water used for irrigation.

absolute

Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar are ____ monarchies.

Bahrain, Oman, Untied Arab Emirates

Saudi Arabia, with its enormous oil income, has made large investments in infrastructure and education. _____, with relatively small reserves of oil, has successfully diversified its economy into banking and finance. ____and the ____ ____ _____ have invested their oil revenue. The investments help to soften the effects of fluctuations in oil prices in the international markets

Persian Gulf War

The 1991 ____ ______ _______ is an example of such a response. In late 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, a neighbor of Saudi Arabia. The presence of Iraqi forces in Kuwait was not only a violation of international law, but it was also a threat to oil-rich Saudi Arabia. The United States, heading a large multinational force, pushed Iraq's forces back and restored the control of Kuwait to the Kuwaitis. One of the most dramatic examples of oil pollution occurred during the______ ____ _______. In a successful attempt to sabotage Kuwait's oil industry, Iraqi forces set fire to oil wells and released 250 million gallons of oil into the Persian Gulf. Hundreds of miles of coastline were soaked with oil. The fishing industry, a vital part of the Persian Gulf economy, was dealt a serious blow.

Geometric designs

The Arabian Peninsula has produced many art forms. There is a strong oral tradition, and the culture is rich in poetry and folk art. The founding of Islam was accompanied by the flowering of religious art. In order to glorify the words of Allah, artists produced rich decoration called arabesques, often created in intricate _____ ______. Inlaid tile designs were used on buildings as far away as Spain and in other places in the Mediterranean.

desertification

The Arabian Peninsula is facing growing ________. There are many factors that coincide to turn arable land into desert. Reduced rainfall can gradually extend a desert into a once fertile area. Mismanagement of the land is another factor. As the population of farmers has increased, so have the herds of sheep and goats. Domestic animals take a heavy toll on vegetation that anchors topsoil. Increasing temperatures reduce the fertility of the soil, and unusually violent rainstorms wash it away. All the countries of the peninsula are affected to some degree by these conditions, but the four Persian Gulf States—Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—are the most desertified countries on the Arabian Peninsula.

B

The Arabian Peninsula's hot, dry climate has been made hotter by A.agricultural runoff. B.climate change. C.pollution from sewage. D.overflowing aquifers.

Arabs, Muslims

The Arabian Peninsula's people are mostly ethnic ____ and religious _______.

Saud

The Ottoman Empire was a strong presence on the Arabian Peninsula for several hundred years until the ____ family finally drove them from the northern part of the peninsula in the early twentieth century. Despite the interference of foreigners, however, the power of the families remained.

al-Qaeda

The United Arab Emirates is a federation of emirates, formed from seven smaller states that were headed by emirs, or Arab rulers. In 1990 North Yemen and South Yemen were united to form a republic. However, southern secessionists and northern insurgents have continued to oppose the union. By 2012, civil unrest and violence had destabilized the government. The activities of _____ militants increased in number in recent years, and ocean piracy along the coasts remains a problem.

Ottoman

The ____ Empire was a strong presence on the Arabian Peninsula for several hundred years until the Saud family finally drove them from the northern part of the peninsula in the early twentieth century.

Bedouin

The ________ nomads of Saudi Arabia had a tribal structure but were not confined to a single place. _________ occupied most of the Arabian Peninsula. Primarily herders of camels, goats, and sheep, the bedouin tribes moved throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.

increased

The extraction and processing of petroleum has other consequences. Climate studies show that the average temperature of the peninsula has _______ over the past three decades. All of the countries of the subregion have been affected by climate change.

B

The greatest overconsumption in the region has been in the A.use of subsidized water. B.practice of agriculture. C.increase in oil extraction. D.construction of desalination plants.

Monarchy

The majority of governments in the Arabian Peninsula are what form?

Islam

The majority of immigrants are Muslims. When Muhammad founded Islam, the new religion spread rapidly across the peninsula. Arab armies conquered Persia, much of the Byzantine Empire, North Africa, and Spain. Their military successes eventually ended, but _____ continued to diffuse across Asia and Africa.

C

The makeup of the Arabian Peninsula's population changed with the development of A.laws of migration. B.gold mining. C.the petroleum industry. D.agriculture.

water

The need for ______ is critical. Surface water created by rainfall exists in only a few places, and the evaporation rate is high because of the hot, arid climate. Furthermore, climate change is reducing the amount of rainfall in some areas, while increasing it in others. As weather patterns change, severe flooding can occur. These increases in rainfall overwhelm the existing drainage system, eroding the soil and endangering the human population.

guest workers, South Asia

The oil fields and construction jobs attracted ____ ____ from ____ _____, mainly from India and Bangladesh. Poverty and unemployment in South Asia pushed these workers toward the oil-wealthy Arab countries. The prospect of high wages continues to pull guest workers to the subregion despite the long work hours and crowded housing conditions.

D

The removal of water from aquifers sometimes contaminates water resources because the aquifer A.contains fossil water. B.floods from increased surface water. C.is damaged due to flooding from seasonal rains. D.draws in seawater which mixes with drinking water.

C

The two main branches of Islam are the Sunni and the A.Makkah. B.Ibadhism. C.Shia. D.Judaism.

Muhammad's

The unifying fervor of the early years of Islam was broken by a growing conflict within the religion. After ________ death, arguments arose over who would succeed him. As a result, Islam broke into two branches, the Sunni and the Shia. The conservative sect of Ibadhism broke off from the main branches of Islam in A.D. 657. Ibadhites became the major religious group in Oman.

Gender Segregation

Throughout the peninsula, men and women socialize separately. They are also segregated in public, particularly in Saudi Arabia. Usually women wear an abaya, a long black robe, over their clothing. In most of the countries, women cover their hair but are permitted to show their faces. In most of Saudi Arabia, however, women are considered immodest if their faces are not covered by a veil. (title this reading)

80

Today about ____ percent of the population in the Arabian Peninsula lives in cities. Most of these cities, like Jidda (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait (Kuwait), and Doha (Qatar), are located on either the Red Sea or the Persian Gulf. They thrive because they are important centers of their countries' oil industries.

A

Today the majority of the Arabian Peninsula's population lives in A.cities. B.rural areas. C.desert towns. D.villages.

A

Today, the majority of governments in the Arabian Peninsula are A.monarchies. B.republics. C.empires. D.sheikdoms.

A

Two of the world's leading oil shipping chokepoints are the A.Bab el Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz. B.Gulf of Aden and the Bab el Mandeb. C.Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea. D.Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea.

Yemen

What country has the youngest median age on the Arabian Peninsula?

Oman

What country is where Ibadhites are the major religious group?

abaya

What is a long black robe that women wear over their clothing?

tribe

What is a social group based on family relationships?

Emir

What is another word for Arab ruler?

Madinah

What is considered a holy city by Muslims; location of the tomb of the prophet Mohammed?

petroleum

What is the industry responsible for changing the ethnic makeup of the population on the Arabian Peninsula?

calligraphy

What is the word that means "beautiful writing"?

Bedouin

What was the name of the nomadic people with a tribal social structure, who were primarily animal herders, and moved throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond?

B

Which of the following countries has invested oil profits in education? A.Bahrain B.Saudi Arabia C.Yemen D.Kuwait

A

Which of the following countries is an example of how a growing population as well as the effects of climate change can contribute to political instability? A.Yemen B.United Arab Emirates C.Saudi Arabia D.Iraq

D

Which of the following descriptions summarizes the political structure of the Bedouins? A.small groups headed by emirs, or Arab rulers B.nomadic groups governed by the Sa'ud family C.sedentary groups controlled by foreign powers D.herders with tribal leaders but no formal government

C

Which of the following is NOT a drawback of desalination? A.Desalination plants use large amounts of energy. B.Desalinated water tastes different from tap water. C.Desalination removes salt from seawater. D.The desalination process harms the environment.

A

Which of the following is NOT the effect of the petroleum industry on the environment in and around the Arabian Peninsula? A.Yemen's decreasing water supply B.increase in average temperatures C.contamination of groundwater D.oil released into the Persian Gulf by Iraqi troops

C

Which of the following is an example of a response to shifts in power on the Arabian Peninsula? A.water shortages B.Yemen's population growth C.the Persian Gulf War D.growing desertification on the peninsula

universal

With the exception of Yemen, the countries of the Arabian Peninsula have _______ health care. However, medical practice varies greatly

Kuwait

____ has experienced both a sharp drop in rainfall and a dramatic rise in average temperature. The country has experienced tornado winds and an increase in sandstorms and flooding. Offshore, seawater temperatures have risen at three times the global rate.

Mecca

____ is the holiest city of Islam. Millions of religious pilgrims visit the city every year. Lying 50 miles (80 km) from the Red Sea, it houses the Grand Mosque.

Arabic, english

____ is the language common to all Arab people of the Arabian Peninsula. Many people also speak a second language, often _____.

Oil

____ is the most widely used energy source in the modern world. For industrialized nations, ____ is one of the most sought-after natural resources. Petroleum products are used for the generation of power and the operation of vehicles. ____ is a fossil fuel, created over millions of years, and thus is a nonrenewable resource. The relative scarcity of this resource makes it an important factor in the economies of the Arabian Peninsula. The peninsula's vast petroleum reserves also make it a focus of international interest. Events in the ____-producing countries generate concern throughout the world. Unrest, such as that generated by the series of uprisings known as the Arab Spring, is magnified in importance by the effect it might have on _____ production or transportation.

Tourism, Red Sea

_____ is important to both Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The____ _____ coastline of Saudi Arabia is a growing magnet for tourists because of its white sand beaches and its magnificent coral reefs.

Yemen

_____ shows that an increasing population and the effects of climate change can contribute to political instability. Warring factions, coupled with widespread corruption and a weak government, prevent _______ from enacting solutions to its problems. A 40 percent unemployment rate and widespread poverty are made worse by decreased rainfall and a resulting water crisis. Without governmental leadership, individuals and groups are extracting water as quickly as they can in order to make easy short-term profits. Meanwhile, the large rural population, which depends on agriculture, is starved for water. ______ is at the point of collapse.

Calligraphy

______ is another characteristic Islamic art form. The word -______ means "beautiful writing." Arab calligraphers have used their script in the pages of the Quran, as well as to decorate textiles, walls, walkways, and building facades.

Riyadh

______, a center of oil refining, is also the capital of Saudi Arabia and home to the royal palace of the king.

oil

____was discovered on the Arabian Peninsula in 1932, but it was not until 1938 that the largest Saudi Arabian ____ fields were discovered. U.S. and British ____ companies became the major producers of Saudi _____.

Sunni

a branch of Islam that regards the first four successors of Muhammad as his rightful successors

Shia

a branch of islam that regards Muhammad's son-in-law Ali and the imams as his rightful sucessors

Ibadhism

a conservative form of Islam distinct from Sunni and Shia sects

Choke point

a strategic, narrow waterway between two larger bodies of water

agriculture

about 85% of region's annual water supply used for this

Bahrain

archipelago country in the region

kuwait

country invaded by iraq during the 1991 Persian Gulf War

Saudi Arabia

country using 25-30% of energy on desalination

insects

farmers report increased temperatures increase these

geopolitics

government policy as it is influenced by physical, human, and economic geography

Qatar

highest rate of carbon emissions per capital in the world

Hajj

in Islam, the yearly pilgrimage to Mekkah that muslims must make at least once in a lifetime

kat

plant leaves are chewed for mild amphetame

Sheikdom

territory ruled by an Arab tribal leader

desalination

the removal of salt from seawater or from brackish ground water to make it usable for drinking and irrigation

aquifers

these contain fossil waters

domestic

type of animal that feeds on vegetation anchoring tosoil

brine

waste resulting from desalination process