SW Asia Geography

The process of removing salt from salt water in order to make it suitable for farming and drinking is known as

Desalination

Because mountains block winds coming from the oceans, much of the interior of Southwest Asia is:

Desert

This 25-mile territory has been a source of dispute between Israel and its neighbors for many years:

Gaza Strip

Which best describes the climate of much of Southwest Asia?

Hot and Arid

Where do most Middle Eastern Jews live?

Israel

Which country has fought military battles over water rights to the Jordan River?

Israel

Why is the Suez Canal so important to international shipping?

It makes it possible to get from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea without sailing around Africa.

Which river is the key water source for Israel, Lebanon, and Syria?

Jordan River

The oldest religion in Southwest Asia is:

Judaism

What are the three prominent religions in Southwest Asia?

Judaism, Islam, Christianity

What ethnic group lives in the mountains of Turkey and Iraq?

Kurds

Which country's water treatment plants have been damaged by decades of war?

Iraq

Who is a common figure in the origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?

Abraham

The majority of people in Southwest Asia belong to which ethnic group?

Arab

Which best describes the religion of Arabs?

Most are Muslim, though there are also many Christians and those of other faiths.

What non-renewable natural resource has contributed to the growth of the Middle East?

Oil

Disputes over what two natural resources are problematic for many Southwest Asian countries?

Oil and Water

The Strait of Hormuz connects which bodies of water?

Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea

Today, most Iranians speak Farsi and belong to this ethnic group:

Persians

The climate of Southwest Asia has led much of the region to experience a scarcity of _____________.

Rainfall

Because of its harsh climate, which country has to rely on desalination plants to provide most of its citizens' drinking water?

Saudi Arabia

Much of the world's oil supply is shipped through the narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula called the __________________.

Strait of Hormuz

What is the 120-mile man-made waterway that is used to transport goods from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea?

Suez Canal

What issue led to the split between the Sunni and Shia Muslims?

They disagreed over who should lead Muslims after Muhammad's death.

Which rivers flow through Turkey and Iraq?

Tigris and Euphrates

Pollution from oil spills on the Black Sea contaminate this country's water supply:

Turkey

What are three major water problems in Southwest Asia?

Water shortages, unequal distribution, pollution