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