Population Distribution of Southwest Asia/Middle East

Discover Southwest Asia's geography! Learn about its rivers, deserts, climate, and how people live there. Essential for understanding the Middle East.

Middle East Rivers and Deserts Three major river systems are located in Southwest Asia: the Euphrates River that runs throughTurkey, Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait; the Tigris River, which runs through Turkey, Iraq, and Kuwait; and theJordan River, which forms part of the border for Syria, Jordan, the West Bank and Israel. In additionto being important sources of water, these rivers also provide boundaries between nations. Thesethree rivers are important because they furnish water for drinking and irrigation, as well as routes fortransportation and trade for those who live along their routes. Many of the major cities in SouthwestAsia are located on or near these rivers. These cities and towns are also centers of industry, as that iswhere workers can most easily be found. Southwest Asia has a number of very large desert areas: the great Syrian Desert shared betweenSyria and Iraq, and the Rub al-Khali, or “empty Quarter,” in southern Saudi Arabia. These desertshave historically provided Southwest Asia with natural barriers against invasion. They have also ledto a way of life that developed around the need to survive in such harsh surroundings. Some peoplehave always managed to live in and around the desert, living in tent camps and surviving as sheep andcamel herders and making a living by trading animals and handmade goods with those who lived inthe towns on the desert’s edge. These people are known as “Bedouins,” or desert nomads, and theirway of life is gradually disappearing. Use the paragraphs above to help separate the rivers and deserts. Click each physical feature then select the category it belongs to. Southwest Asian Rivers Tigris Jordan Euphrates Southwest Asian Deserts Syrian Rub al-Khali (empty Quarter) Large bodies of water Mediterranean Red Arabian Gulf Indian The countries of Southwest Asia generally have a very hot and dry climate. The climate is thetype of weather a region has over a very long period. Four large oceans or bodies of water, theMediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean border Southwest Asia. Evenso, mountain ranges close to many of the coastal areas block rains coming from these bodies of waterand the result is that much of the interior of Southwest Asia is desert. Because there are coastal areasas well as a number of large rivers, other parts of this region have enough water to support agricultureand towns and cities of significant size. Southwest Asia is located between three major continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia. For thisreason, the region has played a major role in trade among these continents through the centuries.Ships loaded with trade goods from Asia would travel to the coast of Southwest Asia. These goodswould then be loaded unto caravans that traveled across the desert to the coast on the other sideof Southwest Asia. Today the Suez Canal in Egypt links the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Seaand Indian Ocean, making it possible to continue the trade among continents without having to useoverland caravans. Many people in Southwest Asia practice subsistence agriculture, growing small amounts ofcrops, to take care of their local needs. Because the climate is so dry, agriculture nearly always dependson irrigation, directing water from small rivers and streams to the farmers’ fields. There is somecommercial agriculture (growing crops for industrial markets), but even that is limited by lack of water.Water is a critical resource in Southwest Asia, both as a source of life and as a route for trade.Because the Tigris and Euphrates rivers run through more than one country, access to the water hasled to many political conflicts in recent years. Several countries have built dams along their portion ofthese rivers, to create lakes for irrigation and to generate hydroelectric power (electricity createdusing the energy of running water). Each dam cuts down on the water available to the countriesfurther downstream. No agriculture or animal herding can take place without access to adequate sources of water.People in this region have used many creative ways to bring water to the fields where it is needed,using water wheels and pumps powered by animals or electricity, digging wells and qanats(underground tunnels that bring water from the hills to dry plains), and building canals. An additionalproblem comes with irrigation. Irrigated land usually needs chemical fertilizers. Repeated use offertilizer eventually causes salts to build up in the soil, making it hard to grow anything. Many places inSouthwest Asia that have been irrigated for many years no longer produce crops as well as they oncedid. Many of the largest cities in Southwest Asia are located on or near deserts. major rivers. large grasslands. mountain ranges. The “Bedouins” are Southwest Asians who have traditionally lived in and around oil fields. urban areas. major deserts. large river systems. People living in the deserts in Southwest Asia have usually made their living by farming. mining and hired labor. working in the oil industry. trading animals and handmade goods. How have the major rivers of Southwest Asia become a part of political conflict? Many rivers dry up during the hot summers. The rivers have nothing to do with the area’s political conflict. Most countries do not allow water to be taken out of rivers for irrigation. Several countries have built dams along their portion of the river, cutting off water to those living downstream. Which describes the climate of much of Southwest Asia? hot and dry windy and cold tropical and rainy moderate and cool Because mountains block winds coming from the oceans, much of the interior of Southwest Asia is desert. grasslands. inland lakes. rich farming areas. The major rivers in Southwest Asia have become political issues because deserts prevent the rivers from being large enough to be useful. they can be used only for trade and travel but not for drinking water. farmers have not been able to find ways to use the water for irrigation. everyone needs to be able to use the water and there is only a limited amount. People living along the rivers of Southwest Asia have built canals, qanats, andwater wheels to use the water for shipping. irrigation. swimming. flood control. Which do Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait share? Tigris River Jordan River Euphrates River Afghanistan River