N. Africa & SW Asia:
Region - MIDDLE EAST
What is the Middle East?
Physical Geography
Cultural Geography
Economic Geography
Historical Geography
The middle east is a REGION of the North Africa / SW Asia REALM. The Middle East [nwregmid] includes Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Often the term "Middle East" is used to refer to the whole realm, or at least a much larger area than we will use it here. BE CAREFUL! We will use the term "Middle East" to refer just to these five countries.
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[The text of the following was written by Scott Girhard, San Antonio College from his online course GEOG 1301 World Geography. Used with permission.]
Iraq
Iraq comprises nearly 60 percent of the total area of the Middle East and has 40 percent of the region’s population to include major oil reserves in the Kirkuk region and large areas of irrigated farmland. Significant archeological sites exist, as the country is heir to the early Mesopotamian states and empires that emerged in the basin of the Tigris and Euphrates and the core area centered around Baghdad situated on the Tigris River. Sunni Moslems dominate the core area and the country’s political machine. It is bound by Turkey, Jordan, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Syria, all (except Jordan) adversarial. Nearly 9 million of the country’s 20 million inhabitants are Shi’ites- severely repressed during the Gulf War. The Shat al Arab is the boundary between Iraq & Iran; the junction where the Tigris and Euphrates come together. Iraq’s territorial claim to land on the Iranian side triggered an eight year war which nearly ended in it's defeat.
In 1986 the price of oil collapsed suddenly. This was a response to a glut of new oil discoveries in non-OPEC countries, energy conservation by the importing companies and fears by Saudi Arabia that it was becoming a marginal power based on its rapidly shrinking market share. In order to regain their place in the market, the Saudis made specialized deals with refiners and flooded the market with oil causing the price to plummet (which devastated the Texas economy and other non-OPEC oil-producing countries as well). The slump in oil prices caused many Arab governments to experience shortfalls and budget deficits. Iraq was devastated by this and it's eight year long battle with Iran. In addition to these problems, Iraq accused Kuwait of drilling for oil that belonged to Iraq and of exceeding OPEC quotas. As a result of these perceived missdeeds, Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. Saddam Hussein's miscalculation that the Western allies would do nothing, nearly cost him his position. Iraq was devastated by the massive bombing offensive launched by the United States and its coalition allies. The UN imposed an embargo on oil imports (still in place today) and the other OPEC countries stepped up production to make up for the shortfall. At the end of the Gulf War, the U.N. established a security zone between the 36th parallel and Iraq’s northern borders as a security zone for Kurdish refugees, but Iraq continues to persecute them. In the north, most of the people are Sunni Muslims but they are also Kurds. There may be as many as 24 million Kurds scattered in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Armenia and Azerbijian- an example of a nationality without a country.
Damascus, capital of Syria, is the worlds oldest continuously inhabited city. Extensive agricultural country is located along the Mediterranean coast, wheat is located along the Northern Border, cotton in the east and oil in the northeast. The loss of territory to Israel (Golan Heights) is a source of conflict. Peace negotiations with Israel are ongoing, but the Israelis show no willingness to give up this strategic location.
The creation of Israel has been an irritant for Jordan. Trade used to flow through Haifa which is now an Israeli port. Jordan was home to over half a million refugees when Israel was created, refugees outnumbering residents 2 to 1. The West Bank was lost during the 1967 war as well as Jerusalem to Israel. Negotiations seek to give it back.
Lebanon has enjoyed a long history of trade and commerce beginning with the Phoenicians. One quarter of the population is Christian. In 1975, civil war between Christians and Muslims nearly destroyed the country. Many Christians have emigrated from the country as Muslims consolidate their control. Israel and Syria have involved themselves in the dispute for their own security purposes but have become entangled in the country’s internal problems.
Israel was a product of the collapse of the Ottoman Empires. Britain gained control over the mandate of Palestine and British policy supported the Aspirations of European Jews who wanted a homeland established there. Once independent they were attacked by Arab neighbors who rejected the plan. Israel was eventually victorious over Arabs gaining territory in central and northern regions. At the end of the first Arab-Israeli War the Jewish population controlled 80 percent of what had been Palestine west of the Jordan River. This early conflict proved to be only the first in a series of wars between Israel and its Arab neighbors. The 1967 week long conflict resulted in major Israeli victories; Golan Heights-Syria, West Bank-Jordan & Jerusalem, and Sinai Peninsula-up to the Suez Canal Egypt. A 1973 war led to Israel’s withdrawal from Sinai and eventually returned to Egypt. Since then a fragile peace has been sustained punctuated by terrorist incursions from Lebanon and Jordan, Israeli retaliation, and Israeli encroachment on Lebanon in a security zone extending along their joint border on the Lebanese side. Greatest challenge facing Israel is the achievement of an accommodation between the Israeli government and the Palestinians under its control. One prominent issue has been the displacement of Palestines and their subsequent quest for a homeland. Some 600,000 Palestinian Arabs were displaced when Israel was created. Today almost 4 million Palestinians live in Jordan (55 percent of population) and other Arab countries. The West Bank might have become such territory but Israel has built numerous Jewish settlements there, making up 15 percent of the population over Palestinian objections. Another problem has been Jerusalem holy place for Jews, Christian and Muslims. The original U.N blueprint for Palestine, was to have the city internationalized. Jerusalem has been divided between the Jewish state and Jordan. It fell to the Israelis during the 1967 war. It is regarded as the capital but most countries recognize Tel Aviv as Israel’s capital. Israel’s rapid rise to strength and prosperity amid under development common to the Middle East is a major irritant in the region. Israel has been transformed by the energies of its settlers and by heavy investments and contributions made by Jews and Jewish organizations elsewhere in the world’s especially the U.S. Through the practice of fertigation (brackish desert water is mixed with fertilizers and piped directly to the roots of each plant.) Israel is able to be self-sufficient in agriculture. Egypt has become Israels chief energy supplier selling oil from the Sinai peninsula. Division within the country exist between Jews of North African ancestry (Sephardic Jew) and Jews of Europe and American backgrounds (Ashkenazim) who dominate the upper socio-economic strata. Divisions also exist with orthodox Jews who advocate return to religious law.
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