Physical Geography of the Middle East

Diverse Landscapes

• Common perception: Middle East as expansive hot desert.
• Reality: Includes mountains, fertile river valleys, and coastal plains.
• Physical features influence climate, biodiversity, and human activity.

Mountain Ranges

• Zagros Mountains: Located in Iran.
• Taurus Mountains: Located in Turkey.
• Alborz Mountains: Located in northern Iran.
• Functions:
  • Act as natural barriers.
  • Affect regional climate patterns, water distribution, and biodiversity.
  • Hold strategic importance:
    • Natural defense barriers.
    • Mineral resources.
    • Grazing lands.

Deserts

• Arabian Desert:
  • Includes the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter).
  • Characterized as a "hyper-arid" region with less than 2 inches of rain annually.
• Syrian Desert:
  • Covers most of Jordan and Syria.
  • Features rocky or gravelly desert with occasional wadis.
• Economic significance due to rich oil and gas reserves.

Key River Systems

• Tigris and Euphrates Rivers: Located in Iraq.
• Jordan River:
  • Support fertile agricultural lands.
  • Enabled development of ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia.
  • Influence settlement patterns.
• Water control tensions:
  • Source of geopolitical issues among neighboring countries.

Important Waterways

• Red Sea:
  • Crucial for shipping and trade.
  • Contains coral reefs.
  • Connected to the Mediterranean Sea by the Suez Canal.
  • Suez Canal: 120-mile man-made waterway opened in 1869.
• Persian Gulf:
  • Rich in oil and natural gas.
  • One of the most important regions for energy resources globally.
  • Narrows to the Strait of Hormuz, leading to the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean.

Coastal Plains

• Border the Mediterranean Sea, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and Arabian Sea.
• Vital for maritime trade, fishing, and urban development.
• Cities like Beirut, Tel Aviv, and Dubai serve as economic and cultural hubs.
• Environmental threats:
  • Sea-level rise, pollution, and coastal erosion affecting local communities and ecosystems.