Living in North Africa, SW & Central Asia

Ch. 19 Sec.1

Food•Challenge to meet needs of rapidly

growing population, w/ little resources

•Saudi Arabia can buy food with oil $

•Afgh. can only grow sm. amt of food (poor soil)

• Israel has great climate& grows/exports lots Afghanistan

Agriculture

•Strangely, there is such little arable land, but majority of jobs are in agriculture

•They learn to adapt…–When Med. countries face a drought they just farm more hardy foods (wheat, barley, etc)

Usable Land

•Egypt has least amount of usable land

•Morocco & Turkey seem to have most

•Most countries with little arable land compensate with herding

Usable Land

•To make up for little usable land countries may:–Have intensive irrigation (some drain seas )

–Mining industries–Focus on other industries like oil…

Oil

• Oil is, by far, most impt. commodity– 70% of world’s oil, 33% of world’s nat.

gas• Industries using oil:

– Refining & shipping– Steel, textiles, electricity production– Petrochemicals (fertilizers, medicines,

plastics, & paints)

Service Industries

•GDP = gross domestic product–Value of goods & services produced in country per year

•Bahrain is 60% service industry–Banking, real estate, insurance–Highest GDP–High HDI b/c it spends its $ on social services & needs as well

Service Industries

•Tourism is huge b/c:–Religious importance–Historical importance–Mediterranean climate/beaches

•Tourism limitations– Iran limits # of tourists to decrease western influence

–Regional conflicts discourage ppl from coming (not safe)

Western Wall in Jerusalem

Transportation

•Most waterways connected with straits & gulfs–Strategic and economic value

–Almost all oil exports sent thru waterways ($$)

–Vast # of pipelines to carry oil over land to coasts

Communications•Problems:

–Too much government control–Lots of deserts and mountains–Lack of satellite/cellular service in rural areas

•The New Silk Road–Telecommunications highway built over old Silk Road route•Cable for 20 countries; 16,767 miles•TRACECA- road, rail, & air system

OPECOrganization of Petroleum

Exporting Countries•12 members•Can restrict/limit amount of oil•Can raise oil prices•Can enact embargos

(All have been done to U.S.)

Interdependence is Key

They provide oil and other industrial goods; others

provide foreign aid, trade deals, loans, & food goods.

Despite our political disagreements, we cannot live without one another