World geo unit 7

depend

to get essential resources, humans depend on the enviornment for survival

adapt

humans can adapt to various environmental conditions for survival and to meet their needs

Modify

any change in the physical environment by humans

nile river

• longest river in the world

• Flows north and drains into the Mediterranean Sea

• Large ethnic diversity

• Soil is good for growing crops

• HEI depending

the Sahel / transition zone

a narrow band of dry grassland between the tropical grasslands and desert (slowly desertification, joining the Sahara desert)

Causes of desertification of the Sahel

• overgrazing of animals

• Firewood collection

• Poor farming techniques

effects of desertification of the Sahel

• desertification

• Almost impossible for vegetation to return

project Sahel

• replant more acacia trees

• Promote efficient uses of farm and ranch land

great rift valley

“the cradle of mankind”

• areas was ideal for farming, livestock, water and fertile soil

push factors for colonialism

1. Demand for raw materials by euro0pean countries

2. Competition between countries for political power

eurocentrism

a worldview centered on and biased towards western civilization

Berlin conference

• Europeans met to create rules on how to divide up Africa ( no ruler was invited )

• Resulted in the colonization of Africa - divided into European colonies

negative impacts of Berlin conference

• bborders were drawn without regard to ethnic or language differences

• led to a series of tribal conflicts that still exist today

African ethnic map vs European state map

European boundaries show no regard for cultural / tribal groups ( possibility for 2 warring tribes to inhabit the same boundaries )

bantu migration

• produced a great diversity of cultures but also helped link various areas of the continent

• over 100 bantu languages

somali pirates

• a civil war led to disruption of stability within Somalia

• increased rebel offshore ship hijacking

• obtained goods to sell illegally to survive

darfur / sudan

• ethnic conflict: darfurians rebelled against the country’s Arab muslim leader ( ARAB vs. NON ARAB )

ethnic cleansing

the government has used mass murder, rape and burning of villages to remove ethnic groups deemed unwanted

aswan high dam

a dam built across the nile between 1960-70 to control floods and water

positives of Aswan high dam

1. farmers receive a regular supply of water

2. possibility of 2-3 harvests per year

3. increase in land available for farming

negatives for aswan high dam

1. more use of artificial fertilizer

2. forced many people to relocate permanently

3. freshwater is lost due to evaporation

4. still waters create a habitat for mosquitos and malaria

hydroelectric dams

using movement or water to generate electricity ( Iraq is fearful they will have a shortage of water because of the dams )

drip irrigation

small pipes slowly drip water just obverse the ground

• cuts down evaporation and conserves water used for crops

camels

“ships of the desert”

• great for transportation

• can survive without water, can eat everything and carry heavy loads for long distances

clothing adaptations

• loose fitting long gowns and cotton headdresses protect against dust, heat and flies

Africas economics

not very diversified - generally “one commodity: centered

central africa

petroleum

west africa

cocoa beans, iron ore, bauxite

North Africa

petroleum

east Africa

coffee beans

South Africa

diamonds / gold

diversified economy

investing in multiple economic sectors to promote growth and limit risk of economic failure

nigeria

Africas number 1 producer of oil and has the second largest oil reserves

angola

africas second largest oil producer; however most of their money is spent on fighting a civil war

order of disease spread from small to large

1. endemic

2. epidemic

3. pandemic

endemic diseases

disease found among particular people or in a certain area

epidemic

RAPID widespread disease in a community or region

pandemic

disease prevalent over a whole country or the world

local global continuum “ripple effect”

due to globalization, events that happen in one location have the ability to ripple and affect other parts of the world

• this has a spreading affect = region to region

• but also has an up and down scale effect = global and local

choke point

a narrow passage where transportation must pass through

Suez Canal

connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea

bab el-mandeb

connects the Red Sea to the Arabian sea then to Indian Ocean

strait of hormuz

connects the Arabian Sea to the Persian gulf ( connects the planet to half the worlds oil )

persian gulf

• located in Middle East

• contains an estimated 50^% of the worlds oil reserves and plays a strategic geopolitical role

OPEC ( organization of petroleum exporting countries )

• group of 15 countries that seek to control and influence the price of oil by determining how much to supply

Northern Africa and the Middle East

• cultural similarity helps the groups the 2 regions together to create Middle East

• isalam is dominant

arabic

the second most common language spoken in Africa

isalm / Muhammad

founder of islam in 610 CE

theocracy

government that is influenced by religion

mosque

place of worship for a muslim

Mecca

holiest city of islam. birthplace of Muhammad

Jerusalem has religious significance to…

1. judaism

2. islam

3. christianity

does of the rock

muslims believe Muhammad ascended to heaven at this location

western wall in Jerusalem

holiest site for jews in Jerusalem. religiously significant to the region of judaism.

stateless nation

a culture group that gas no state EX. Palestinians and kurds ( stateless nations want self governance )

kurds

distinct ethnic group with its own language occupying land in parts of Iraq, turkey, Iran and syria that have been continuing to pursue greater self governance

palestinians

• inhabitants of the former region of “Palestine” as created by the Roman Empire

• commonly refers to the Arab / muslim / christian populations living in the territorial area of Gaza Strip and West Bank