World Geo Asia

Turkey

center of the ottoman empire, secular country- does not have an official religion

Turkey, Kurds

Stateless nation, British promised a country

Iran

originally Persia, they speak Farsi, police network SAVAK would kill people who would criticize the Shah

Suni Islam

85% of world, 10% of Iran

Shia Islam

15% of world, 90% of Iran

Iraq

Saddam Hussein

Kuwait

has one of the worlds largest oil reserves, Iraq intentional oil spill to prevent any other country from having the oil

Saudi Arabia

2nd largest proven reserves of oil in the world, absolute monarchy

Qatar

3rd largest preserves of natural gas on earth, transport it by converting it into liquefied natural gas

United Arab Emirates

broken down into 7 emirates,

Oman

20% of the world’s oil supply passes through Musandam Peninsula and Strait of Hormuz

Yemen

proxy conflict- two opposing forces, at least one is backed by an outside power

Yemini Civil war

Yemen gov backed by Saudia Arabia, Houthi Rebels backed by Iran, way of indirect fighting

Israel

The Jewish Diaspora- by late 1800s 90% of Jews were living in Europe

establishment of a Jewish state

League of nations mandate- British withdrew control, 56% would be for Jews, 44% for Palestinians, Jerusalem would be under UN control

Jordan

Second Arab country to make peace with Israel, home to the largest number of Palestinian refugees

Syria

Civil war- evolved because of the Arab spring, protests against regimes

Lebanon

creation of the French as a homeland for Christians, shifted to a Muslim majority

Lebanese Civil War

Beirut was known as the Paris of the middle east, completely destroyed

People’s republic of China

1. Qin Dynasty

2. Han Dynasty

3. Qing Dynasty

Nationalist revolution overthrew last dynasty

China

Long march brought communism to the impoverished- Mao Zedong

Today’s China

Mixed Authoritarian, one child policy misaligned with Chinese tradition

Taiwan

kicked out the UN and replaced by China, US does not recognize

Taiwan and China

Renegade province, outside the legal authority of main Chinese gov but if Taiwan declared independence, China will go to war

Japan

Asian Tigers use as a model for economic development and growth, high risk for natural disasters

Japan nation state

99% is ethnically Japanese

Mongolia

least densely populated country on earth

Mongolia geography

continentality- far away from large bodies of water, climate is less moderated. Buffer state- smaller country in between countries of strength

Pakistan

war over Jammu and Kashmir, forward capital to reinforce claim

India

46% of Indias workforce is employed in agriculture sector, largest recipient of remittances from expatriate workers

India birthplace of

Hinduism and Buddhism

Bangladesh

war for independence supported by India, one of the most densely populated countries

Nepal Bhutan

both landscapes are dominated by the Himalayas, buffer state

Sri Lanka

British established excessive tea plantations, brought Tamils and established insurgent state of Eelam

Zagros Mountains and Alborz Mountains

movement of Arabian plate, young steep peaks

Asir Mountains

More vegetation than the rest of the country bc higher amounts of rainfall- orographic effect

Mesopotamia- Euphrates river and Tigris River

where western civilization began, means land between the two rivers

Plateau of Saudia Arabia

important boundary for oil extraction

Iranian Plateau

compared to Nevada, basin and range bc orographic effect

Hindu Kush

narrow passages, good terrain for guerilla warfare, nicknamed graveyard of empires

Tian Shan

translated to Mountains of heaven, lowest point in China

Kunlun Mountains, Tibetan Plateau

largest ice fields outside of the poles, known as the third pole, largest in terms of area and elevation- roof of the world

Himalayas

mount Everest, formed by thrust faulting

Huang He (yellow river)

depositing river, helpful for agriculture, major wheat producing region

Chang Jiang (Yangtze river)

largest hydroelectric plant called three gorges dam, sericulture- silk