Geography Middle East Test

Mecca

City where Muhammad was born

Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Start in Turkey and flow through the Middle East into the Persian Gulf, providing water and fertile soil that helped early civilizations develop in Mesopotamia

Rub al Khali

The largest sand desert in the world

Religions born in the Middle East

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Main Resource in the Middle East

Petroleum and natural gas

Water in the Middle East

Precious

Subregions of the Middle East

Eastern Mediterranean and Persian Gulf

Exceptions to Developing Economies

Israel and Bahrain

Jihad

Struggle

Shahada

Declaring one God, Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger, and daily recitation

Salat

Pray 3-5 times a day facing Mecca

Ramadan

Fasting and practicing self-control with empathy for the poor

Alm’s Giving

Giving 2.5-20 percent of what one owns money and belongings

Hajj

A five-day pilgrimage where millions of Muslims go to Mecca wearing simple clothing showing equality and rituals honor Abraham

Middle Eastern Food

A combination of locally grown grains, fruits, vegetables, and meats like chicken and lamb, not pork, with dates grown in abundance

Representative Democracy or Republic

People elect individuals to represent them in leading government positions

Representative Democracy or Republic Countries

Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, and Israel

Constitutional Monarchy

A king or queen's power is limited by a constitution

Constitutional Monarchy Example

Jordan, where King Abdullah II holds executive power

Absolute Monarchy

A king or queen has total absolute authority with little to no limitation of power

Absolute Monarchy Countries

Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar

Islamic Republic

Follow Sharia law based on the Quran and the Hadith

Islamic Republic Countries

Iraq and Iran

Deserts

Cover around 70 percent, with average summer temperatures of 117 degrees and average winter temperatures of 60 degrees