Geography, Culture, and Religion in Southwest Asia & North Africa

Western Sahara

Disputed territory primarily claimed by Morocco.

Mauritania

Country with partial claims over Western Sahara.

Physical Geography

Study of landforms, climates, and ecosystems.

Water Resource Management

Changes in water usage over time in the region.

Climate Influence

Effects of climate on agricultural practices.

Urban Living Origins

Historical beginnings of cities in Southwest Asia.

Urbanization Patterns

Contemporary trends in city growth and development.

Religious Expression

Diverse practices of faith in the region.

Major Religions

Religions originating from Southwest Asia.

Gender Roles

Variations of gender expectations across cultures.

Horseshoe Arch

Architectural feature common in Islamic architecture.

Ibn al-Haytham

Scholar known for 'The Book of Optics'.

Muhammad al-Idrisi

Cartographer who created advanced ancient maps.

MENA

Acronym for Middle East and North Africa.

Dry World

Region characterized by arid climates.

Tropic of Cancer

23.5° N latitude marking tropical regions.

Biomes

Large ecological units with similar vegetation.

Sahel

Transitional zone between Sahara and grasslands.

Pastoralism

Agricultural system involving herding livestock.

Qanats

Underground water management systems in Iran.

Nile River

Major river flowing through 10 countries.

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Hydroelectric project impacting Nile water flow.

Atatürk Dam

Dam on Euphrates River in Turkey.

Tigris and Euphrates

Rivers crucial for water supply in Iraq.

Hearth

Area where original ideas develop and spread.

First Agricultural Revolution

Occurred ~10K years ago in Fertile Crescent.

Agricultural Surplus

Excess food production enabling city development.

Urbanization

Population shift from rural to urban areas.

Sumerian Cities

Early urban centers like Eridu and Uruk.

Gender Roles

Cultural expectations regarding behavior of genders.

Wahhabism

Strict Islamic sect prevalent in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Vision 2030

Plan for modernization and reform in Saudi Arabia.

Global Gender Gap

World Economic Forum's ranking of gender equality.

Committee for Promotion of Virtue

Enforces moral standards in Saudi public life.

Conservative Clothing

Traditional attire often required for women.

Niqab

Full-face veil worn by some Muslim women.

Abaya

Loose-fitting robe traditionally worn by women.

Religious Police

Enforce Islamic laws and customs in public.

Urbanization Rate

Average urban population in region: 57.3%.

Hinterland

Area surrounding a city providing resources.

Cultural Diversity

Variety of cultural practices within a region.

Fundamentalism

Strict adherence to religious doctrines.

Seasonal Movement

Migration patterns based on resource availability.

Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Three major faiths originating from the region.

San People

Indigenous hunter-gatherers of Southern Africa.

Population of MENA

Region's population approximately 400 million.

Reina Wehbi

MENA campaigner for Amnesty International.

Social reforms

Changes that improve societal conditions.

Human rights violations

Abuses against individuals' basic rights.

Freedom of expression

Right to express opinions freely.

Death penalty

Legal punishment of execution for crimes.

Healthy environment

Conditions necessary for human health.

Diffusion of Arabic

Spread of Arabic language with Islam.

Arabic in trade

Arabic's role in commerce across regions.

Qur'an in Arabic

Muslims encouraged to read holy text in Arabic.

Maghreb region

North African area with distinct Arabic dialect.

Farsi

Persian language, predominant in Iran.

Levant languages

Includes French, English, Hebrew, and Aramaic.

Kurdish languages

Languages spoken by Kurdish people in Middle East.

Universalizing religion

Religion that seeks to convert others.

Ethnic religion

Religion confined to a specific ethnic group.

Judaism

Monotheistic religion originating from Palestine.

The Torah

Sacred text of Judaism.

Jewish Diaspora

Dispersal of Jews from their homeland.

Christianity

Religion based on teachings of Jesus Christ.

Paul of Tarsus

Early Christian missionary and apostle.

Islam

Monotheistic religion founded by Muhammad.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core practices required for Muslim life.

Kaaba

Sacred structure in Mecca, house of God.

Adherents of Islam

Approximately 1.9 billion followers worldwide.

Shahadah

Muslim declaration of faith in Allah and Muhammad.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core practices required of all Muslims.

Fasting during Ramadan

Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset monthly.

Hajj

Pilgrimage to Mecca, required once if able.

Shi'a

Muslims believing leadership should stay within Muhammad's family.

Sunni

Muslims accepting leaders outside Muhammad's family lineage.

Imam

Title for revered spiritual leaders in Shi'a Islam.

Ali

First Imam and cousin of Muhammad.

Schism

Division in Islam between Shi'a and Sunni branches.

Sharia

Islamic law derived from the Koran and Hadith.

Abrahamic Faiths

Religions sharing roots: Judaism, Christianity, Islam.

Religious Fundamentalism

Strict interpretation shaping all life aspects.

Hindu Fundamentalism

Movement linked to Indian nationalism.

Jewish Fundamentalism

Belief in divine covenant regarding West Bank.

Islamic Fundamentalism

Advocacy for Sharia based on Koran.

Christian Fundamentalism

Emphasis on Ten Commandments in civil law.

South Asia

Region including Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and more.

Monsoon

Seasonal winds causing heavy rainfall in South Asia.

Indus Civilization

Ancient civilization known for advanced urban planning.

Caste System

Social hierarchy historically significant in South Asia.

Outsourcing

Relocation of business processes to lower-cost regions.

Green Revolution

Agricultural transformation increasing food production.

Subcontinent

Geological term for India's tectonic plate collision.

Gondwana

Ancient supercontinent that included the Indian subcontinent.

Himalaya Mountains

Mountain range formed by the collision of tectonic plates.

Karakoram Range

Mountain range containing K2, known for its difficulty.

Mt. Everest

Tallest mountain, growing at 2.4 inches annually.

K2

Second tallest mountain, known for dangerous climbs.

Continent-continent convergent boundary

Where two continental plates collide, forming mountains.

Fold mountains

Mountains created by the folding of Earth's crust.