Middle East

Middle East Overview

Page 1: Quarter Overview

  • Focus on Middle East for the 2nd Quarter

Page 2: Israel

  • Population: 8,674,475

  • Ethnic Groups: Jewish 74%, Arab 20%

  • Religions: Jewish 74%, Muslim 18%

  • Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic (for Arab minority)

  • Government: Parliamentary Democracy

  • Independence: May 14, 1948

Page 3: Cyprus

  • Population: 1,266,675

  • Ethnic Groups: Greek 98%

  • Religion: Greek Orthodox 89%

  • Language: Greek

  • Government: Republic

  • Capital: Nicosia

Page 5: Jordan

  • Population: 10,820,644

  • Ethnic Groups: Jordanian 69%, Syrian 13%

  • Religion: Muslim 97%

  • Languages: Arabic; English widely spoken

  • Government: Constitutional Monarchy

  • Capital: Amman

  • Independence: May 25, 1946

Page 6: Petra

  • Known as the "Lost City" or "Rose City"

Page 7: Lebanon

  • Population: 5,469,612

  • Ethnic Groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%

  • Religions: Muslim 61%, Christian 33%

  • Language: Arabic (official)

  • Government: Republic

  • Capital: Beirut

Page 8: Turkey

  • Population: 82,017,514

  • Ethnic Groups: Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%

  • Religion: Muslim 99% (mostly Sunni)

  • Language: Turkish

  • Government: Presidential Republic

  • Capital: Ankara

Page 10: Syria

  • Population: 19,398,448

  • Religion: Muslim 87% (Sunni 74%)

  • Language: Arabic

  • Government: Presidential Republic; highly authoritarian regime

  • Capital: Damascus

Page 12: Key Geography

  • Region: Middle Eastern countries and their borders, including Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, and surrounding seas.

Page 13: Hagia Sophia

  • Located in Istanbul, formerly the largest Christian church of the Eastern European Empire.

  • Converted to a mosque in 1493 after the fall of Constantinople.

Page 15: Important Rivers

  • Tigris and Euphrates: Begin in eastern Anatolia (Turkey) and empty into the Persian Gulf.

  • Major sources of irrigation, with Jordan River flowing into the Dead Sea.

Page 18: Dead Sea

  • Lies 1,312 feet below sea level.

  • Once part of the Mediterranean Sea, now without an outlet.

  • Extremely salty, allowing swimmers to float easily.

Page 20: Definitions

  • Potash: Mineral used for processing wool and making fertilizers, glass, and soaps.

  • Magnesium: Valuable light metal for industries like aerospace.

  • Sultan: Ottoman rulers.

  • Mandates: Territories temporarily under another country’s control.