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Geography 101 Middle East & Africa Exam

Terms in this set (114)

The Middle East: Where is this region located? What is a physical characteristic of this region? What is a cultural characteristic of this region?
The Middle East is a transcontinental region of eastern Europe, western Asia, and norther Africa. It is characterized by a hot, arid desert climate and as the center of the Islamic religion.
Arabian Peninsula: Where is the Arabian Peninsula? What countries are located here? What four similar characteristics do countries on the peninsula share?
Peninsula of west Asia, it includes Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates. They all speak Arabic, are predominately Muslim, and have absolute Monarchies.
Central Asia (The -Stans): Where are the "Stans?" What are they? What does -stan mean? What is cultural characteristic that binds the region together? What countries are located in this region?
The -Stans are the countries of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. It means the "land of." It is semi-arid here and had a nomadic culture.
Northern Africa: What is Northern Africa? What countries are located here? What are three characteristics that bind the region together?
The northern portion of the African continent that borders the Mediterranean sea. Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco. They are Islamic, Arabic speaking and mostly in the desert.
Maghreb: What is the Maghreb? Where is it located? What countries are located here? Why physical feature is prominent here? What group of people are found here?
It is a region of Northern African from Morocco to Libya, it excludes Egypt, and is characterized by the Atlas Mountains.
Sahel: What is the Sahel? Where is it located? What climate type dominates here? What process is common here?
Zone of transition between the Sahara Desert and wetter regions of Africa, semi-arid. Desertification
West Africa: What is West Africa? Where is it located? What are some countries that are found in this region? What is historically significant about this region?
Region south of the Sahara Desert and located in the western bulge of the African continent, 15 countries
Horn of Africa: Where is the Horn of Africa? What countries are located here?
The Horn of Africa is a Peninsula of Norther Africa containing Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somalia.
Southern Africa: What is Southern Africa? What are some countries that are located here?
The southern most region of Africa. Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland.
What is a steppe?
A steppe is a semi-arid grassland without trees
What was the Arab Spring? When was it? Where did it occur? What technology had a major impact on this event?
The Arab Spring began in Turkey, and was an uprising based on the refugee crisis. Social media heavily influenced the protests in north Africa and the Middle East.
What was the Syrian Civil War? When did this occur? What sides are involved? What is each side fighting for? What humanitarian effects has this event had on Syria?
The Syrian civil war is a conflict over the control of Syria, that started in 2011. It is being fought between Pro-Assad and Anti-Assad forces. It has resulted in groups like ISIS and chemical weapons being used (which are banned by the UN, which Syria is a part of).
What is Islam? Who founded it? What are the two major denominations? What are some characteristics of Islam?
Islam is a religion that was founded by Muhammad in the 7th century. Shiite and Sunni are the largest denominations. It is monotheistic and the 2nd largest religion.
Who are Muslims?
Muslims are followers of Islam
What is the Quran?
The Quran is the holy book of Isalm
What religion are Shiite and Sunni associated with?
Denominations of Islam
What is ISIS? What does ISIS stand for? What does ISIL stand for? What religion do they associate with (and specifically, what aspects of that religion do they associate with)?
ISIS is a Sunni extremist group. It stands for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria OR Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Who are the Kurds? What region/countries are they associated with?
The Kurds are an ethnic group living in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran that are suppressed.
What were the Crusades? What was their point?
Series of religious wars sanctioned by the Christian church to recover Jerusalem from Islamic rule.
What was the Nakba? What countries is it associated with?
Exodus or removal of Arabs from Israeli lands in 1948
What is significant about Temple Mount? Where is it located (country and city)?
One of the most religious sites in the world in Jerusalem, Israel.
Where is the Dome of the Rock Located (country and city, and a specific location)? What is significant about this site? Who is it significant for?
Dome of the Rock is in Jerusalem, Israel, it is a religious site where Muhammad ascended to heaven. It is important for the Islamic faith.
Where is the Western Wall located (country and city, and a specific location)? What is significant about this site? Who is it significant for?
It is in Jerusalem, it is a religious site significant for prayer for the Jewish faith.
What is the West Bank? Where is the West Bank located? Who controls the West Bank?
West Bank is the Palestinian homeland occupied by Israel
What is the Israeli West Bank Barrier? Why was it constructed? Where is it constructed? Who built it?
It separates Israel from West bank, to "prevent" Palestinian attack. It was built by the Intifada.
What is an intifada? What country/countries is it associated with?
A group of Palestinian suicide bombings and attacks against Israeli citizens.
What are Israeli settlements? Where are they located? Who lives in them?
Housing on Palestinian land in the West Bank for Israeli citizens.
What is the Gaza Strip? Who controls it? What is significant about the Gaza Strip? What is happening here?
Territory claimed by the Palestinians that is not occupies by Israel, but blockaded by Israel. Where the Hamas organization is residing.
Hamas: What is Hamas? What country/countries are they associated with? Where are they located?
The Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni Islamic Fundamentalist organization that uses armed resistance in the Gaza Strip.
Absolute Monarchy: What is an absolute monarchy? What country/countries that we discussed have an absolute monarchy?
One ruler has all the power in the government, the countries of the Arabian Peninsula have this type of government.
Bedouins: Who are the Bedouins? What region are they associated with?
They are associated with the Arabian Peninsula, they are the nomadic people of the Middle East.
Wahhabism: What is Wahhabism? What religion is it associated with? Where is Wahhabism popular?
A puritanical form of Sunni Islam in Saudi Arabia
What is the Hajj? What religion is it associated with? Where is it associated with?
The Hajj is an Islamic pilgrimage that goes to the city of Mecca.
What is the Kaaba? What religion is it associated with? Where is it?
Kaaba is an Islamic holy site, located in Mecca, in the Arabian Peninsula.
What happened during the Iranian Revolution? When did the event occur? What was the result of the Iranian Revolution?
Rejection of secularism and the creation of Islamic state, it occured in 1979.
What is the Azadi Tower? Where is it located (city and country)?
It is located in Tehran, Iran
Persian/Farsi: What are these languages? Where are they spoken?
National language of Iran
What is a yurt? What region are they associated with?
Round, portable tent used on the central Asian steppes. It has been around in the same form for hundreds of years. New products have been being used to create them
Aswan High Dam: Where is this dam located (country and physical feature)? Why is it important?
It is in Egypt on the Nile, controls the flooding and provides irrigation and electricity.
The Great Pyramids: Where are the pyramids located (city and country)?
Egypt, in Giza
Who are the Tuareg? Where do they live?
Nomadic inhabitants of the Maghreb
What is desertification? What efforts are being used to combat desertification?
The process by which arable land become arid
What is the Great Green Wall? What is it trying to stop? What region is it located in?
International effort to stop Sahel desertification through the planting of trees.
What is Boko Haram? Where are they located? What other organization are they affiliated with?
ISIS affiliated Islamic extremist group in Nigeria
What is the conflict in the Niger Delta about? Who is involved? What is happening here? What region of the world is this happening in?
Foreign companies do most of the producing in the Niger Delta, Ethnic groups in the Delta attack for control of oil, reprisals by Nigerian military. West Africa
What is Rastafarianism? Where was it founded? Who is considered centrally important to it? What is a central tenant of Rastafarianism?
Rastafarianism is a religion founded in Jamaica with bases in Pan-Africanism, it is Christianity mixed with West African Ideals. Jah, is god, and they see Haile Selassie as the second coming.
What is Pan-Africanism? What does it mean? What religion is it associated with?
Solidarity between people of African descent.
What is a failed state? What does it mean? What country that we discussed can be described as a failed state?
Nation that can no longer provide services to its citizens. Somalia is an example.
What is coltan? What is it used for? Where is it mined?
Is a metallic ore from South Africa
What is Al-Shabaab? Where country are they associated with?
Islamic extremist group in Somalia.
Rwandan Genocide: What was this event? What happened during the Rwandan Genocide? When did it occur? What effects did it have on neighboring countries?
Happened during Rwandan Genocide
Who are the Zulu? Why are they important? Where are they located?
Indigenous peoples that form part of South Africa's present-day populations.
What is a Boer? What country are they associated with? What European country are they related to?
Settlers that were Dutch or Huguenot who settled in South Africa.
What is Afrikaans? Where is it spoken? What European language is it related to?
It is a langue related to English in southern Africa
What was the Mineral Revolution? Where did it take place? What effect did it have?
South Africa, discovery of diamonds and gold, massive industrialization.
What was apartheid? What country is it associated with?
South Africa, a policy institutionalized racial segregation
What region is Syria a part of? What event is currently happening in this country?
The Syrian Civil war/refugee crisis, it is part of the Middle East.
What is the capital of Iraq? What region is Iraq a part of?
Baghdad, it is in the region once ruled by the Ottomans.
What is the capital of Israel? Where is the government located, mainly?
Jerusalem is the stated capital, in reality Tel Aviv, where the government is located.
Jerusalem: Where is this city located? What is significant about this city
It is a Christian holy site, located in Israel/Palestine.
Palestine: Where is the government located, mainly?
Ramallah is where the government mainly is
What is significant, economically, about Saudi Arabia?
It is the world's largest exporter of Oil.
What is significant about Mecca? What country is it located in?
Mecca is an Islamic Holy city in Saudi Arabia.
What region(s) is Yemen associated with? What is significant about Yemen currently?
Yemen is located in the Arabian Peninsula. There is currently a Islamic religious movement seeking control of Yemen.
What is the capital of Iran? What region is Iran associated with? What was a former name of Iran? What is significant about Iran currently, especially in regard to its nuclear capabilities?
The capital is Tehran, it is associated with
What is significant about Tehran?
The capital of Iran, Azadi Tower
Why is Kazakhstan significant? What region is it located in? What religion is predominant in the country?
It is the largest land locked country, it is in the -Stans, Wealthiest country in central Asia, majority Islamic, with a fast growing economy.
Kyrgyzstan: What region is it located in? HINT: REMEMBER HOW TO SPELL THIS COUNTRY
Kyrgyzstan is in the -Stans.
KYRG + Z + STAN
Turkmenistan: What region is it located in?
Part of the -Stans, in the Karakum Desert.
Uzbekistan: What region is it located in?
Most populous country of central Asia, part of the -Stans.
Egypt: What is the capital of Egypt? What region is Egypt located in? How was Egypt affected by the Arab Spring?
Cairo is the capital of Egypt, it is in Norther Africa, it led to a revolution in 2011.
What is significant about Cairo?
Most populous city in the Arab world
What is significant about Giza?
Home of the great Pyramids
What region(s) is Morocco associated with?
The Maghreb, and Northern Africa.
Where are Ceuta and Melilla? Who owns these cities? Why are they important today?
Cities in Morocco that are owned in Spain, it is a destination for many African immigrants.
What region is Timbuktu located in? What country? Is it a real location?
West Africa, it is an ancient city in Mali
What region is Ghana located in?
Western Africa
What region is Cote d'Ivoire located in? What is significant about this country?
Western Africa, the largest producer of cocoa beans
What region is Nigeria located in? What is significant about Nigeria? How are religions distributed in Nigeria, and what effect does this have on the country?
Western Africa, it is the most populous country in Africa. It is very diverse.
What region is Ethiopia located in? What religion is largely associated with Ethiopia? What is economically significant about Ethiopia?
Ethiopia is in the Horn of Africa. It is largely associated with the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church.
What region is Somalia located in? What is currently happening in Somalia? What is a term that can be used to characterize Somalia?
The Horn of Africa, it is a failed state, and currently have no central authority, Somalian Pirates and extremist groups.
What region is the DRC located in? What European country was the DRC a colony of and what impacts did that have on the development of the DRC?
Central Africa
What region is Rwanda located in? Why is Rwanda historically significant?
Probs Central Africa
What region is Uganda located in?
Central Africa
What region is South Africa located in? What are the capitals of South Africa? Who colonized South Africa?
South Africa is in Southern Africa. Capitals include Bloemfontein, Pretoria and Cape Town.
What country is Johannesburg located in? Why is Johannesburg significant?
Most populous city in South Africa.
What is important about Pretoria?
One of the capitals of South Africa.
What is important about Bloemfontein?
One of South Africa Capitals.
What is important about Cape Town?
One of the Capitals of south Africa.
Bashar al-Assad: Who is this man? What country is he associated with?
Syrian President
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: Who is this man? What organization is he associated with?
ISIL Leader
Haile Selassie: Who is this man? What country is he associated with? What religion is he associated with?
Former Emperor of Ethiopia, he is associated with Rastafarianism (even though he didn't want to be).
Nelson Mandela: Who is this man? What country is he associated with? What is he credited with helping to end?
South African president, he is credited with helping end the segregation.
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers: Where are these rivers located? Why are they important? What historical region are they associated with?
Two of the most important rivers in world history, associated with Mesopotamia. They have lots of vegetation despite being in an arid climate. Located in the Middle East.
Where is the Arabian Desert located?
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Where is the Strait of Hormuz located? Why is it important?
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What is the Caspian Sea? Where is it located? Why is it important?
It is located in Iran, and is the largest enclosed body of water in the world with massive oil reserves beneath (conflict).
Where is the Karakum Desert? What country is it associated with?
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Where is the Aral Sea? What has happened recently to it? Why?
Lake that has been almost completely dried up for irrigation.
Where is the Sahara Desert? What is significant about it?
It is in Northern Africa, it is the hottest desert in
Where is the Nile River? What is significant about it? Why is the Nile important today?
The Nile river is Egypt, provided fertile land in the desert, where farming and shipping can be done.
Where are the Atlas Mountains located? What regions are they associated with?
They are in the Maghreb, in Northern Africa
Where are the African Great Lakes located (region)? Why do they exist? What are examples of some of the African Great Lakes?
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What is important about Lake Victoria?
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What is important about Lake Tanganyika?
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What is the East African Rift? What is happening here? What will be the eventual result of the Rift? What other physical features has the rift formed?
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What is the Witwatersrand? Where is it located (country)? What is significant about it? What historical event is it associated with?
Location of gold rush during Mineral Revolution, in south Africa.
What is Table Mountain? Where is it located (city and country)?
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What is the Cape of Good Hope? Where is it located (country)?
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Israel/Palestine conflict: How did the conflict begin? What city is at the heart of this conflict? What regions of Palestine are affected by this conflict? How is Israel controlling land and people in these regions? How has foreign intervention possibly exacerbated the situation in Israel/Palestine?
It is a conflict over the land of Israel and Palestine, as the Palestinians were there before Israel was formed. Jerusalem is the heart of this conflict, Israel has means to prevent flow of people between the border.
Arab Spring: What was the Arab Spring? Where did it occur? What regions were affected by this event? What countries, specifically, had governments toppled during this movement? Though movements like the Arab Spring are not uncommon, what was different about this one, especially given the technology available at the time?
The Arab Spring began in Turkey, and was an uprising based on the refugee crisis. Social media heavily influenced the protests in north Africa and the Middle East.
How did the Syrian Civil War start? What major event precipitated the war? Who is the leader in charge of Syria when the war started? What sides are involved in the war? What group took advantage of the chaos to capture much of Syria's territory? What other major world event has been affected by the Syrian Civil War?
Over conflict for the control of the Syrian government, brought on by Arab Spring. Assad was the leader, ISIS captured much of the land, and the Syrain refugee crisis.
Niger Delta conflict: Why is there a conflict in the Niger Delta? In what country is this taking place? Who is involved in the conflict? What have these people done to escalate the conflict? What is the effect of this conflict on the local economy?
Ethnic groups living in the Delta attack the foreign companies for control of oil
Reprisals by Nigerian military
Attacks on oil infrastructure depress Nigerian economy
What are the five main regions of Africa covered in this class? What countries are located in these respective regions?
Northern Africa- Egypt and Morocco
South Africa- Zimbabwe and South Africa
West Africa- Nigeria and Mali
Horn of Africa- Ethiopia and Somalia
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