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Southwest Asia. Southwest Asia and India

1. Using the maps of the atlas, give a description EGP of the region Southwest Asia and North Africa.

The most important sea route between the Atlantic and Indian oceans passes through the region. Of outstanding importance are the Suez Canal, the Straits of Hormuz, the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. The largest seaports are Alexandria, Istanbul, Izmir, Beirut, Haifa, Aden.

Southwest Asia occupies the peninsula of Asia Minor, the Armenian and Iranian highlands, partly the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, Mesopotamia, Palestine, the Arabian Peninsula and the island of Cyprus. Natural landscapes are diverse, dominated by sun-scorched deserts, semi-deserts and mountain systems. The region is characterized by significant mountainousness of Alpine age, high seismicity, evidence of which are earthquakes in Armenia, Turkey, Iran, etc. The largest mountain systems in the region are the Caucasus Mountains, the Iranian and Anatolian (Asia Minor) highlands. The region is rich in mineral resources. The main wealth is oil and gas. Most countries are members of OPEC (Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE).

North Africa unites the countries of the African Mediterranean - Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, and Sudan. The overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of this region are Arabs. Territory North Africa arid and semi-arid. Therefore, the problems of irrigation, domestic and industrial water supply are very acute here. The only water artery of the region is the river. Nile. Under conditions of fresh water scarcity, groundwater is of particular importance for the region, especially in the Algerian Sahara and the Libyan Desert. Industrial areas are located mainly on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and near it (Cairo, Algiers, Tunisia, Rabat, Casablanca, etc.). large deposits of oil and gas - in Algeria, Libya, phosphorites - in Morocco, etc. The countries of this region are among the most economically developed African states, they are more involved in the international division of labor.

2. Why do we consider the countries of Southwest Asia and North Africa as part of a single cultural and historical region?

The countries of Southwest Asia and Africa have traditionally been studied separately. If from a natural point of view such an approach is justified, then from a cultural and historical point of view it raises doubts, since the Arab-Islamic world is “dismembered”. The common linking element of the states and peoples of Southwest Asia and North Africa is Islamic civilization.

3. What role do geographic location and natural resources play in the development of the region's economy?

The region is characterized by an extremely arid climate. Here are the largest deserts in the world - the Sahara and the Arabian. The river network in most of the region does not have permanent watercourses, which, together with the arid climate, limits the spread of agriculture. For the life of people and economic activity, the importance of large rivers - the Tigris and Euphrates, the Nile, which are used for irrigation, is very great; large hydraulic structures were built on them. The mineral resource base of the region is significant, and its main wealth is the world's largest oil and gas reserves. It was they who determined the place of many countries of the region (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain) in the international division of labor. The oil and gas reserves of North Africa (Libya, Algeria) are noticeably more modest, but they are also considered large. In addition, the subsoil of the region contains ore minerals - chromites (Turkey), copper (Turkey, Iran), iron ores, manganese, polymetallic, phosphorites, etc.

4. What is the ethnic composition of the region's population?

The modern population of the region belongs mainly to three ethnolinguistic groups: the Iranian group of the Indo-European language family (Persians, Talysh, Afghans, Balochi, Kurds); the Semitic group of the Semitic-Hamitic family (Arabs, Aisors, Jews) and the Turkic group of the Altai family (Turks, Azerbaijanis and Turkmens of Iran).

5. What are the features of the economy of the region?

The global economic importance of the region is determined by its colossal oil resources of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Libya, and Egypt. The main places of oil production are the territories of the countries adjacent to the Persian Gulf and shelf zones. In terms of production, Saudi Arabia has left all the countries of the region far behind and leads the world (more than 500 million tons). However, there is a large gap between the level of oil production and the capacity of the local oil refining industry. Crude oil is mainly exported, mainly to countries Western Europe and USA. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises (Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, Iran) have been established on the basis of local raw materials, phosphorites are being processed (Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt), enterprises for the production of mineral fertilizers are operating. Textile production and national crafts - carpet weaving, leather dressing - are developed in many countries.

The main sector of the economy in terms of the number of employed remains agriculture, where the leading role belongs to crop production. Vegetable growing, fruit growing, viticulture, cultivation of olive trees are developed in the Mediterranean countries. A significant part of the products of these industries is exported. The leading place among export crops belongs to cotton, the main plantations of which are located in Egypt. The main direction of animal husbandry is meat and wool sheep breeding.

Road transport is of the greatest importance in the region; pipelines have been built in the areas of oil and gas production.

6. Match:

1) Türkiye; 2) Saudi Arabia; 3) Israel; 4) Iran; 5) Egypt; 6) Oman. A) Riyadh; B) Istanbul; B) Tehran D) Jerusalem; D) Muscat; E) Cairo.

1 - B, 2 - A, 3 - D, 4 - C, 5 - E, 6 - D

7. Set match:

1) Jews, Arabs, Aisors; 2) Kurds, Balochs, Afghans; 3) Turks, Azerbaijanis.

A) Indo-European language family; B) Semitic-Hamitic language family;

B) Altaic language family.

1 - B, 2 - A, 3 - C

8. Remove the extra name:

a) Alexandria b) Istanbul; c) Aden; d) Jerusalem.

9. With which countries of the region under consideration does Russia maintain close economic and cultural ties?

Türkiye, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Syria

11. Give an economic and geographical description of one of the countries in the region.

Turkey is a country in Southwest Asia and borders on 8 states. In the east, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran; in the south - with Iraq and Syria; in the west - with Greece and Bulgaria. The country is washed by four seas: Black, Mediterranean, Aegean and Marmara. A feature of the EGP of Turkey is its coastal position, which provides it with access to the Black and Mediterranean Seas. The country controls the strategically important straits of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. Turkey is the southern neighbor of Ukraine: the distance between Odessa and Istanbul is 690 km, and from the Crimea to the Turkish coast - 250 km. Türkiye is located in two parts of the world. Railways and highways pass through Turkey, connecting Europe with the countries of Asia. The country is located at the crossroads of two continents and has been strategically important part not one great empire peace. From the 5th century n. e. by the 11th century - Byzantine Empire; in the XI - XVII centuries. - Ottoman Empire. Thrace - the European part of the country, accounting for 3% of the territory, is located in a subtropical Mediterranean climate. Anatolia - the Asian part is 97% of the area, which has a variety of climatic conditions, Mediterranean to temperate continental. The country plays an important geopolitical role. Turkey is a member of NATO and an associate member of the European Community, and at the same time it is part of the large Islamic world and Turkic-speaking countries.

Section Two

REGIONS AND COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

Topic 11. ASIA

1. SOUTHWEST ASIA

Geographical position. Southwest Asia is located at the crossroads of important world intercontinental routes (sea, air and land) that connect Europe with the countries of Africa, South and South-East Asia, Australia and Oceania.

important links sea routes Communications in this sub-region is the Suez Canal, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. Important international maritime communications are laid off the coast of the subregion: from the Black Sea through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles to the Mediterranean Sea and further through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.

political map. The modern political map of Southwest Asia began to take shape after World War II. In the pre-war period, almost all countries were colonies, only Iran and Turkey belonged to sovereign states. The struggle for strategically important territories in this sub-region was mainly fought by Great Britain and France.

The political map of Southwest Asia is characterized by heterogeneity of government. Eleven countries have chosen a republican form of government, monarchies are preserved in seven countries, including absolute monarchies in three. According to the administrative-territorial structure, the countries of Southwest Asia are unitary and only the United United Arab Emirates- a federal state.

The current political problems of Southwest Asia are a consequence of its colonial past. The state borders that were established during the colonial period give rise today to border conflicts, armed clashes and wars.

The key problem of the subregion is the Arab-Israeli conflict associated with the occupation of Arab territories by Israel - the western bank of the Jordan River (5.5 thousand km 2) and the Gaza Strip (365 km 2). Back in 1947, according to the decision of the UN General Assembly, Palestine, a former colony of Great Britain, was divided into two states: the state of Israel with an area of 14.1 thousand km 2 and the Arab Palestinian state with an area of 11.1 thousand km 2. However, in 1948, Israel violated the UN decision and seized most of the territory of the Arab state.

There is no unity among the Arab states either. Iraq's aggressive policy, for example, led to a war, first with Iran, then with Kuwait.

Serious problems arise on religious grounds, for example, between Christians and Muslims among the Arabs of Lebanon, between supporters of different directions of Islam (Sunnis and Shiites). An unresolved issue between the Turkish and Greek communities in Cyprus. Until that time, the Kurds, who number 21.3 million people in the subregion, do not have their own independent state (Fig. 26).

Natural resource potential. For the development of the economy of the countries of Southwest Asia, it is very important natural resource potential(PRP). The economy in most countries retains a pronounced raw materials and agrarian specialization.

Large areas are dominated by mountainous terrain. The northern part of the subregion is occupied by the mountain systems of the Small and Greater Caucasus and the Central Asian highlands (Asia Minor, Armenian, Iranian), which in the south are replaced by the plains of the Arabian Peninsula. Compared to the vast mountainous areas, the areas of the lowlands are relatively small. Basically, they occupy a narrow strip along the coast of the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas, the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. The Mesopotamian lowland, the largest in the subregion, occupies a large piedmont trough at the edge of the Alpine-Himalayan geosynclinal belt.

A small amount of precipitation, high temperatures, combined with dry winds create extremely unfavorable conditions for the economic development of the region. The mountainous territories and deserts are practically uninhabited and undeveloped, while the lowlands have a high concentration of population and economy.

Minerals. The main wealth of the countries of Southwest Asia is oil. Its main reserves are concentrated within the vast oil and gas basin of the Persian Gulf, which stretches for more than 2,500 km. from the foothills of the Eastern Kleimu to Arabian Sea. It occupies the foothills of the Zagros, Mesopotamia, the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf. Most of the oil fields lie at a depth of 1800-3000 m. About 200 oil fields are known in the Persian Gulf basin, including 12 so-called supergiants with actual oil reserves of more than 1 billion tons each. Saudi Arabia is home to the world's largest oil field, Gsawar. Its reserves are 11.9 billion tons. The second major deposit is Burgan-Ahmadi-Magwa, which occupies the east coast of Kuwait. Its reserves are estimated at 8.5 billion tons.

At the end of the 1990s, oil reserves in the subregion were estimated at 100 billion tons and accounted for 65% of the world's liquid fuel reserves. Oil has been found in 13 countries of Southwest Asia. Five countries account for 92% of all reserves: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, UAE, Iran. The largest reserves are in Saudi Arabia - almost half of all reserves in the subregion.

The potential resources of the Persian Gulf basin have not yet been precisely determined. Its prospects are associated with oil exploration on the shelf of the Persian Gulf.

Natural gas reserves in the countries of Southwest Asia in the late 90s were estimated at 34 trillion. m 3, which is a quarter of the world's reserves.

Natural gas deposits are found in the same areas as oil fields. Its largest deposits are North Field (Qatar) and Kangan and Pars (Iran). Over 90% of all natural gas reserves of the subregion are concentrated in four countries - Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, of which more than half is in Iran.

The largest reserves in the world include reserves of other minerals: chromites (Turkey), potassium salts (Jordan, Israel), phosphorites (Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia).

Climate resources influence the location of agricultural production, the sectoral structure of crop production, farming methods and crop productivity. Throughout the subregion, two crops can be harvested, and in the tropics - three crops per year, subject to artificial irrigation.

Significant areas of the Western Asian Highlands are dominated by a subtropical and tropical continental climate. The continentality of the climate increases with distance from the seas to the interior. Summers are hot and dry, while winters are cool. The average temperatures in July range from 25° in the north to 29° in the south, and in January - 20° and 10°, respectively.

Most precipitation is in the East Anatolian Highlands - up to 700 mm. There is little precipitation in the rest of the territory, their annual amount varies from 50 to 300 mm. Particularly arid are the central and southern parts of the Iranian Highlands.

Within the arid Southwest Asia, the Mesopotamian lowland stands out with favorable climatic conditions. Average temperatures in July are +33°...+34°, and in January - +10°...+12°.

The whole of Mesopotamia is characterized by a large arid climate. The annual rainfall does not exceed 200 mm. Precipitation falls mainly in winter. In a large area of Mesopotamia, agriculture can develop only with artificial irrigation.

A zone of dry steppes stretched from the north and west of Mesopotamia. This area has significant agro-climatic potential. Summers are hot and winters are warm. Average temperatures in July are +30°...+35°, and in January - +7°...+8: The annual precipitation ranges from 300 to 600 mm. This territory has long served the population as a granary is important.

The coastal lowlands are marked by the most humid climate, where agriculture is impossible without artificial irrigation. Summers are hot with average July temperatures of +22°...+24°, winters are warm - +5°...+7°. The most humid climate is on the Black Sea coast, where up to 3000 mm of precipitation falls per year.

Arabia is located in the tropical climate zone and receives the largest amount of solar radiation in Asia. Average summer temperatures reach 30°, and the sum of active temperatures is 9000-10000° and ensures the development of the most heat-loving tropical crops. The annual amount of precipitation is 100 mm or less, sometimes reaching 150 mm.

Due to the lack of moisture in Arabia, irrigated agriculture is developing in small areas. There are no continuous agricultural areas.

Water resources are a super scarce resource in the countries of Southwest Asia. The subregion is experiencing an acute shortage of fresh water. In particular, in Saudi Arabia there are 4,000 people per 1 million m 3 of water, while in European countries - 350 people.

The subregion is poor in surface water. Most of the rivers are shallow and have a temporary flow. The largest of them: Tigris and Euphrates. The water supply and irrigation of land in the arid regions of Turkey, Syria and Iraq is very dependent on these rivers.

Türkiye has the most dense river network in the subregion. Its rivers are not navigable, but they are important as sources of hydropower.

The river network in Arabia is formed by temporary streams - wadis, which are full-flowing only during the rainy season. In summer they dry up or become shallow. Only the city of Jordan has a constant flow. This river satisfies the needs of four Arab countries- Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. The political situation in the subregion makes it impossible to coordinate the use of water resources.

The lakes are mostly endorheic, highly saline. Many of them dry up completely in the summer. The largest lakes are the Dead Sea, Rezaye, Van.

With a lack surface sources Fresh water in the subregion is widely used groundwater, which is extracted using underground channels (ropes), and those that lie close to the surface - wells. Where groundwater comes to the surface in the form of various sources, oases are formed.

Until recently, fresh water was delivered to the countries of the Persian Gulf by ships from Iraq and India. Now non-traditional methods of obtaining fresh water are widely used here. In the second half of the XX century. a special desalination industry has been established in the subregion sea water. In this area, the countries of the subregion occupy the positions of world leaders.

At the same time, other methods of developing water resources are being used in the subregion. For example, in the capital of Saudi Arabia, fresh water is produced using wells with a depth of 1200 _ 1500 m. Other non-traditional methods for obtaining clean water (processing Wastewater, reuse of water for irrigation) have not yet reached industrial scale.

Türkiye may become the largest potential supplier of water in the Middle East. At the end of the 1980s, the government of the country put forward a project to build the Water Pipeline of Peace "in eight Arab countries. The project can satisfy the water needs of about 30 million people. However, the implementation of these plans is impossible without peace and stability in the subregion.

Soil resources. Southwest Asia is poor in soil suitable for agriculture. The most fertile soils are confined to the Mesopotamian and coastal lowlands. The characteristic soils of Lower Mesopotamia are alluvial. In Upper Mesopotamia, steppe gray soils and chestnut soils are common, which, when artificial irrigation is used, give high yields. In the foothills of Mesopotamia, brown, red-brown and chestnut soils are common, and chernozems are found in the intermountain basins. These soils are non-saline.

In significant areas of the subregion, unproductive soils - serozems - predominate. The soil cover of the sandy and rocky deserts of Arabia is represented by primitive soils that are poor in humus and highly saline.

Land resources. About 2/3 of the territory of the subregion is non-agricultural land. The share of cultivated land is only 15.8%. With the exception of Iraq, significant land resources are found in countries without oil. Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Yemen have the largest areas of cultivated land. The share of cultivated land in these countries ranges from 30 to 35%.

Pastures and meadows occupy 14.9% of the territory. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Syria, where livestock plays an important role, have the largest areas of these lands.

In general, natural conditions for agricultural use of the territory of the subregion are unfavorable.

Forest resources.Southwest Asia is poor in forest resources. The share of areas occupied by forests is almost six times lower than the world level and is 5.5%. The most "treeless" region is the countries of the Middle East. Almost "treeless" - Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, UAE. Less than 1% forest cover in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan. Forest lands are small in Iraq, Israel, Syria. The highest level of forest cover is in Turkey, where almost a third of the territory is covered with forests.

population.The population of Southwest Asia almost entirely belongs to the southern branch caucasian race. An insignificant part of the population is characterized by admixtures of Mongoloid, Negroid and Australoid racial elements.

Ethnic composition population is very diverse. Ethnographers distinguish about 60 large peoples on the territory of the subregion. A significant part of the population belongs to three large language groups: Iranian, Semitic and Turkic. The population is dominated by the peoples of the Iranian language group, which make up 40% of the inhabitants of Southwest Asia. The Iranian language group includes Persians, Tajiks, Kurds, etc. The Semitic language group includes a third of the inhabitants of the subregion, mostly Arabs. Jews also belong to the Semites.

About a quarter of the population of the subregion belongs to the Turkic language group, among which Turks and Azerbaijanis dominate. Among the peoples of other language groups, Greeks, Armenians, and Georgians predominate.

The multinational countries include: Türkiye, Iran, Iraq. Along with Turks, Persians and Arabs, national minorities live here: Kurds, Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks, etc.

The population of Southwest Asia is extremely unevenly distributed. The average population density is 49.7 people / km 2. This figure ranges from 6 people/km2 in Oman to 763 people/km2 in Bahrain. Almost uninhabited large areas of deserts and part of mountainous regions, where the population density is less than 1 person / km 2. The highest population density is on the coast of the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas, in the Tigris and Euphrates valleys, in desert oases. 90% of the population lives in this area.

The demographic situation is marked by a high birth rate - more than 28 births per 1000 inhabitants per year, while the same indicator in Asia is 22 births (2001). The highest birth rates are in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. The maximum value of this indicator is observed in Yemen - 44, and the minimum - in Georgia - 9. The mortality rate is one of the smallest in Asia - 7 people per 1,000 inhabitants. Its value ranges from 11 people in Yemen to 2 people in Qatar, UAE, Kuwait.

Average life expectancy in South-West Asia for recent decades although it grew, amounted to 67, but still did not reach the level of economically highly developed countries (73), but two years more than in Asia as a whole. The highest average life expectancy in Israel and Cyprus is 77 years, and the lowest in Yemen is 59 years. In all countries of Southwest Asia, women live four years longer than men.

Population growth rates in the countries of Southwest Asia tend to increase further. Rapid population growth could jeopardize today's resource and service levels and bring many economic problems. According to UN forecasts, the population in the subregion will grow from 193 million people. in 2001 to 329 million people in 2025

The population growth rate in Southwest Asia is the highest in Asia at 2.8% per year. The highest population growth rates are observed in agricultural countries - from 3.5-4.5% per year. The maximum population growth is typical for Jordan and Saudi Arabia - 4.9% per year. Only Israel and Turkey differ in average population growth rates - 2.3% per year. The lowest population growth rates are observed in five countries of the subregion - Cyprus, Lebanon, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and range from 1.5 to 1% per year.

High natural population growth predetermines the young age structure of the population. In Southwest Asia, half of the population is under 20, creating whole line problems: increased demand for education, employment, housing construction.

The gender structure of the population is dominated by men - 51.7%. The position of women in the society of most countries is unequal.

The countries of Southwest Asia are characterized by rather significant population migration. In the oil-producing countries of the Arabian Peninsula, for example, there is a shortage of labor. Therefore, these countries are characterized by a significant influx of emigrants from other countries.

Emigration processes are most common in Lebanon and Turkey. Part of the population of these countries went to Western Europe and America in search of work.

Urbanization. With a low average population density for Asia (through the presence of deserts), Southwest Asia has the highest level of urbanization in the region - 65.8%.

The most urbanized countries include Kuwait, Qatar, Israel. In these countries, the proportion of the urban population is 96, 90, 90%, respectively. In seven countries, the level of urbanization ranges from 50 to 70%. And only two countries in the subregion are dominated by the rural population - Oman and Yemen.

Cities in the countries of the subregion are mostly small - up to 10 thousand inhabitants. Now in Southwest Asia there are about 100 major cities, among them 11 cities - millionaires. The largest cities are Istanbul and Tehran, where more than 7 million people live.

Economically active population (EAP). In the mid-90s, 20% of EAN was employed in the industry of the subregion and almost the same amount in agriculture - 19.1%. In most countries, the proportion of people employed in industry, mainly in the oil industry, prevails.

The oil-producing countries of the Arabian Peninsula are experiencing a significant influx of labor from other regions. Among the countries that import labor, Saudi Arabia should be named first of all. Non-indigenous residents of this country make up more than 50% of EAN. The largest suppliers of labor to oil-producing countries are Egypt, Yemen, Jordan. Emigration to Yemen and Jordan became so widespread that these countries were forced in turn to import labor from India and Pakistan.

The religious composition of the population. The majority of the population of Southwest Asia professes Islam, which is the state religion in Muslim countries. Muslims in the countries of the subregion belong to two branches of Islam: Sunni and Shia. Sunnis predominate, most of whom live in Iran and Iraq. Supporters of Shiites live in the Persian Gulf countries.

Christians predominate only in Cyprus and Lebanon, where they make up about half of the population. Judaism is practiced in Israel. In Southwest Asia, there is an important religious center of Islam, Christianity and Judaism - Jerusalem, as well as important centers Muslim pilgrimages - Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, etc.

The modern structure of the economic complex. The countries of Southwest Asia, despite significant differences in the level of development of their economy, belongs to the group of developing countries. Only Israel belongs to the economically advanced countries. Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, which are part of the sub-region, given their geographical position, represent the countries of the former planned economy.

The sectoral structure of the economy of the subregion is determined by oil deposits and limited opportunities for development Agriculture. In creating the GDP of the subregion, both in terms of the value of gross output and in terms of the number of employees, the leading role belongs to the industry, especially the oil industry.

Based on oil revenues, the countries of the subregion are undergoing a fairly rapid process of industrial development. In the oil-producing countries of the Persian Gulf, in the coastal regions of Iraq and Saudi Arabia, this process occurs through the construction of industrial complexes, which are characterized by three areas of specialization: oil refining and metallurgical; oil refining and cement; metallurgical and cement.

The countries of Southwest Asia are characterized by uneven rates of economic development. The dynamics of economic growth in most countries over the past 20 years depended mainly on the discovery and development of new oil fields, world prices for oil and oil products and agricultural products.

In the 1980s, the dynamics of economic growth in the countries of Southwest Asia declined sharply. Many countries experienced stagnation after high rates of economic growth. Political instability, internal armed conflicts, local wars, falling world oil prices were the reasons for the slowdown in economic growth in the subregion. In the mid-1990s, among the countries of the subregion, the highest rates of economic growth were observed in Kuwait and Lebanon - respectively 7.8 and 7.0%, and the lowest - in Saudi Arabia and Iraq - 0.3 and 1.0% per year. The countries of the former planned economy (Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia) experienced a deep economic crisis in the early 1990s and were characterized by negative economic growth rates.

In 2000, the average GDP per capita in the subregion was quite high at $4,810, while the average for developing countries was $3,800. The highest level of GDP per inhabitant was observed in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. According to this indicator, they entered the second ten countries of the world.

Industry. The industrial development of the countries of Southwest Asia is closely connected with the territorial localization of oil resources. Large oil deposits determine the sectoral structure of both the mining and manufacturing industries. Oil revenues in the countries of the subregion are used to build industrial enterprises, housing, and infrastructure facilities.

Oil industry. Oil in Southwest Asia began to be extracted a long time ago. Old deposits located in the foothills of the Zagros gave the first oil in the 20s of the XX century. The development of deposits in the Arabian Peninsula began only after the Second World War. And already in the 1950s, South-West Asia became the world center of oil production.

Until the 1970s, the oil wealth of the countries of Southwest Asia was in the hands of the International Oil Cartel. At first, control over the exploration and production of oil was carried out by British monopolies, and in the post-war period - by American ones. From the exploitation of oil resources, they received large profits. And the countries from whose bowels oil was extracted, only an insignificant part of these profits remained.

In the post-colonial period, oil resources in the countries of the subregion were nationalized. In 1960, to protect their interests from the International Oil Cartel, developing countries created the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which included six countries of the subregion.

In the 1980s, due to the restructuring of the energy balance structure in economically highly developed countries, oil exports decreased, which led to a sharp drop in prices. In 1986, oil prices fell almost three times, almost reaching the level of 1974, that is, 70-100 dollars per ton. This significantly affected the volume of export earnings in oil-producing countries.

The countries of the subregion produce oil very High Quality, and its cost is the lowest in the world - from 4 to 7 dollars per ton, while in the USA - 60-80 dollars.

In the early 1990s, more than 800 million tons of oil were produced annually in Southwest Asia, which accounted for 26% of its world production.

Southwest Asia is the world's largest oil export region. Ten countries are oil exporters. Among them: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, UAE and Kuwait - to the largest not only in the sub-region, but also in the world. Countries such as Turkey, Bahrain, Qatar and Syria fully meet their needs and export a small amount of oil to the world market. Only Yemen, Jordan and Lebanon meet their liquid fuel needs through imports.

A significant part of the oil from the subregion is exported in its crude form. About half of the total exports go to the countries of Western Europe, 1/4 - to Japan, the rest - to the USA and other Asian countries.

Oil is transported by sea and pipelines. The first oil pipelines were built before World War II. The main oil pipelines stretched from oil fields to ports on the Mediterranean Sea. The length of most oil pipelines does not exceed 1000 km. The main purpose of international main oil pipelines is to pump oil to the ports of the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. Then it is transported by tankers to Western Europe.

Gas industry. In the early 1990s, 100 billion m 3 of natural gas were produced annually in Southwest Asia, which accounted for 1/3 of the total natural gas production in Asia and 5.0% of the world. Natural gas is produced in ten countries of the subregion. The largest producers of natural gas are Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, which account for 2/3 of the total production. Saudi Arabia is among the "top ten" gas producing countries in the world.

The countries of Southwest Asia annually export 20 billion m 3 of natural gas. The main exporters in the subregion are Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Export opportunities for natural gas are significantly limited by the difficulties of its transportation. Liquefied natural gas plants have been built in the countries of the subregion. For its transportation, special tankers are used - gas carriers. Volumes international trade liquefied gas is still insignificant. The main importers are Japan, the USA and the countries of Western Europe.

Energy. The subregion produces 41.3% of all Asia's primary energy sources and 10.2% of the world's. The total consumption of primary energy sources is 245 million tou, or 25% of the total production.

The main energy resource in Southwest Asia is oil. Its share in the consumption structure of primary energy sources reaches 70%. In ten countries, oil is the main, and in Jordan and Yemen - the only source of energy.

The second place in the energy consumption of the subregion is occupied by natural gas. In countries such as Bahrain and Qatar, its share significantly exceeds oil. In oil-producing countries, the consumption of natural gas produced along with oil is constantly growing.

Only in Turkey, coal dominates in the structure of energy consumption. The role of hydropower and other energy sources in the subregion is insignificant.

The oil-producing countries have the highest absolute level of consumption of primary energy sources. Countries such as Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia consume about 50 million tup per year, and in five countries the figure is more than 10 million tup.

Southwest Asian countries have an average per capita energy consumption of 4.5 tou, more than double that of the world. A very high relative level of consumption in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates - 15-20 tou, which is associated with a small population in these countries.

Manufacturing industry. Prior to World War II, only the traditional manufacturing industries, textile and food, developed in Southwest Asia. In the post-colonial period, new manufacturing industries developed in the subregion - chemical and petrochemical, metallurgical, machine-building and metalworking, etc.

The manufacturing industry has become the most dynamic branch of the economy. However, its share in the creation of GDP is only 13%. The highest rates of development of this industry are observed in oil-producing countries. In most countries, the manufacturing industry, in terms of its share in GDP, is inferior to the extractive industry, and in the least developed countries, to agriculture. Only in Israel and Turkey is the manufacturing industry the leading branch of the economy. In these countries, its share is the highest in the subregion and exceeds 25%. In seven countries it ranges from 10 to 15%, while in the remaining countries it is less than 10%.

In the sectoral structure of the manufacturing industry of the oil-producing countries, the leading role belongs to the oil refining and chemical industries. The share of these industries in the structure of the manufacturing industry is 42%. To expand the export of petroleum products and products of the petrochemical industry, petrochemical complexes were built. Among the branches of the chemical industry, the production of mineral fertilizers, rubber products and household goods is of great importance.

The food industry is closely connected with the local raw material base. It ranks second in terms of the value of the gross output of the manufacturing industry, although the growth rates of other industries are much higher. Its share in the structure of the gross output of the manufacturing industry is 16.6%. From industries Food Industry the most developed: flour-grinding, sugar, oilseeds, canning, tobacco, etc. The level of development of this industry does not provide the country's needs with food products. The countries of the subregion have to import a significant part of food products.

Among the branches of light industry, the leading place belongs to the textile industry. The countries of the subregion have their own raw material base for the production of cotton and woolen fabrics. The production of fabrics from artificial and synthetic fibers is developing, as well as the Kilimar and leather and footwear industries.

Mechanical engineering and metalworking in the countries of Southwest Asia has a narrow specialization. Enterprises involved in the repair of machinery and equipment predominate, as well as assembly plants producing automobiles, tractors, combines, radio equipment and electrical appliances. Metalworking is developing in all countries of the subregion. Among the countries of the subregion, mechanical engineering is most developed in Israel and Turkey.

In Israel, almost all branches of engineering are developing, including aircraft and shipbuilding, including military. they are provided with financial, scientific and technical assistance from the United States and subsidies from Zionist organizations. For the production of military products per inhabitant, this country ranks first in the world.

Turkey has the greatest prospects for the development of mechanical engineering, where it relies on a significant metallurgical base. The country is developing the production of means of production for the light and food industries, transport, electrical engineering and other industries.

Metallurgical industry in the countries of Southwest Asia is still poorly developed. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises have been built on the basis of domestic and imported raw materials. In the oil-producing countries of the Persian Gulf, aluminum production enterprises operate on the basis of cheap energy. The building materials industry is one of the most dynamic sectors, as it creates a material base for the development of other industries. Greatest development received: cement, brick industries, production of various structures from reinforced concrete products, etc.

Agriculture. The growth rate of gross agricultural output, which averages 2.6%, lags significantly behind the population growth rate of 2.8% (1999), which does not meet domestic needs for food products. According to the calculations of UN experts, the minimum growth rate of agricultural production in the country of the region should be at the level of 4%.

The countries of Southwest Asia, except Turkey and Saudi Arabia, are food importers. The dynamics of food imports have been seriously affected by many years of hostilities in different parts of this subregion, as well as an unstable political environment. In the agricultural exports of countries, an important place is occupied by products of tropical and subtropical agriculture - dates, raisins, figs, citrus fruits, fruits, tobacco and cotton.

The diversity of the natural conditions of the territory determines the differences in the specialization of agriculture. In a dry climate, agriculture without irrigation is extremely limited. The largest agricultural regions of irrigated agriculture include the central regions of Arabia, where dry oasis agriculture is widespread, and the Mesopotamian lowland. Nezroshuvan agriculture occupies a narrow strip of dry steppes that stretch north from the Mesopotamian lowland. Terraced agriculture is developing in the mountainous regions of Arabia. Yemen is one of the countries of terraced agriculture.

Plant growing. Most of the cultivated land is used for crops - wheat, barley and rice.

Technical and fruit crops occupy an insignificant place in the structure of cultivated land, although climatic conditions are exceptionally favorable for the cultivation of many valuable tropical and subtropical fruit and industrial crops. Of the fruit crops, the most promising is the date palm, whose products have always occupied an important place in the food balance and exports.

Cereal crops. Most of the irrigated lands of Mesopotamia, the oases of the central regions of Arabia, are used for crops. In the steppe zone, crops are grown on irrigated lands. The main crops are wheat, barley and rice. Among drought-resistant crops, millet and sorghum are the most important. Almost half of the cultivated areas produce two harvests per year.

Grain farming is characterized by a low level of productivity. The average grain yield in the countries of the subregion is 15.2 c/ha, which is 2 times less than in the whole world. The gross annual harvest of grain is 46-48 million tons. The share of the countries of Southwest Asia in the total grain production of Asian countries does not exceed 6%. The largest grain producers in the subregion are Türkiye and Iran. These two countries provide 8.5% of the total grain production. Grain production per inhabitant in the countries of Southwest Asia is 170 kg, which is more than 2 times less than the average in the world. Only Türkiye produces 465 kg. grain per inhabitant, which is the highest rate, both in the subregion and in Asia as a whole (1996).

Every year the countries import 20-21 million tons of grain. Grain import per inhabitant averages 205 kg, which is 5 times higher than in the world. The largest grain importers in the sub-region are Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Kuwait. Only Türkiye and Saudi Arabia meet their needs through domestic production.

The main industrial crops are sugar cane, sugar beet, cotton, tobacco, and opium poppy. Cotton and sugar cane can be considered as promising industrial crops. For their cultivation, the most favorable conditions developed in Mesopotamia. In the north of the subregion, sugar beet crops occupy an important place among industrial crops.

Growing fruit trees is a traditional branch of agriculture that has been developed in the subregion for a long time. The main fruit crop is the date palm. Its habitats occupy the Mesopotamian lowland and the oases of Arabia. Citrus fruits are also widespread, although they appeared here much later than other fruit crops. Natural conditions are exceptionally favorable for growing figs, which were widely distributed here in ancient times. On the coast of the Persian Gulf, the main share of the cultivated area is occupied by plantations of fruit trees - peaches, apricots, citrus fruits and date palms.

Viticulture is one of the traditional branches of agriculture in the subregion. However, grapes can not be grown everywhere, as they are very sensitive to unfavorable soil conditions, in particular salinity. This culture occupies the largest share of land in the Mesopotamian lowland.

Forage crops have not yet taken their proper place in the structure of sown areas. Under them, about 1% of cultivated land is occupied. This is due to the priority in growing food crops, which do not yet meet the domestic needs of the countries of the subregion. However, the problem of expanding acreage under fodder crops is very relevant in connection with the development of animal husbandry.

The material contains information about the territory occupied by Southwest Asia. The article tells about the composition of the population of the region, the predominant religion and the economic potential of the majority of states. Indicates the specifics and features geographical location territory.

Southwest Asia

The region geographically refers to areas of Asia.
Its composition includes:

Transcaucasia;
Kopetdag;
Asia Minor Highlands,
Armenian Highlands;
Iranian highlands;
Mesopotamia;
Arabian Peninsula.

Southwest Asia also includes the peninsula of Arabia, the Syrian-Palestinian mountains and the plains of Mesopotamia.

The total area of the territory is 6.8 million km. sq.

Rice. 1. Region on the map.

The specificity of the geography of the region lies in the special geological structure- the region is a fragment of the African platform.

According to some researchers, this is a controversial region in terms of its location and belonging to the countries of Southwest Asia and their territories. Some researchers attribute some states to Southwest Asia, and some scientists orient these same powers towards the Middle East.

List of countries that are part of the region:

Climate of Southwest Asia

The climatic conditions here are rather dry. This explains the impact on the territory of tropical and subtropical climatic zones. In the areas of central and southern localization of the Arabian Peninsula, the temperature maximum rises to + 55 ° C.

Rice. 3. Desert areas of the region's territories.

Only on the Black Sea and Mediterranean coasts is there a zone of hardwood forests and shrubs. Average assessment: 4.8. Total ratings received: 147.

Geographical position. Southwest Asia is understood as the territory occupied by the Arabian Peninsula and the Mesopotamian lowland. This country is bounded in the west by the Isthmus of Suez and the Red Sea, in the south and east it is washed by the Indian Ocean, and in the north it is separated from Asia Minor by Mesopotamia.

Geological structure. The Arabian Peninsula separated from the African continent relatively recently, in the Cenozoic. Therefore, geologically, the Arabian Peninsula is part of the Arabian-African platform (see atlas, pp. 4-5), which belongs to the African lithospheric plate. In the Cenozoic, as mentioned, the Arabian Peninsula separated from Africa along a fault, part of which falls on the Red Sea. Strong earthquakes are confined to the zone adjacent to the Great African Rift.

Minerals. The Mesopotamian lowland and the areas adjacent to the Persian Gulf are composed of sedimentary rocks that are rich in oil and gas. Phosphorites are found in the mountains of the Arabian Peninsula, and various salts are mined in the Dead Sea.

Relief. The highest point of the Arabian Peninsula is Mount Tiahama (3760 m), and the lowest point (-405 m) is the level Dead Sea. Most of the territory is occupied by the Mesopotamian lowlands and plains, which are limited by mountains stretched along the coast of the Red and Mediterranean Seas. The hot and dry climate contributes to the development of sandy-eolian landforms (dunes, hail, cellular sands, etc.).

Climate. The Arabian Peninsula, including Mesopotamia, is located in the tropical climate zone, with the exception of the extreme northern territories, where the subtropics are developed. Summer is hot and dry. Winter is warm. The average annual rainfall on the Mediterranean coast and the windward slopes of the Tiahama Mountains is 1000 mm. The remaining part receives 100 mm/year or less. The noteworthy climate is the simum wind.

The Arabian Peninsula is considered the hottest and driest place in Eurasia, where the average temperature in January is +16 °C, and in July +32 °C.

natural areas. A relatively flat appearance plus a hot and dry climate determine the main features of the nature of Southwest Asia. Most of the territory is occupied by sandy deserts; the semi-desert zone is characteristic of Mesopotamia. Sandy, takyr-argillaceous and lumpy soils are developed. Vegetation is represented by wormwood, saxaul,. feather grass and camel thorn. Date palms grow in oases, and coffee, wheat, etc. are grown on the sea coast. Camels, foxes, various rodents and reptiles live here.

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Includes the peninsula of Arabia, the Syrian-Palestinian mountains, the plains of Mesopotamia. The peculiarity in the geological structure is a fragment of the African. the Red Sea and the deep-dipped northern portions of the East African Rift Zone. East End- piedmont trough of Alpine age (Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf). The originality of nature - with features. Continental tropical air masses dominate. High average annual rainfall, little rainfall - therefore, deserts also prevail. The oldest center of civilization, the center of Arab culture. The richest oil reserves (more than 30% of capitalist production), a number of ore minerals.

Mesopotamia. Mesopotamian occupies an area of foothill foredeep of Alpine age with a uniformly leveled relief. The crystalline basement is at a great depth, covered by a thick layer of alluvial deposits of the Tigris and Euphrates. Active activity. The Persian Gulf retreated 500 km over 5 thousand years (the influx of terrigenous material). The rivers that flowed into the bay on their own merged into a single artery - the Shatt al-Arab.

Allocate Lower and Upper Mesopotamia. The first (Babylonia) is a monotonous alluvial lowland (no more than 100 m high). To the north of Baghdad, a ledge 6-8 m high is the ancient coastline of the Persian Gulf. The upper (Jezire) is a flat plateau up to 300-400 m with separate ridges up to 30-50 m. Dry channels (wadis) and small hills (tells).

Mesopotamia is one of the hottest places in Eurasia. In the northern part of the Mediterranean climate, in the south - tropical. Average July temperatures are from 30 to 34° (often rising to 50°). Average January in Lower Mesopotamia +11, +12°, in Upper +5, +7°. Winter maximum precipitation - they fall in the north 300-500 mm, in the south 60-100 mm.

Most of the tropical Far North- in the subtropical zone. Differences in temperatures of the winter months (from +8° in to +25° in Aden, in July from 26° in the north to 33° in the south). Arabia is one of the hottest places in the world, up to 55 ° was noted. Moisture is scarce (100-300 mm per year). Mediterranean cyclones bring precipitation to the northern part of the winter time, in the south maximum in summer with monsoon. In the mountains more than 1000 mm. Almost no outside. Relief shows ancient riverbeds (wadis). From west to east - traditional caravan routes.

Over 90% of Arabia is tropical desert. Sandy with waving sands and solonchaks in depressions predominate.

Vegetation is poor: saltwort, tamarisks, camel thorn. In the oases - date palm, acacia, jeddah.

Wormwood-ephemeral steppes are confined to more humid places in northern Arabia. In the mountains there are sparse forests with pistachio, carob, myrrh, dracaena, dragon tree. The vegetation of the river valleys and windward slopes of Yemen is the most diverse: ficuses, candelabra-like spurges, sikimores, and many endemics. The fauna is represented by ungulates (antelope, gazelles, onager), rodents, predators (jackal, hyena), reptiles.

Special features: the largest peninsula of Eurasia. An ancient crystalline block, raised in the west, lowered in the east. Diversity of relief: mountains, plains, cuestas, lava plateaus (jarra) with cones of extinct volcanoes. In the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, there are chains of extinct and active volcanoes. The difference between the types of deserts. Arabia is one of the hottest places in the world. In most of the peninsula, there is no external flow. Over 90% of Arabia is tropical desert.

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