264 People and Places
HOW HAS OIL CHANGED THE GULF REGION?
The discovery of oil in the Gulf has brought enormous
wealth to Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and other desert
countries, which now supply 30 per cent of the
world’s oil. Fleets of oil tankers have made the
Gulf one of the world’s busiest seaways. The presence
of oil has increased this area’s international
importance and its influence on world affairs.WHY IS THE MIDDLE EAST CALLED A TROUBLE SPOT?
There have been many recent conflicts in the Middle
East. In 1975, Lebanon suffered a violent civil war
between the Christian and Muslim populations. In
1990 and 2003, international forces led by the USA
invaded Iraq, eventually deposing President Saddam
Hussein’s regime. Today, huge tensions exist between
Israelis and Palestinians, who lost their homes in 1948
when Israel was created as a homeland for the Jews.WHICH TURKISH CITY LIES HALF
IN ASIA AND HALF IN EUROPE?
Istanbul is the only city in the world to lie in
two continents. Split by a narrow channel of
water called the Bosporus Strait, the European
and Asian parts of the city are linked by a
number of bridges. Istanbul is Turkey’s largest
city and home to nearly 9.4 million people.
Once known by the name of Constantinople,
Istanbul was Turkey’s
capital from
30–1923 CE.4 BLUE MOSQUE,
ISTANBUL, TURKEY
Istanbul’s Blue Mosque is an
outstanding example of Islamic
architecture. It stands in a city
where East meets West: the
mosque’s graceful minarets and
domed roof rub shoulders with
bustling bazaars, designer shops,
restaurants, and high-rise blocks.1 PETRA, JORDAN
The ancient city of Petra in
Jordan dates from the 4th
century BC. Its temples and other
spectacular buildings were cut
out of pink limestone rock deep
inside a desert canyon. Bedouin
nomads still travel around the
Syrian Desert using camels, cars,
and trucks.1 SOUK STALL, SYRIA
A stall sells fresh fruit in the souk,
or marketplace, of Syria’s capital
Damascus. The souk’s narrow,
bustling alleyways are packed
with workshops and stalls offering
all kinds of foodstuffs and crafts.1 BEIRUT, LEBANON
Modern tower blocks stand alongside ruins in Beirut, the capital of
Lebanon. This elegant city was almost completely destroyed in the
civil war of 1975–89 that raged between the Christian and Muslim
populations. Once a dangerous destination for visitors, the rebuilt
city is now attracting increasing numbers of tourists.High towers, called
minarets, broadcast
the call for Muslims
to come to prayerIstanbul stands on
two sides of the
Bosporus waterwayThe Middle East is the name given to the area of land between
the Red Sea and the Gulf, from Israel in the west to Iran
in the east. Along with western Asia, much of this land
is inhospitable, with dry desert in the Arabian Peninsula,
and mountains in Iran and Iraq. Turkey is dominated by
a high plateau, but has plenty of fertile farmland. There
are snow-capped mountains in north Lebanon and Israel, which drop
down to fertile plains along the coasts.
the Middle East Western Asia and
Middle
East