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People and Places^265

FIND OUT MORE. Energy Resources 60–61 • Habitats 82–84 • Islam 290 • Mesopotamia 368 • Middle East 435

WHERE IS THE LOWEST PLACE ON EARTH?

At 392 m (1,285 ft) below sea level, the Dead Sea is

the lowest place on Earth. This vast lake, 74 km

(46 miles) long, lies on the border between Israel and

Jordan. Its water is so salty that nothing can live in

it, which is how the lake got its name. However, the

mud on its shore is rich in minerals, and is said to

have healing properties.

WHO ARE THE KURDS?

The Kurds are a stateless people, whose mountainous

homeland of Kurdistan straddles the borders of Turkey,

Syria, Iraq, and Iran. For many years, the Kurds have

wanted self-government, which has led to violence

and bloodshed, and with many Kurds living as

refugees. However, after the Iraq War in 2003, Kurdish

self-governance was established in Northern Iraq.

1 KURDISH REFUGEES, TURKEY
Years of dictatorship and conflict in Iraq have led
to thousands of Kurds leaving the country for
refugee camps in Turkey. The Kurds, who number
about 25 million, are one of the largest stateless
peoples in the world.

SAUDI ARABIAN DESERT 3

Over 95 per cent of Saudi Arabia

is dry, inhospitable desert, where

daytime temperatures reach

48 ̊C (118 ̊F) and plunge to near

freezing at night. The extreme

temperatures and wind-borne

sand wear down the desert rocks.

The southern desert covers

650,000 sq km (250,000 sq miles)

and is the largest expanse of sand

in the world.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 3

Dubai, one of the United Arab Emirates, has been

rebuilt with wealth generated by oil revenues.

Like other nations in the Gulf, the United Arab

Emirates is a prosperous country and most of its

people enjoy a high standard of living.

Dubai’s skyline is

dominated by high-

rise apartments,

offices, and banks

TURKEY

Capital city: Ankara

Population: 73.9 million

Official language: Turkish

CYPRUS

Capital city: Nicosia

Population: 862,400

Official languages: Greek and

Turkish

LEBANON

Capital city: Beirut

Population: 4.2 million

Official language: Arabic

ISRAEL

Capital city: Jerusalem

(not internationally recognized)

Population: 7.3 million

Official languages: Hebrew and

Arabic

JORDAN

Capital city: Amman

Population: 5.9 million

Official language: Arabic

SAUDI ARABIA

Capital city: Riyadh

Population: 27 million

Official language: Arabic

YEMEN

Capital city: Sana

Population: 22.9 million

Official language: Arabic

SYRIA

Capital city: Damascus

Population: 20.6 million

Official language: Arabic

IRAQ

Capital city: Baghdad

Population: 30.7 million

Official language: Arabic

KUWAIT

Capital city: Kuwait City

Population: 2.7 million

Official language: Arabic

BAHRAIN

Capital city: Manama

Population: 775,600

Official language: Arabic

QATAR

Capital city: Doha

Population: 1.3 million

Official language: Arabic

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Capital city: Abu Dhabi

Population: 4.5 million

Official language: Arabic

OMAN

Capital city: Muscat

Population: 2.8 million

Official language: Arabic

IRAN

Capital city: Tehran

Population: 71.9 million

Official language: Farsi

United Arab Emirates’

wealth is reflected in

its glittering buildings

HOW DO DESERT COUNTRIES OBTAIN FRESH WATER?

Many desert countries have no reliable source of fresh

water and have to process sea water in desalination

plants for domestic and agricultural use. Water is

carefully managed throughout the region. Saudi

Arabia’s huge irrigation programme waters the wheat,

fruit, and vegetable crops that are grown in the desert.

WESTERN ASIA & MIDDLE EAST

western

Asia