Climate and Vegetation

Climate and Vegetation

Southwest Asia

Terms and Names

Rub al-Khali the most famous desert in the region, also known as the Empty Quarter

oasis an area in the desert where vegetation is found because water is available

salt flat an area where moisture has evaporated, leaving behind only chemical salts 

VARIETY IN ARID LANDS

Southwest Asia is extremely arid. Most areas receive less than 18 inches of precipitation a year. A huge portion of the region’s land area is covered by rough, dry terrain. It varies from huge tracts of sand dunes to great salt flats.

VARIETY IN ARID LANDS

Because the region is so dry, the region’s rivers do not flow year round. The vegetation and animals can survive on little water and in extreme temperatures. In many areas of Southwest Asia, irrigation has transformed the deserts into productive farmland. 

VARIETY IN ARID LANDS

In other parts of the region, a Mediterranean climate prevails. This makes the land green and lush for at least part of each year. The land in Southwest Asia is broken up by ranges of mountains and plateaus. As a result, highland climates are found in many parts of the region

Multiple Choice

Why don’t the area’s rivers flow year round?

• The area’s rivers do not flow year round because camels drink all of the water.

• The area’s rivers do not flow year round because it is so wet.

• The area’s rivers do not flow year round because it is so dry.

DESERTS LIMIT MOVEMENT 

Deserts spread across the region. They reduce travel and limit most human environment interaction. The surfaces of a desert may be covered with sand, salt, or rocks. 

DESERTS LIMIT MOVEMENT 

The most famous desert in the region is the Rub al-Khali. It is also known as the Empty Quarter. A local name for the desert is the “place where no one comes out.” It is a vast desert, about the size of Texas.

DESERTS LIMIT MOVEMENT 

 It is on the Arabian Peninsula and covers about 250,000 square miles with sand ridges and dunes. The dunes reach as high as 800 feet. It is one of the largest sandy deserts in the world. During the summer, the temperature on the surface of the sand often exceeds 186° F. As many as 25 years may pass without rainfall.

DESERTS LIMIT MOVEMENT 

Next to the Rub al-Khali is the An-Nafud Desert. An occasional oasis interrupts the reddish dunes of this desert. An oasis is an area in the desert where vegetation is found because water is available. The water usually comes from underground springs. Severe sandstorms and brutal heat make this desert a barrier to travel across the Arabian Peninsula. 

DESERTS LIMIT MOVEMENT 

Extending north from the An-Nafud is the Syrian Desert. It separates the coastal regions of Lebanon, Israel, and Syria from the Tigris and Euphrates valleys

DESERTS LIMIT MOVEMENT 

The desert area that occupies parts of Israel is the Negev Desert. Unlike some deserts, this one produces crops through extensive irrigation. 

DESERTS LIMIT MOVEMENT 

In Iran, high mountains block rain, and dry winds increase evaporation. Winds evaporate the moisture in the salty soil. As a result, chemical salts remain, creating a salt flat. In Iran, there are two salt flat deserts. 

DESERTS LIMIT MOVEMENT 

These are the Dasht-e Kavir in central Iran and the Dasht-e Lut in eastern Iran. The lands are salt crusted, surrounded by quicksand-like salt marshes. These rugged lands are almost uninhabited. They are barriers to movement across Iran. 

Multiple Choice

What is the local name for the Rub al-Khali?

• “place where no one sells camels.”

• “place where no one has hot dogs.”

• “place where no one comes out.”

SEMIARID LANDS

On the fringes of the deserts are regions with a semiarid climate. Such lands are sometimes called steppes. These semiarid  areas have warm to hot summers. There is enough rainfall to support grass and some low-growing shrubs. 

SEMIARID LANDS

Both cotton and wheat can be grown in this climate. The lands have good pastures for grazing animals. In Turkey, large herds of mohair goats graze in these lands. The hair from these goats, and the mohair fabrics made from it, are among Turkey’s exports. Afghanistan also has areas of steppe land that are heavily cultivated. 

Multiple Choice

What grows well in this area?

• Both bananas and chickens grow well in this area. corn also grows well here.

• Both cotton and watermelon grow well in this area. Dirt also grows well here.

• Both cotton and wheat grow well in this area. Grass also grows well here.

WELL-WATERED COAST LANDS

Some areas of Southwest Asia have adequate rainfall. There are hot summers and rainy winters along the Mediterranean coast and across most of Turkey. The weather is like that of southern California. This is a good climate for growing citrus fruits, olives, and vegetables. 

Multiple Choice

What U.S. state has a climate similar to Turkey's?

• New Jersey

• Colorado

• Alaska

• California

WELL-WATERED COAST LANDS

Mild temperatures in the winter and irrigation in the dry summer make it possible to grow crops year round. The Mediterranean climate is a comfortable one in which to live. So these areas are heavily populated. 

Multiple Choice

What sorts of crops are suited to a Mediterranean climate?

• citrus fruits, olives, and vegetables

• citrus fruits, hamburgers, and vegetables

• cactus, olives, and vegetables

For thousands of years, the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have been intensively farmed. Both Turkey and Iraq have constructed dams on the rivers to provide water all year long.

Multiple Choice

The vegetation and animals living in the desert cannot survive in extreme temperatures.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

In Iran, two salt flat deserts are almost uninhabited and impossible to travel.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Because of a Mediterranean climate, Turkey has good pasture land for mohair goats.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Also known as the Empty Quarter, the most famous desert in the Southwest Asia region is the

• Syrian.

• Rub al-Khali.

• An-Nafud.

• Negev.

Multiple Choice

An area in the desert where water is found is known as an

• oasis.

• wadi.

• arid place.

• steppe.

Multiple Choice

An area located on the edge of a desert, with a semiarid climate, is known as a

• plateau.

• oasis.

• peninsula.

• steppe

Multiple Choice

A desert in Israel that produces crops through extensive irrigation is the

• Rub al-Khali

• Negev

• Arizona