World Geography Unit 7 Review

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, intergovernmental Organization, created at the Baghdad Conference on September 10–14, 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The five Founding Members were later joined by nine other Members: Qatar (1961); Indonesia (1962) – suspended its membership from January 2009; Libya (1962); United Arab Emirates (1967); Algeria (1969); Nigeria (1971); Ecuador (1973) – suspended its membership from December 1992-October 2007; Angola (2007) and Gabon (1975–1994). OPEC had its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in the first five years of its existence. This was moved to Vienna, Austria, on September 1, 1965. OPEC's objective is to co-ordinate and unify petroleum policies among Member Countries, in order to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers; an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those investing in the industry.

—Brief History, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries websitewww.opec.org (accessed October 17, 2014)

The creation of the organization described in the excerpt has affected Southwest Asia by —

• encouraging revolutionaries in the region to overthrow dictators

• calling for embargos that have decreased oil exports in the region

• increasing conflict in the region as nations battle over setting oil prices

• strengthening the global influence of the oil producing nations of the region

Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of oil producing group OPEC [Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries], has been largely blamed for the continued fall in prices given the group's decision not to cut production amid a glut in supply as part of a strategy to pressure non-OPEC rivals who have higher production costs.The policy has hurt producers closer to home though. Six Gulf oil-producing countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) are planning on introducing a sales tax for the first time amid the drop in prices and as they see budget surpluses turn into deficits as oil revenues drop. In addition, countries like the UAE [United Arab Emirates] have removed long-standing fuel subsidies.

—Holly Ellyatt, “Middle East prepares for a post-oil era,” Consumer News and Business Channel website, January 22, 2016www.cnbc.com (accessed November 11, 2016)

Based on the excerpt, which statement best describes the impact oil-related policies in the Middle East are having on oil-producing nations?

• Budget surpluses are rising for many Middle Eastern nations.

• Many nations in the Middle East have experienced production cuts.

• Some nations in the Middle East are now facing economic challenges.

• Tax revenues have fallen for a number of countries in the Middle East.

The United States supports the Syrian people’s struggle for a democratic, inclusive, and unified Syria, which began with peaceful protests in Dar’a in March 2011. The regime of Bashar al-Asad violently suppressed those expressions of popular dissent. He has proven through his brutal and repressive tactics that he cannot lead Syria’s transition. His continued tenure only fuels extremism and inflames tensions throughout the region.

— "The Syrian Crisis: U.S. Assistance and Support for the Transition," U.S. State Department website, March 2014http://www.state.gov (accessed October 17, 2014)

Based on the information in the excerpt, the United States’ government has attributed the cause of the conflict in Syria to —

• the violent behaviors of the dissident crowds

• the spread of tension throughout Southwest Asia

• the lack of cohesion amongst the protesting groups

• the authoritarian policies of the Syrian government

Based on the map, one way that cultural diffusion has impacted the city of Jerusalem includes —

• the creation of separate distinct cultural enclaves

• the blending of several religious traditions into a new one

• the building of a wall to keep threatening forces out of the city

• the division of the city into Palestinian and Israeli administered areas

The strait indicated by the arrow on the map is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. What type of maritime traffic accounts for a majority of this activity?

• Oil tankers

• Cruise ships

• Ferry boats

• Naval destroyers

The arid and semi-arid climate of much of Southwest Asia creates biomes that are characterized by —

• taiga and tundra

• temperate forests

• tropical rainforests

• grasslands and desert

Which event is a daily reminder in Southwest Asia of the significance of religion in the region?

• Ramadan dinners

• Public calls to prayer

• Pilgrimages to Mecca

• Friday store closings

One way that wealthy nations in Southwest Asia are able to address the lack of water is by —

• draining wetlands

• trading oil for irrigation

• constructing large dams

• building desalination plants

A distinct feature of the cultural landscape in many towns located in Southwest Asia includes —

• shipyards

• skyscrapers

• sports stadiums

• shopping bazaars

Research about the cultures of Southwest Asia would most likely include an examination of —

• water resources

• language patterns

• climate conditions

• modern civil wars