Geography of North Africa and Southwest Asia

Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman are located in the

• Maghreb

• Gaza Strip

• Atlas Mountains

• Arabian Peninsula

Why did the earliest civilizations develop in the Fertile Crescent?

• Mineral resources helped early civilizations make the tools they needed.

• The seacoasts encouraged people to stay in one location and develop civilizations.

• The mountains protected early settlements from invasions so they could form stable civilizations.

• The major rivers provided freshwater needed for people to grow food and form civilizations.

Approximately one-third of Egypt’s workforce is employed in agriculture. Egyptian agricultural

workers are most likely to live

• near the Nile River

• in the Sahara Desert

• in the Qattara Depression

• on the Sinai Peninsula

Which headline would be printed in a Saudi Arabian newspaper?

• Wet Spring Weather a Boost to Mushroom Harvest

• Critical Year for Corn Crop Yields in Riyadh

• Western Oasis Experiences Record Date Palm Harvest

• Heavy Winter Snows Threaten Region’s Farms

Which industry do the nations of North Africa and Southwest Asia depend on for their wealth?

• food production

• global shipping

• the petroleum industry

• desalination plants

In desert or dry areas, a year-round water supply can be provided by creating

• wadis

• oases

• aquifers

• reservoirs

Dams in North Africa and Southwest Asia are used to

• produce electricity

• reclaim marshland

• make wadis more fertile

• turn salt water into fresh water

The construction of the Suez Canal

• made Egypt into a powerful exporter of oil

• provided Egypt with an important source of energy

• allowed Egypt to move people out of crowded cities

• gave Egypt control over an important global trade route

Humans have adapted to the desert regions of North Africa and Southwest Asia by

• transporting needed water by camel caravans

• establishing farming communities near oases

• living near areas with a lot of oil wells

• using desalination plants to provide water for irrigation

Which of these contributes most to the problem of air pollution?

• burning gasoline to power vehicles

• storing oil in large tanks

• shipping oil around the world

• drilling for oil in desert regions