Geography

Southwest Asia: Critical Thinking

Climate 3. Making Generalizations Compare
this map to the physical map. What are
1. Physical Systems What is the most some areas where mountain barriers
widespread climate type in Southwest might be a factor affecting climate?
Asia?

2. Physical Systems Compare this map
to the physical map. What do you think
the environment in most of the Arabian
Peninsula is like?

40°E 70°E

EUROPE CASPIAN 60°E

40°N BLACK SEA 40°N

SEA CENTRAL ASIA

AEGEAN SEA

MESDEITAERRANEAN 30°N

30°N S OUTH
ASIA
N ERSIAN
WE 70°E
GULF GULF OF OMAN Tropic of Cancer
S 60°E
ARABIAN SEA
Tropic of Cancer 50°E

P 20°N

20°N RED SEA

AFRICA

SCALE 250 500 Miles CLIMATE
0
Arid
0 250 500 Kilometers Semiarid
Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic Mediterranean
10°N Humid subtropical
GULF OF ADEN Highland

10°N
30°E
40°E

426 • Unit 6

Southwest Asia:
Precipitation

1. Places and Regions How much pre- Critical Thinking
cipitation do most areas on the Arabian
Peninsula receive? 3. Drawing Conclusions Compare this
map to the physical map. Based on the
2. Places and Regions Which country on distribution of precipitation in the re-
the Arabian Peninsula receives the most gion, which area do you think is known
precipitation? as the Fertile Crescent?

30°E
40°E

EUROPE CASPIAN 60°E 70°E

40°N BLACK SEA 40°N

SEA CENTRAL ASIA

AEGEAN SEA

MESDEITAERRANEAN 30°N

30°N ERSIAN S OAUS ITAH
70°E
N 60°EGULFGULF OF OMANTropic of Cancer
WE
50°EARABIAN SEA20°N
S
P
Tropic of Cancer
RED SEA
20°N A F R I C A

ANNUAL PRECIPITATION

SCALE Centimeters Inches
0
250 500 Miles Under 25 Under 10

0 250 500 Kilometers 25–50 10–20
Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic
50–100 20–40
GULF OF ADEN
40–60
100–150

10°N 10°N 150–200 60–80

30°E Over 200 Over 80
40°E

Southwest Asia • 427