Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Business Class OIL Continued

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/iraq/map_midEastNR.html



Which countries appear to have the most oil? The least? Might this explain why we hear more in the media about some countries in this region than others?

"Many of the wars of this [20th] century were about oil, but the wars of the next century will be about water." –Former World Bank Vice President Ismail Serageldin

"The next war in the Near East will not be about politics, but over water." -Former UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali

Using this map

Egypt and Mesopotamia, developed in areas where water was plentiful. Why do you think this is the case?

On your map locate these bodies of water.

  • Persian Gulf
  • Red Sea
  • Gulf of Aden
  • Mediterranean Sea
  • Caspian Sea
  • Dead Sea
  • Gulf of Aqaba
  • Tigris (Dijlah) River
  • Euphrates (Al Furat) River
  • Jordan River
  • Nile River
  • Sea of Galilee
  • Gulf of Suez
Answer these questions to hand in today.

  • Briefly describe why water is a source of conflict, according to these articles.
  • Which countries are making plans to somehow change the natural flow or distribution of water? Which countries object to these plans, and why?
  • How does one country's control of a water source impact another country?
  • Why is the Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP) particularly controversial? Why is Turkey so determined to continue despite so much opposition?
Read these two articles on water.

WATER AND PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST


Protests Grow Over Plan For More Turkish Dams

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