1. Impact of location, climate, physical
characteristics, distribution of
natural resources, and population
distribution in Southwest Asia
Explain how the distribution of oil
has affected the development of
Southwest Asia (Middle East)
SS7G7

2. Oil-Black Gold
• Natural gas and oil are the two most important
natural resources found in Southwest Asia
• Both bring a lot of money (wealth) to the region
because of the demand from the rest of the
world
• Oil and natural gas was discovered in Southwest
Asia in the 1930’s
• Over half of the world’s oil reserves are found in
Southwest Asia (Middle East) and this gives the
countries there a lot of power over the rest of
the world (Oil=$$$=Power)

3. Oil-Black Gold
• In the 1960’s several Southwest Asian countries formed
OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
• OPEC was formed to control the price and supply of oil
in the world market
• Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait have the greatest
amount of oil and natural gas in the region
• Some Middle Eastern countries have grown rich from
having oil and natural gas and the others struggle to
make a decent living
• If you have oil you are doing well if you don’t then you
are poor and not very happy

4. Pop Quiz
1. What are the two most valuable natural resources
in Southwest Asia?
a. Water and cotton
b. Phosphates and oil
c. Oil and natural gas
d. Sulfur and natural gas

5. Pop Quiz
2. How much of the world’s oil supply is found in
Southwest Asia?
a. 25 percent
b.40 percent
c. 50 percent
d.75 percent

6. Pop Quiz
3. How has the discovery of oil in some Southwest
Asian countries affected the economic
development of this area?
a. Those with oil need less water than the other
countries around them
b.Having oil has made very little difference in the
economy in this region
c. The discovery of oil has meant that no other
industries have developed in the region
d.Those countries with oil reserves are much richer
than those countries that have not found oil in
their territory

7. Pop Quiz
4. Which countries are the most oil-rich in the
Southwestern Asian region?
a. Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Israel
b.Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Lebanon
c. Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon
d.Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

8. Pop Quiz
5. Why does the organization of OPEC play a powerful
role in the world economy?
a. OPEC controls the oil in the world market
b.This organization is a part of the United Nations
c. OPEC builds dams along rivers shared by several
countries
d.OPEC membership include many oil companies
owned by firms in the United States