Southwest Asia, also called the "Middle East," is often in the news. The world needs the oil that is produced in that region. Most of the oil that is produced is carried by ships to countries around the world - and that makes the waterways very important.

  1. Notice that there are three narrow water passages in the Middle East area at A, B, and C on the map. Whatever nations control these passages control the entrances and exits of the larger bodies of water. Write the names of the passages as seen on the map. At:
    1. ____________________________________
    2. ____________________________________
    3. ____________________________________
  2. Complete the following sentences:
    1. The Suez Canal connects the _____________ Sea and the ____________________Sea.
    2. The Bab el Mandeb connects the ___________________ and the Gulf of ________________________________
    3. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf of ___________ and the _____________________________________
  3. Name five countries that border on the Red Sea
    1. ____________________________________________
    2. ____________________________________________
    3. ____________________________________________
    4. ____________________________________________
    5. ____________________________________________


    Southwest Asia (Middle East)



  4. One of the countries in the Persian Gulf is Bahrain which occupies a small island. What other six countries border on the Persian Gulf?
    1. _________________________________________
    2. _________________________________________
    3. _________________________________________
    4. _________________________________________
    5. _________________________________________
    6. _________________________________________
  5. Rivers are important in the Middle East because the region is very dry. What two rivers that begin in Turkey finally join and empty into the Persian Gulf?
    1. _________________________________________
    2. _________________________________________