Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • describe the physical geography of North Africa and Southwest Asia including the Sahel or African Transition Zone and factors that have led to desertification in some areas;
  • relate the distribution of oil and mineral resources in North Africa and Southwest Asia to the concepts of inequality and globalization;
  • explain how the position of North Africa and Southwest Asia as a major crossroads promoted diversity in the human landscape;
  • describe the pattern of colonization in North Africa and Southwest Asia and how it has affected the human landscape, including its pattern of urbanization;
  • summarize why Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are tied to North Africa and Southwest Asia and how these religious ties have impacted the human landscape; and
  • identify factors that have contributed to border disputes and violent conflicts in North Africa and Southwest Asia and how these barriers have impeded development.
Back to 'Unit 7: North Africa and Southwest Asia'