| A | B |
|---|
| Middle East | region including countries of southwestern Asia and northern Africa |
| 350 million | approximate population of M.E. |
| crossroads | name given middle east because people from three continents pass through it |
| three important bodies of water in M.E. | Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea |
| oasis | a place in the desert with underground water |
| Riyadh | capital of Saudia Arabia built at a large oasis |
| the three climates of the middle east | desert, Mediterranean, steppe |
| steppe climate | climate with small amounts of rain and grass vegetation |
| birth place of three major religions | Middle East |
| Judaism | monotheistic religion |
| Islam | monotheistic religion |
| Christianity | monotheistic religion |
| Christianity | developed from Judaism |
| Christianity | follows the teachings of Jesus |
| Islam | began in Saudi Arabia in 622 |
| Koran | holy book of Islam |
| Muhammad | Arab leader who started Islam |
| Judaism | religion of the Jews |
| Judaism | oldest of the three major religions |
| Arabs | the ethnicity of most people of the Middle East |
| Arabic | language of most people of Middle East |
| Hebrew | major language of Jews in the Middle East |
| Muslims but not Arabs | people of Turkey and Iran |
| developed country | a country that is wealthy by world standards |
| oil | the most important natural resource of the Middle East |
