Why do Southwest Asia and North Africa form a useful world region? What are some of the problems associated with defining the region?
Southwest Asia and North Africa form a useful world reason because the countries that make it up are fairly similar in climate and culture, and in their wealth of oil. In terms of climate, this region consists mostly of desert, making this region useful in grouping these countries together. Culturally, this region is cited as the place the major world religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were founded and holds many holy places. However, the strong connection of these different religions to the area has lead to conflict. But, the prevalence of these religions can allow the area to be grouped culturally. …show more content…
To begin, at the close of WWI, Britain negotiated a deal with the Arab people in the region stating that they could Arab state if they agreed to help the British drive out the Ottomans. However, at the same time, Britain and France agreed to divide up the region amongst themselves. With the close of the war, the British were able to remove the Ottomans, and divided up the region between itself and France with no regard to the Arab people of their cultures. Their method for division was to each gain territory that was of economic interest to them. For example, Britain established colonies in parts of the Levant and the Fertile Crescent so that it could secure oil interest. It then divided this area into Palestine, Transjordan, and what is now Iraq. But in doing this, it grouped Arab peoples who had not gotten along for centuries in the same country. This has lead to continued conflict within the region. Additionally, if one looks at a map of the established French and British colonies, it looks strikingly similar to a current map of the region, showing their continued influence. In conclusion, Britain and France has greatly contributed to the region’s modern political …show more content…
To begin, Islamic fundamentalism is a movement that seeks Muslims to return to their traditional, religion-centered society with frequent support for the unification of church and state. On the other hand, the beliefs of Islamism say that foreign influences are to blame for the problems within Muslim areas. However, both of these movements often include the rejection of Western culture. One example of where Islamism has affected the domestic geopolitical setting is Egypt. There, Islamist groups such as the Muslim brotherhood have pressured Egypt to make significant political changes that make Islam’s traditions part of the law, and their presence has lead to significant instability within the region. Another example is Algeria, where Islamist extremists, associated with Al Qaeda, provoked protests and significant violence that lead to the death of over 150,000 people. This created instability within the country and the government is still working to stop many of these extremists. Lastly, Sudan has been tremendously impacted by extreme Islamic fundamentalists. In 1989, a group of extreme Sunni fundamentalists overthrew the government and made aspects of the Islamic tradition law. This was problematic since much of Southern Sudan is Christian or Animist. This lead to a civil war in Sudan that amassed over 2 million deaths. As a result,
Southwest Asia and North Africa form a useful world reason because the countries that make it up are fairly similar in climate and culture, and in their wealth of oil. In terms of climate, this region consists mostly of desert, making this region useful in grouping these countries together. Culturally, this region is cited as the place the major world religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were founded and holds many holy places. However, the strong connection of these different religions to the area has lead to conflict. But, the prevalence of these religions can allow the area to be grouped culturally. …show more content…
To begin, at the close of WWI, Britain negotiated a deal with the Arab people in the region stating that they could Arab state if they agreed to help the British drive out the Ottomans. However, at the same time, Britain and France agreed to divide up the region amongst themselves. With the close of the war, the British were able to remove the Ottomans, and divided up the region between itself and France with no regard to the Arab people of their cultures. Their method for division was to each gain territory that was of economic interest to them. For example, Britain established colonies in parts of the Levant and the Fertile Crescent so that it could secure oil interest. It then divided this area into Palestine, Transjordan, and what is now Iraq. But in doing this, it grouped Arab peoples who had not gotten along for centuries in the same country. This has lead to continued conflict within the region. Additionally, if one looks at a map of the established French and British colonies, it looks strikingly similar to a current map of the region, showing their continued influence. In conclusion, Britain and France has greatly contributed to the region’s modern political …show more content…
To begin, Islamic fundamentalism is a movement that seeks Muslims to return to their traditional, religion-centered society with frequent support for the unification of church and state. On the other hand, the beliefs of Islamism say that foreign influences are to blame for the problems within Muslim areas. However, both of these movements often include the rejection of Western culture. One example of where Islamism has affected the domestic geopolitical setting is Egypt. There, Islamist groups such as the Muslim brotherhood have pressured Egypt to make significant political changes that make Islam’s traditions part of the law, and their presence has lead to significant instability within the region. Another example is Algeria, where Islamist extremists, associated with Al Qaeda, provoked protests and significant violence that lead to the death of over 150,000 people. This created instability within the country and the government is still working to stop many of these extremists. Lastly, Sudan has been tremendously impacted by extreme Islamic fundamentalists. In 1989, a group of extreme Sunni fundamentalists overthrew the government and made aspects of the Islamic tradition law. This was problematic since much of Southern Sudan is Christian or Animist. This lead to a civil war in Sudan that amassed over 2 million deaths. As a result,