Term | Definition |
wadis | Dry streambeds in Southeast Asia. |
fossil water | Water that is not being replaced by rainfall. |
nomads | People who often move from place to place. |
Red Sea | The sea between the Arabian Peninsula and northern Africa. |
Persian Gulf | Body of water between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. |
Euphrates River | Major river in Iraq in southwestern Asia. |
exotic rivers | Rivers that begin in humid regions and then flow through dry areas. |
Tigris River | Major river in southwestern Asia. |
Arabian Sea | Sea between India and the Arabian Peninsula. |
Muslims | Followers of Islam. |
caliph | An early religious and political ruler in the Muslim world. |
Sunni | The largest branch of Islam. |
Shia | The second-largest branch of Islam. |
Qur’an | The holy book of the Islam faith. |
OPEC | Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which tries to influence the price of oil on world markets. |
Mecca | Important Islamic city in western Saudi Arabia. Birthplace of Muhammad. |
sabchat | Thick, slushy deposit of sand silt, mud and salt found in coastal Saudi Arabia. |
embargo | A limit set on trade usually limiting or prohibiting imports and exports from a country. |
Baghdad | The capital of Iraq. |
shah | Old Persian title for a king |
theocracy | A government based on religion and ruled by religious leaders of that religion. |
Tehran | The capital city of Iran. |
Khyber Pass | A narrow passage through the Hindu Kush between Afghanistan and Pakistan. |
Kabul | The capital of Afghanistan. |