Hey explorers, it's Brian here and today we're headed to the Arabian Peninsula.
Think about what you wrote when you completed the prior knowledge check in your PDF because
when you hear Arabia, you may be more likely to think of riding on a camel rather than
driving in a luxury sports car, or sand dunes instead of turquoise water. Well
explore if that's the case with you then get ready to see things from a new perspective.
The Arab world is a unique contrast of modern advancements with traditional values. It features
the world's tallest building as well as the oldest and the most sacred side of Islam. Millions
of people live in modern cities while others embrace the nomadic Bedouin life in the desert.
Our lesson objectives today are to Number 1. Describe the countries of the Arabian Peninsula,
their physical features, governments, and cultural traditions. Number 2. Assess the
pros and cons of a country having a state religion and laws based on religious belief.
And Number 3. Recommend a course of action for the United States to take in the Yemeni Civil War.
It's a fascinating place, come along for the ride. Camel or coop, your choice.
Overview. The Arabian Peninsula at over 1.25 million square miles is the largest peninsula
in the world. It includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman,
and Yemen. In the north it's bordered by the Fertile Crescent,
the rest of it is surrounded by water. The Persian Gulf in the Gulf of Oman to the east,
the Arabian Sea to the south east, the Gulf of Oden to the south, and the Red Sea to the west.
Physical characteristics. The peninsula lies on the Arabian Plate a tectonic plate that makes it
a subcontinent. now let's dig into the old memory bank for a minute. What comes to your mind when
you think of Arabia? Desert? Yep, dry, hot. Check and check. Yes, the majority of the peninsula is
occupied by the enormous Arabian desert which at 250,000 square miles is among the world's
largest. It has the least amount of water of any major land mass and it contains the Rub'
al-khali, or the empty quarter the largest uninterrupted body of sand in the world.
As you may have guessed, the area is largely dry and arid. Conditions here are clear and sunny
with summer temperatures reaching well over 100°. Dust and humidity make visibility low
but also make for some spectacular sunsets. But I hope you like surprises because you're in for
one! The landscape of Arabia is actually quite diverse. Mountains such as the Sarawak range
stretched over 10,000 feet high and you can have a dip at one of the many pristine beaches. Fancy
some rugged sea cliffs? Yeah! This is the Arabian peninsula. No seriously, it's in Oman. Cool, huh?
The people. As a result of the unforgiving climate in the center of the peninsula,
people have historically settled in the coastal regions, but not all have been scared off by the
desert. The Bedouin are nomadic groups who live in the desert and have been practicing camel,
goat, and sheep herding for centuries. Some formed villages and fertile oases which later
grew into major cities. Today there's still several million Bedouin on the Peninsula.
The Arabian Peninsula has also experienced remarkable growth over the last 70 years
as only 9.5 million people lived there in 1950. Now that number has grown to about 87
million. During this time the region became highly urbanized. 7.2 million people live
in Riyadh, the largest city on the peninsula. The life expectancies here mostly fall between 75
to 80 years. Yemen's; however, is only 66. Later we'll cover some reasons why that's the case.
Ethnicity and religion. The Arabian Peninsula is mostly comprised of a group of people called
Arabs. Put simply, Arabs are people who identify as native Arabic speakers. The term encapsulates
a number of Arabic peoples beyond the peninsula as well, many but not all of whom are Muslim.
And there's a reason for that, Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and Arabic is the
language of the Quran. The prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca about 570 CE. He founded
Islam the world's second largest religion with 1.9 billion followers today. Every year two to
three million pilgrims flock to Mecca now the holiest Muslim city. And while each country is
at least 65% Muslim, there are sizable minority populations of Christians and Hindus in most.
Government and economy. Six of these countries are monarchies, three of them Kuwait,
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates refer to their monarch as an emir, a designation for a
Muslim territorial office holder, making these countries Emirates. Yemen's internationally
recognized government is a republic, but as of 2022 it is embroiled in a civil war.
All of these governments are based to some extent on Sharia, or Islamic law. In some countries,
Sharia is used in all civil and criminal cases while in others Sharia only applies to Muslims.
In a secular government such as the U.S., there is a separation of church and state meaning that the
government is neutral in religious affairs and does not make laws based on religious belief.
What do you think are some advantages and disadvantages of having a state religion such
as those on the Arabian Peninsula? Please pause the video and respond in your PDF.
Saudi Arabia's government has drawn criticism over some of its policies. For example,
women were denied basic opportunities like driving. Although this policy was lifted in 2018,
gender inequality still remains an issue. The ability to vote in parliamentary elections is open
in some countries but only on a limited basis. Six of the seven countries, all except Kuwait,
are rated by freedom house as not free. Let's play some word association, shall we? Arabian economy.
If you have prior knowledge of this part of the world the word that would likely pop into
your head is oil and with good reason! Oil was discovered here in the 1930s bringing enormous
wealth. Wealth ushered in infrastructure, increased production capacity, and rapid
modernization. The Arab world became urbanized and many immigrants moved in to provide labor.
Nowadays many countries rely on oil from the Arabian Peninsula
including the U.S. It has led to strong GDP figures for most of the countries;
however, as the world transitions to clean energy there is a race to invest
in other sectors such as luxury tourism and the production of steel and chemicals.
Now you may have noticed that the GDP per capita of Yemen at 900 U.S. dollars is among
the lowest in the world. What do you think could cause a country to struggle so much with GDP,
life expectancy, and freedom all at the same time? Since 2014 the Yemeni Civil War has contributed
to extreme poverty as well as a major famine and cholera outbreak. As of the early 2020s,
the civil war is one of the foremost humanitarian crises in the world. But this
doesn't tell the story of the whole peninsula. A common misconception of this region from a
western perspective is that it's unsafe when overall it's actually quite peaceful. Qatar,
Kuwait, and the U.A.E. are all in the top 60 safest countries in the world according
to the global peace index, rating higher than nations such as France and the U.S.
Culture. In Arab culture, children are raised to place the needs of the group over the needs of the
individual. Let's think about that for a minute. How do you think that mindset affects the way that
people view their family and community? Please pause the video here and respond in your PDF.
Well perhaps you guessed that familial relationships are a priority and you'd be right
about that! Defending the honor of family and even members of the local community is of the utmost
importance in the Arab world. Traditionally there has been little or no public entertainment such as
theaters and nightclubs as free time was spent at home or visiting relatives. This is changing
to some extent as there is a growing desire to balance traditional values with modernization.
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates hosted the 2020 World Expo. This booming city is home to the Burj
Khalifa which at 2 717 feet is the world's tallest building and in 2022 Qatar will be the Arab
world's first country to host soccer's FIFA World Cup. And as expected in a peaceful nation, local
hospitality is highly valued. Hosts greet their guests by offering tea and dates. Once you get to
the main course you'll likely enjoy some flavorful lamb or chicken with rice and vegetables.
Conclusion. That concludes our journey to the Arabian Peninsula. Despite its traditional roots,
in some ways it's quickly becoming one of the most modern places in the world. What's a new
perspective you gained from our lesson today? After we finish, write about it in the lesson
review section of your PDF. So what's next for the peninsula? Well oil has brought them
a long way but soon there may be a need for something new. As for us explorers,
we're onto something new as well, our next journey. And as always, keep exploring!