This document discusses issues in Southwest Asia related to population relocation and oil wealth. It describes how the oil boom led to rapid urbanization as people migrated for jobs. It also discusses the large populations of foreign guest workers in the oil industry and challenges they face. Political refugees like Kurds and Palestinians have also been forcibly relocated and remain in refugee camps. Oil wealth has brought economic changes but countries need to diversify their economies and improve infrastructure and resource use. A case study examines the religious conflict over control of Jerusalem between Jews, Arabs and Palestinians.

1. Today’s Issues:
Southwest Asia
Oil and religion have shaped modern
Southwest Asia, but they’ve also brought the
region lasting, often devastating conflicts and
challenges.
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2. SECTION 1 Population Relocation
SECTION 2 Oil Wealth Fuels Change
Today’s Issues:
Southwest Asia
Case Study Religious Conflict Over Land
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3. Section 1
Population Relocation
• Economic growth brings foreign workers to
the region.
• Political factors have shifted the region’s
population.
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4. New Industry Requires More Workers
The Oil Boom Changes Economies and Lives
• Life in Southwest Asia doesn’t change much from
1100–1900
- some people live in villages, cities; others live
nomadic lives
• Petroleum, natural gas discovered in early 20th
century
- Western oil companies leased land, brought in
technology, workers
• Oil profits bring wealth to countries, urbanization
begins
- road construction makes cities accessible
- thousands migrate to cities for jobs
SECTION
1
Continued . . .
Population Relocation
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5. SECTION
1
Foreign Workers
• Oil creates so many jobs that local workers can’t fill
them all
- oil companies employ “guest workers” from
South, East Asia
- mostly unskilled laborers; do jobs native peoples
find unacceptable
• In places, immigrant works outnumber native
workers
- 90% of United Arab Emirates’ workers are
immigrants
continued New Industry Requires More Workers
Continued . . .
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6. SECTION
1
Problems of Guest Workers
• Cultural differences exist between guest workers,
employers
- misunderstandings over customs can bring
severe penalties
• Often, workers live in special districts away from
Arab population
- some are abandoned or don’t get wages for
months
• Concerns over intolerance, violence toward workers
• Some fear immigrants weaken countries’ national
identities
continued New Industry Requires More Workers
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7. Political Refugees Face Challenges
Stateless Nation
• After WWI, land intended for Kurds was kept by
Turkey, Iraq, Syria
• Kurds a stateless nation—people without land to
legally occupy
• Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria try unsuccessfully to absorb
Kurds
- Kurds resist governments’ control, are forcibly
moved
• Iraq forces Kurdish migration, uses chemical
weapons on settlements
- In 2000, 70,000 Kurds are displaced, many
forced into camps
SECTION
1
Continued . . .
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8. SECTION
1
Palestinian Refugees
• Palestinians—Arabs and descendents who lived in
Palestine—displaced
- stateless nation; living in relocation camps in
Israel, elsewhere
• When Israel is created, Palestinian Arabs are
promised a homeland
- during Israeli war of 1948, Israel occupies some
of those lands
• As many as 1 million Palestinians flee Israel,
become refugees
- 52 camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, West Bank,
Gaza Strip
continued Political Refugees Face Challenges
Continued . . .
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9. SECTION
1
Palestinian Refugees
• West Bank—strip of land on west side of Jordan
River
- originally controlled by Jordan, but lost to Israel in
1967
• Gaza Strip—along Mediterranean Sea northeast of
Sinai Peninsula
- occupied by Israel in 1967
• Refugees unable to return to Israeli areas they
claim
- 8.2 million worldwide by 2005
• Their demand to return to Palestine is at heart of
many regional conflicts
continued Political Refugees Face Challenges
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10. Section 2
Oil Wealth Fuels Change
• Oil wealth brings political and economic
changes to the region.
• To achieve a diversified economy, countries
need to improve infrastructure and resource
use.
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11. Meeting the Global Demand
The Pros and Cons of “Black Gold”
• Oil (“black gold”) fuels world industries,
transportation, economies
- strategic commodity—important resource
nations will fight over
• Region has 64% of world’s oil deposits, 34% of
natural gas reserves
- by 2020 will provide 50% of world demand
• Oil prices rise, fall unpredictably; revenue not
assured
- makes steady economic growth difficult; nations
need to diversify
Oil Wealth Fuels Change
SECTION
2
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12. Using Oil Wealth to Diversify
Modernizing the Infrastructure
• Saudi Arabia builds roads, irrigation networks,
agricultural storage
- also, desalinization plants to remove salt from
seawater
• Other nations build airports, malls, ports
- efforts are not always well planned
- UAE builds four international airports that are
underused
• Nations have made an effort to build information
technology systems
SECTION
2
Continued . . .
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13. SECTION
2
Developing Resources
• Nations seek to diversify, develop non-oil
resources, agriculture
- governments build dams, dig wells to tap
underground reservoirs
• Saudi Arabia uses oil profits to improve agriculture,
water supplies
- by 1985 it met its demand for dairy, meat, poultry,
eggs
- by 1992 it produced enough grain for own needs,
some export
• Oman revives copper, chromium industries,
reduces oil dependence
continued Using Oil Wealth to Diversify
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Continued . . .

14. SECTION
2
Human Resources
• Human resources—skills and talents of a nation’s
people
- nations must invest in people, including women
- must provide education, technology training
- Kuwait has free education through university level
- Kuwait also pays fees, expenses if students study
abroad
• Many societies have strict rules about women’s
roles
- hard to get education or jobs; shortages create
opportunities
continued Using Oil Wealth to Diversify
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15. Case Study Religious Conflict Over Land
BACKGROUND
• Land conflicts between Jews, Arabs disrupt life
in Southwest Asia
• Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, Christians, and
Muslims
• The issue of control of the city affects the area’s
politics, people
Who Should Control
Jerusalem?
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16. Case Study
Conflicts Over Holy Sites
• After WWII, the UN designated Jerusalem an
international city
- intended to be controlled by international body
• City is divided in 1948 after the Arab-Israeli war
- Arabs take Old City, East Jerusalem in West
Bank
- Israelis control West Jerusalem, then after 1967
capture rest of city
• Muslims keep control of Haram ash-Sharif (Temple
Mount to Jews)
• Israelis settle nearby Arab lands; Palestinian Arabs
flee
- UN Resolution 194 supports Palestinians’ “right
of return” NEXT
Control of Jerusalem

17. Case Study
A Difficult Problem to Solve
• Emotional issue: both sides claim city as their
capital; solutions?
• Palestinians could retain control of parts of East
Jerusalem
- Israel would annex several nearby settlements,
expand territory
• Israel retains control of West Jerusalem, Jewish
Quarter of Old City
- Palestinians would retain control of Old City,
East Jerusalem
• Palestinians control Temple Mount, give up
refugees’ right of return
• International agency controls all holy sites
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Proposed Solutions to the Conflict

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