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Southwest Asian countries. Countries of Southwest and South Asia Southwest Asia states

The material contains information about the territory occupied by Southwest Asia. The article tells about the composition of the population of the region, the predominant religion and the economic potential of the majority of states. Indicates the specifics and features of the geographical location of the territory.

Southwest Asia

The region geographically refers to areas of Asia.
Its composition includes:

Transcaucasia;
Kopetdag;
Asia Minor Highlands,
Armenian Highlands;
Iranian highlands;
Mesopotamia;
Arabian Peninsula.

Southwest Asia also includes the peninsula of Arabia, the Syrian-Palestinian mountains and the plains of Mesopotamia.

The total area of the territory is 6.8 million km. sq.

Rice. 1. Region on the map.

The specificity of the geography of the region lies in the special geological structure - the region is a fragment of the African platform.

According to some researchers, this is a controversial region in terms of its location and belonging to the countries of Southwest Asia and their territories. Some researchers attribute some states to Southwest Asia, and some scientists orient these same powers towards the Middle East.

List of countries that are part of the region:

Climate of Southwest Asia

The climatic conditions here are rather dry. This explains the influence of the tropical and subtropical climatic zones on the territory. In the areas of central and southern localization of the Arabian Peninsula, the temperature maximum rises to + 55 ° C.

Rice. 3. Desert areas of the region's territories.

Only on the Black Sea and Mediterranean coasts is there a zone of hardwood forests and shrubs. Average assessment: 4.7. Total ratings received: 80.

Composition of Southwest Asia: the region includes countries with an Arab population - Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates), UAE), Saudi Arabia, Syria. Non-Arab countries include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Israel, Iran, Turkey.

Geographical position of Southwest Asia Southwest Asia occupies a "middle" position in relation to parts of the Eastern Hemisphere - the Old World. The western part of Turkey - a country mainly Asian, is located in Europe, the conditional border of Asia and Africa runs along the Sinai Peninsula. Now this feature of the geographical location is taken into account when locating international airports.

The geographical position determined the special role of the region in the world civilizational, economic and political development. Thanks to him, two of the three world religions (Christianity and Islam), which originated in this region, have become widespread in the modern world. From here, millions of tons of oil and a huge amount of gas are distributed all over the world. The oil-producing countries of Southwest Asia are in a favorable position relative to their main buyers.

Southwest Asia one of the smallest regions in foreign Asia in terms of territory and population. It has a long history of development: here, in the interfluve of the Tigris and Euphrates and in the east of the region, the first powerful states appeared in the past, here for the first time a plow was used to cultivate the land, a water lift was invented for irrigating the land. For the first time in the history of mankind, wheat was introduced into the culture of the Iranian Highlands - the main bread of our time.

The formation of the Ottoman Empire, which colonized a significant part of the region and blocked the Great Silk Road, played an important role in the history of the region. The long-term dependence on backward Turkey resulted in the preservation of the agrarian and raw-material structure of the economy in many countries. To date, Turkey and Iran have managed to overcome it mainly. The principalities in the center of the Arabian Peninsula remained independent in the region, which in 1927 formed a single state, called Saudi Arabia since 1932. In the same years, exploration and production of oil began. In the 18th-19th century, numerous wars were fought in Southwest Asia.

Turkey and Iran sought to capture and convert the population of the Transcaucasian countries to Islam. Here their interests collided with the interests of Russia. As a result of the outcome of repeated wars, many peoples - Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Aisors were separated by the borders of different states. This was the reason for ethnic disagreements and clashes, which escalated in the late nineteenth, early and second half of the twentieth century. They were especially acute in Turkey. The Turkish-Armenian conflict led to the death and expulsion from the country of a significant part of the Armenians living in eastern Turkey. The exiles scattered throughout the world, that is, formed and diaspora.

Everything that is happening now in this region directly affects the interests of the neighboring territories of the Old World - Eurasia and Africa. Thanks to oil reserves, the region became a sphere of interest for the New World (Countries of North and South America).

Natural conditions and natural resources Even in the developing world, it is difficult to find a region in which the dependence of the economy on the characteristics of natural conditions and natural resources would be so great. main feature The natural conditions of the region are the low availability of moisture in vast areas of Southwest Asia. The lack of moisture has become one of the causes of international disputes and conflicts over the fair division of water. The limited water resources affected the distribution of the population. Densely populated areas gravitate to water arteries, sources of artificial irrigation and underground pools of artesian waters.

Oasis territories are combined with huge tracts of poorly developed and undeveloped lands, the areas of which are especially large in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. The lack of water for a long time hindered the refining of oil, the main wealth of many countries in the region. It also influenced the structure of agriculture: very small areas are occupied by arable land. They are located either along rivers - sources of irrigation, or in elevated areas, where more precipitation will fall than on the plain. Iraq, Iran and Türkiye have the largest tracts of arable land. On arid agricultural lands, small cattle are bred, mainly sheep, most adapted to poor pastures.

Cattle breeders lead a nomadic and semi-nomadic way of life, little changed from the Middle Ages. They are one of the poorest and most backward population groups. Desert nomads are called nomads, their way of life is nomadism. Now in most countries there is a transition of nomads to a settled way of life.

Second feature natural conditions - a large amount of heat, allowing for artificial irrigation to repeatedly use the land for crops. Hot and dry weather is favorable for ether-bearing plants. In the wild, medicinal herbs, raw materials for the perfume industry, are collected.

In Yemen and in the south of Saudi Arabia, aromatic resins are collected - frankincense, myrrh, which are necessary in the cult of Christian worship. Both substances have a strong bactericidal effect, so fumigation with incense was used in cathedrals and at the bedside of the sick to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Currently, high air temperatures, clear sunny weather are one of the most important tourist resources. The swimming season at many resorts in the region is longer than in many competing countries.

Third feature- Most countries of the region have access to the seas of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In the past, this contributed to the use of fish resources of the sea, the fishing of sponges and pearls, and the development of foreign trade.

Now the access to the seas of two oceans provides favorable conditions for the export of oil to all regions of the globe. Extraction, transportation and refining of oil are the main sectors of the economy of Southwest Asia. The region has almost 40% of oil reserves and provides over 30% of its production. The main oil-producing country in Southwest Asia and the world is Saudi Arabia. 25% of the world's oil reserves are concentrated here.

Oil is produced in varying amounts in most countries of the region. The well-being of these countries and their inhabitants depends on oil prices on the world market. In Saudi Arabia, oil and oil products account for 90% of export earnings and form 75% of its budget. This is the main source of budget formation and economic development of all oil-producing countries in Southwest Asia, which is why their economy is called the "oil economy".

Oil and gas are finite resources, so most countries have enough oil reserves for 6 to 12 years. In Bahrain, it is almost over. Although geologists are constantly discovering new deposits in the Arabian Peninsula, for example, at the end of the 20th century, Oman and Yemen became oil exporters, the question arises: how will these countries exist when oil runs out? Therefore, oil-exporting countries are developing programs to create an "oil-free" sector of the economy. Some of the programs have already been implemented, for example, more and more oil is processed in producing countries.

Technologies are used in which production requires less water. In addition, many countries operate seawater desalination plants. Saudi Arabia uses desalinated water both to supply the population and to develop oil refining and petrochemistry, and the metallurgical industry. In addition to these measures, oil exporting countries began to invest money received from its sale in the development of large companies located around the world. They buy up oil refineries in different countries, create networks of gas stations. Qatar is engaged in the development of information technology, Bahrain has become a banking center of world importance.

The oil economy has affected every aspect of life and economic activity. The main mode of transport is pipeline transport. Cargo external relations are carried out by sea. In passenger communication with other regions, air transport is the main one, as is the case throughout the world. Countries outside the Arabian Peninsula also receive "oil" money for the transportation of oil through their territories, for the use of ports through which oil is sent to consumers by tankers.

Population of Southwest Asia.

The population of the region is ethnically diverse, but religiously homogeneous. Most of the population is Muslim. This unites the region and creates conditions for a common policy and mutual support in political and economic life. For example, countries - oil exporters agree on the size of oil production, and prices for it. Islam influences all aspects of the life of the population of this region.

This is manifested in the features of everyday behavior, the lower social position of women in the family and society. Women are much less likely to receive education, very rarely continue to work after marriage. There are strict restrictions in communication, clothing. In some countries women won the right to vote only in the 1970s.

The virtue of Muslims is a large number of children, therefore, in most countries of Southwest Asia, there is a high birth rate. The age structure of the population is young. The largest proportion of children under 16 (46.2% of the population) is in Yemen. However, the population of oil-producing countries remains small. The largest oil-producing country is Saudi Arabia. It occupies an area of more than 2.1 million km², but has only 28.14 million people.

Therefore, oil-producing countries are experiencing a shortage of labor and are forced to attract it from abroad. In countries such as Qatar, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), in some years the number of immigrants significantly exceeds the number of indigenous people. Immigrants work at oil producing and oil refineries, in tourism. Türkiye is very different from the Arab countries in terms of population growth. Thanks to a higher level of development, a higher proportion of city dwellers, this country is approaching European countries in terms of birth and death rates. Population growth is low in Israel and in the countries of Transcaucasia.

Southwest Asia has a high proportion of the urban population. The cities of the region have a long history, their existence is overgrown with legends and myths. The capital of Syria - Damascus is the oldest of the existing cities in the world. No less famous are the cities of Baghdad, Tehran, Beirut, Aden. Istanbul, not being the capital of Turkey, remains its economic, cultural, and innovative center of the country.

The new cities of the UAE, where one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world is located, amaze with modern architecture. But the most famous city in the region is Jerusalem - the keeper of the shrines of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish religions. In the west of Saudi Arabia, at a short distance from each other, there are "two mosques" - Mecca and Medina - the holy cities of Muslims. Here the faithful perform the Hajj - visiting shrines. In Yemen, in the deserted corners of other countries, many medieval towns have been preserved, preserving the traditions and appearance of the Middle Ages. Among them is the Yemeni city of Tarim, which houses the world's largest library of ancient Arabic manuscripts.

Economy of Southwest Asia.

The most modern and industrialized country is Türkiye. It is experiencing a shortage of oil and gas, but has significant reserves of chromites, raw materials for ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, and is developing machine building. Turkey has a fairly developed agriculture with some unique industries.

For example, they grow downy goats, once imported from the Orenburg steppes and giving excellent down - tiftik, used in knitwear production (2nd place in the world). The first place belongs to Turkey in the collection and export of nuts - hazelnuts and the fifth place in the collection of tea leaves. Türkiye has become one of the main tourist countries in Asia. There are conditions for educational, beach and health, medical, pilgrimage tourism. Its ski resorts are becoming increasingly popular.

Israel occupies a special position in the region.

This state appeared on the world map in 1947. He was given a territory of about 14 thousand km². Already in 1948, Israel launched a war for the expansion of lands, then there were two more invasions of Arab lands. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is one of the most protracted in the world. Its settlement encounters great difficulties and obstacles for which both sides are to blame.

Now Israel is a developed state with a modern industrial structure and efficient agriculture, specialized in the cultivation and export of vegetables and citrus fruits. A growing industry is tourism - pilgrimage, beach and health, medical. Thanks to the Dead Sea, with its healing waters saturated with salts and bromine, Israel has become a health center of world importance. The structure of Iran's industry is no less diverse. A feature of the location of the industrial centers of Turkey and Iran is that large industrial centers are located here not only in port areas, but also in inland lands.

Thanks to oil and geographical position, Southwest Asia is economically open to the world, but closed to the influence of other cultures, protecting its foundations, customs and way of life. Southwest Asia, as the oldest region of economic development, has a diverse cultural heritage. Among them, the most significant number of cult monuments - ancient Christian cathedrals, mosques unique in architecture, shrines of Christians, Muslims and Jews in Jerusalem and other cities.

Conclusion: Southwest Asia is a region of great cultural, historical and economic importance. This is the main energy region of the modern world. Along with oil, gas and agricultural products, over the last decades of the 20th century, it has become a significant supplier of petroleum products, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The main problems of the region are the problem of efficient and careful use of oil resources, protection of the unique nature, cleanliness of the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. But the most important issue is to end ethnic conflicts and wars over oil fields. Resolving these conflicts will make our world more stable and secure.

Southwest Asia is the world's most important energy region and home to two world religions. Southwest Asia is characterized by exceptionally high dependence on natural conditions and resources. In terms of economic development, all countries in the region can be divided into countries with an “oil economy” and countries relying on other types of natural resources. Dependence on water resources and the availability of land suitable for irrigation leads to conflicts between countries, which are often disguised as religious and ethnic conflicts. Overcoming conflict situations, preserving natural well-being is one of the conditions for the security of the whole world. This is also important for the region itself, as tourism is rapidly developing in Southwest Asia.

Asia is the largest part of the world, where more than half of humanity lives.

Among the modern independent states of foreign Asia, republics predominate, but there are also countries with a monarchical form of government (14 countries).

Before the Second World War, overseas Asia was an important component of the colonial system. More than 90% of the population of the region lived in dependent countries and colonies.

The main metropolitan countries were Great Britain, France, Japan, the Netherlands, and the USA.

After the Second World War, the collapse of the colonial system swept the countries of Asia. Until now, there are "remains" of former colonial possessions, island territories of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

There were attempts to involve young independent states in military blocs, but they fell apart. In the mid-1950s, the SEATO and CENTO military blocs were created. SEATO includes the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and from Asian countries - Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan. But the SEATO bloc fell apart.

The members of CENTO were Great Britain, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, but the United States played a big role here, although they were not formally members of the bloc. Until 1959, CENTO included Iraq. In 1979, this bloc collapsed; Iran, Pakistan and Türkiye left it. Türkiye is the only Asian country in NATO.

Southwest Asia.

There are 16 countries in Southwest Asia, forming a historically developed sub-region covering most of the Near and Middle East and covering the territory located in Southwest Asia and North Africa.

Monarchies with strong vestiges of feudal and tribal relations still survive in Southwest Asia, but republics predominate.

The modern and recent history of Southwest Asia reflected the rivalry of the major imperialist powers. They were attracted by the "middle" position of the region on the shortest routes from the metropolises to their large colonial possessions in South and Southeast Asia, and later by the richest oil fields in this region.

The struggle for strategically important territories was carried out mainly between Great Britain and France.

Chronology:

1875 - British purchase of a stake in the Suet Canal Company (built in 1869 in Egypt).

Aden and Cyprus were turned into British colonies. By the end of the XIX century. Great Britain established its protectorate over a number of territories on the Arabian Peninsula and in the Persian Gulf zone. After the First World War, Iraq, Palestine and Transjordan became British "mandatory" (governed under the "mandate" of the League of Nations), while Syria and Lebanon became French. The League of Nations actually legalized the division of Southwest Asia into spheres of influence.

1919 - As a result of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Yemen, Hijas and Asir gained independence.

1919 - the people of Afghanistan became independent (in 1978 Afghanistan became a republic).

1921 - the Soviet-Iranian treaty of friendship-recognition of Iran was signed (since 1979, the Islamic Republic has been proclaimed).

1923 - Republic of Turkey proclaimed.

1932 - the state of Saudi Arabia was formed (principalities of Nedgid and Hijaz united).

1932 - Iraq gained independence (became a republic in 1958).

1943 - Syria and Lebanon gained independence, and in 1946 Transjordan gained independence (since 1950 Jordan).

1947 - By resolution of the UN General Assembly, the British Mandate for Palestine was canceled.

On the territory of this country, it was decided to create two sovereign states: Arab and Jewish (this issue has not yet been resolved).

In 1948 - the formation of the State of Israel was proclaimed, the State of Palestine was not formed. Israel occupied all the territory allotted for the Arab state (the Arab-Israeli wars of 1948-49, the "six-day war" of 1967). Despite the UN resolution, the Israeli authorities declared Jerusalem the capital of their state. Only in September 1993 was the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration signed, providing for the establishment of temporary self-government in the West Bank of the Jordan River and the Gaza Strip (autonomy).

1961 - Kuwait declared its independence (was a British protectorate).

1960 - the independence of the Republic of Cyprus was proclaimed (since 1974 - about 37% of the territory was occupied by Turkey, which led to the actual division of Cyprus into two separate parts).

1962 - The Arab Republic of Yemen was formed (in 1967, another independent state was formed, the People's Republic of South Yemen, PDRY; and in 1990, both states merged into the Republic of Yemen with its capital in Sana'a).

1970 - Sultanate of Oman (former British colony) established.

1971 - independence is proclaimed in the former British protectorates of Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (formerly Oman).

1978 - A coup d'état was carried out in Afghanistan. The country was named the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (in November 1987, the former name of the Republic of Afghanistan was returned to it, and in 1992 the country was proclaimed the Islamic State of Afghanistan).

At the end of 1979, by agreement with the leadership of the country, Soviet troops were introduced into Afghanistan. This illegal act led to the strengthening of the opposition movement, to the extreme aggravation of tension in the country. The United States, Pakistan, Iran and other countries got involved in the conflict in one way or another. By 1986, the Soviet government made a political decision to withdraw troops, and by 1989 the USSR had fulfilled its obligations.

However, the civil war in the country continues due to the ongoing deep divisions between the Afghan warring factions.

The nature of state borders established in colonial times, religious ethnic and other disagreements still give rise to border conflicts, armed clashes and wars: 1948-49, 1956, 1967, 1982. Israeli aggression and wars against neighboring Arab states (Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon),

1980-88 - Iran-Iraq war,

1979-95 - War in Afghanistan

1990-91 - Iranian aggression against Kuwait.

Table 3

Political map of Southwest Asia

A country	Area thousand km 2	population people	Political system	Capital
Afghanistan (Islamic State of Afghanistan, IGA)	652,9	17,3	republic	Kabul
Bahrain (State of Bahrain)	0,69	0,6	a constitutional monarchy	Manama
Israel (State of Israel)	14,1*	5,1	republic	Tel Aviv
Jordan (Kingdom of Jordan)	89,4	3,5	a constitutional monarchy	Amman
Iraq (Republic of Iraq)	434,9	20,3	republic	Baghdad
Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran)	1648,0	59,0	republic	Tehran
Yemen (Republic of Yemen)	533,0	12,0	republic	Sana'a
Qatar (State of Qatar)	11,4	0,4	absolute monarchy	Doha
Cyprus (Republic of Cyprus)	9,2	0,7	republic	Nicosia
Kuwait (State of Kuwait)	17,8	2,0	a constitutional monarchy	El Kuwait
Lebanon (Lebanese Republic)	10,4	3,3	republic	Beirut
Emirates (UAE) United Arab	78,6	2,0	monarchy (federal state of seven emirates)	Abu Dhabi
Oman (Sultanate of Oman)	300,4	1,6	absolute monarchy	Muscat
Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)	2150,0	18,0	absolute theocratic monarchy	Riyadh
Syria (Syrian Arab Republic,CAP)	185,2	13.4p	republic	Damascus
Türkiye(Republic of Turkey)	749,4	59,9	republic	Ankara
* Within the limits determined by the decision of the UN General Assembly in 1947.

South Asia.

The region includes seven countries of the Eurasian continent, located south of the Himalayas on the Hindustan Peninsula and on the nearest islands in the Indian Ocean, with a population of more than 1 billion people.

The countries of South Asia have a significant historical commonality of development. In the pre-capitalist era, there were numerous slave-owning and feudal states, some of which had a high socio-economic level of development for their time.

With the strengthening of capitalism in Europe, interest in India sharply increased, beckoning with its legendary wealth. The Portuguese expedition of Vasco da Gama in 1948 opened the sea route (around Africa) from Europe to India and other countries of the region and laid the foundation for colonial conquests.

Since the 17th century began a fierce competition for colonial domination between Portugal, the Netherlands, England and France.

The victory was for England in the middle of the XIX century. the largest of the colonies, British India, emerged. In Ceylon, the British also replaced the former owners, the Portuguese and the Dutch.

Great Britain established its protectorate over the principalities of Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim, located in the Himalayas, as well as over the sultanate in the Maldives.

The national liberation struggle of the conquered peoples was brutally suppressed (the Sinai uprising in India in 1857-59 and others).

Of all the states of South Asia, only Nepal has been a formally sovereign state since 1923 (before that it was under the British protectorate), but gained independence after an armed uprising in 1950-51.

After the Second World War, the collapse of the colonial system of imperialism also affected South Asia.

1947 - two dominion states, the Indian Union and Pakistan, were created (partition according to religious principle). The migration of peoples was accompanied by an increase in religious strife, which continues to this day (the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, etc.).

In 1950 - the Republic of India was proclaimed, in 1956 - the Republic of Pakistan (Western and East), in 1971 - an independent state of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was formed on the site of East Pakistan.

In 1965, the independence of the sultanate in the Maldives was proclaimed (since 1968 - the Republic of Maldives).

1972 - Republic of Sri Lanka proclaimed.

India is one of the oldest countries in the world. For almost 200 years it was a colony of Great Britain, and in 1950 it was proclaimed a republic. India is a member of the UN, part of the Non-Aligned Movement. There are complex relations between India and Pakistan.

The history of another country in this region - the island of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) is very complicated (as a colony of Portugal, the Netherlands, and later - Great Britain). In 1948, the country gained independence, and since 1972 it has been proclaimed the Republic of Sri Lanka. All countries in this region attach great importance to membership in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Table 4

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Geographical position. Southwest Asia is located at the crossroads of important world intercontinental routes (sea, air and land), connecting the countries of Europe with the countries of Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania.
Important links of sea routes in this subregion are the Suez Canal, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. Important international maritime communications are laid off the coast of the subregion: from the Black Sea through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles to the Mediterranean Sea and further through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
Political map. The modern political map of Southwest Asia began to take shape after World War II. In the pre-war period, almost all countries were colonies, only Iran and Turkey belonged to sovereign states. The struggle for strategically important territories in this sub-region was mainly fought by Great Britain and France.

Large areas are dominated by mountainous terrain. The northern part of the subregion is occupied by the mountain systems of the Lesser and Greater Caucasus and the Central Asian highlands (Asia Minor, Armenian, Iranian), which are replaced by the plains of the Arabian Peninsula in the south. Compared to the vast mountainous areas, the areas of the lowlands are relatively small. Basically, they occupy a narrow strip along the coast of the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas, the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. The Mesopotamian lowland, the largest in the subregion, occupies a large piedmont trough at the edge of the Alpine-Himalayan geosynclinal belt.
A small amount of precipitation, high temperatures, combined with dry winds create extremely unfavorable conditions for the economic development of the region. The mountainous territories and deserts are practically uninhabited and undeveloped, while the lowlands have a high concentration of population and economy.
Minerals. The main wealth of the countries of Southwest Asia is oil. Its main reserves are concentrated within the huge oil and gas basin of the Persian Gulf, which stretches for more than 2,500 km. from the foothills of the Eastern Taurus to the Arabian Sea. It occupies the foothills of the Zagros, Mesopotamia, the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf. Most of the oil fields lie at a depth of 1800-3000 m. About 200 oil fields are known in the Persian Gulf basin, including 12 so-called supergiants with actual oil reserves of over 1 billion tons each. Saudi Arabia is home to the world's largest Gsawar oil field. Its reserves are 11.9 billion tons. The second major deposit is Burgav-Ahmadi-Magwa, which occupies the east coast of Kuwait. Its reserves are estimated at 8.5 billion tons

At the end of the 90s, oil reserves in the sub-region were estimated at 100 billion tons and accounted for 65% of the world's liquid fuel reserves. Oil is found in 13 countries of Southwest Asia. Five countries account for 92% of all reserves: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, UAE, Iran. The largest reserves are in Saudi Arabia - almost half of all reserves in the subregion.
The potential resources of the Persian Gulf basin have not yet been precisely determined. Its prospects are associated with oil exploration on the shelf of the Persian Gulf.
Natural gas reserves in the countries of Southwest Asia in the late 90s were estimated at 34 trillion. m3, which accounted for a quarter of world reserves.
Natural gas deposits are found in the same areas as oil fields. Its largest deposits are North Field (Qatar) and Kangan and Pars (Iran). Four countries - Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar contain more than 90% of all natural gas reserves in the subregion, of which more than half is in Iran.
The largest reserves in the world include reserves of other minerals: chromites (Turkey), potassium salts (Jordan, Israel), phosphorites (Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia).
Climatic resources affect the location of agricultural production, the sectoral structure of crop production, farming methods and crop productivity. Throughout the subregion, two crops can be harvested, and in the tropics - three crops per year, subject to artificial irrigation.
Subtropical and tropical continental climate prevails over large areas of the Near Asian Highlands. The continentality of the climate increases with distance from the seas to the interior. Summers are hot and dry, while winters are cool. Average temperatures in July are between 25° in the north and 29° in the south, while those in January are 20° and 10° respectively.
Most of the precipitation is in the East Anatolian Highlands - up to 700 mm. There is little precipitation in the rest of the territory, their annual amount varies from 50 to 300 mm. Particularly arid are the central and southern parts of the Iranian Highlands.

Within the arid Southwest Asia, the Mesopotamian lowland is distinguished by favorable climatic conditions. Average temperatures in July are +33°...+34°, and in January - +10°...+12°.
For the whole of Mesopotamia is characterized by a large arid climate. The annual rainfall does not exceed 200 mm. Precipitation falls mainly in winter. In a large area of Mesopotamia, agriculture can develop only with artificial irrigation.
A zone of dry steppes stretched from the north and west of Mesopotamia. This area has significant agro-climatic potential. Summers are hot and winters are warm. The average temperatures in July are +30°...+35° and in January - +7°...+8: The annual rainfall ranges from 300 to 600 mm. This territory has long served the population as an important granary.
The coastal lowlands are marked by the most humid climate, where agriculture is possible without artificial irrigation. Summers are hot with average July temperatures + 22 ° ... + 24 °, winters are warm - + 5 ° ... + 7 °. The most humid climate is on the Black Sea coast, where the precipitation is up to 3000 mm. precipitation per year.
Arabia is located in the tropical climate zone and receives the largest amount of solar radiation in Asia. Average annual temperatures reach 30°, and the sum of active temperatures is 9000-10000° and ensures the development of the most heat-loving tropical crops. The annual amount of precipitation is 100 mm. and less, sometimes reaching 150 mm.
Due to the lack of moisture in Arabia, irrigated agriculture is developing in small areas. There are no continuous agricultural areas.
Water resources are a super scarce resource in the countries of Southwest Asia. The subregion is experiencing an acute shortage of fresh water. In particular, in Saudi Arabia there are 4,000 people per 1 million m3 of water, while in European countries - 350 people.
The subregion is poor in surface water. Most of the rivers are shallow and have a temporary flow. The largest of them: Tigris and Euphrates. The water supply and irrigation of land in the arid regions of Turkey, Syria and Iraq is highly dependent on these rivers.
Türkiye has the most dense river network in the subregion. Its rivers are not navigable, but they are important sources of hydropower.
The river network in Arabia is formed by temporary streams - wadis, which are full-flowing only during the rainy season. In summer they dry up or get very shallow. Only r. Jordan has a constant flow. This river satisfies the needs of four Arab countries - Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. The political situation in the subregion does not allow coordinating the use of water resources.
The lakes are mostly endorheic, highly saline. Many of them dry up completely in the summer. The largest lakes are the Dead Sea, Rezaye, Van.
With a lack of surface sources of fresh water in the subregion, groundwater is widely used, which is extracted using underground channels (ropes), and those that lie close to the surface - wells. Where groundwater comes to the surface in the form of various sources, oases are formed.
Until recently, fresh water was delivered to the countries of the Persian Gulf by ships from Iraq and India. Now non-traditional methods of obtaining fresh water are widely used here. In the second half of the XX century. in the subregion, a special industry for seawater desalination has been established. In this area, the countries of the subregion occupy the positions of world leaders.
At the same time, other methods of developing water resources are being used in the subregion. For example, in the capital of Saudi Arabia, fresh water is produced using wells with a depth of 1200-1500 m. Other non-traditional methods for obtaining clean water (wastewater treatment, reuse of water for irrigation) have not yet reached industrial scale.
Türkiye may become the largest potential supplier of water in the Middle East. In the late 1980s, the government of the country put forward a project to build a "Peace Water Pipeline" in eight Arab countries. The project can meet the water needs of about 30 million people. However, the implementation of these plans is impossible without peace and stability in the subregion.
Soil resources. Southwest Asia is poor soil suitable for farming. The most fertile soils are confined to the Mesopotamian and coastal lowlands. The characteristic soils of Lower Mesopotamia are alluvial. In Upper Mesopotamia, steppe gray soils and chestnut soils are common, which, when artificial irrigation is used, give high yields. In the foothills of Mesopotamia, brown, red-brown and chestnut soils are common, and chernozems are found in the intermountain basins. These soils are non-saline.
In significant areas of the subregion, unproductive soils - serozems - predominate. The soil cover of the sandy and rocky deserts of Arabia is represented by primitive soils that are poor in humus and highly saline.
Land resources. About 2/3 of the territory of the subregion is non-agricultural land. The share of cultivated land is only 15.8%. With the exception of Iraq, significant land resources are found in countries without oil. Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Yemen have the largest areas of cultivated land. The share of cultivated land in these countries ranges from 30 to 35%.
Pastures and meadows occupy 14.9% of the territory. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Syria, where livestock plays an important role, have the largest areas of these lands.
In general, natural conditions for agricultural use of the territory of the subregion are unfavorable.
Forest resources. Southwest Asia is poor in forest resources. The share of areas occupied by forests is almost six times lower than the world level and is 5.5%. The most "forestless" region is the countries of the Middle East. Almost "treeless" - Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, UAE. Less than 1% forest cover in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan. Forest lands are small in Iraq, Israel, Syria. A high level of forest cover in Turkey, where almost a third of the territory is covered by forests.
population. The population of Southwest Asia almost entirely belongs to the southern branch of the Caucasoid race. An insignificant part of the population is characterized by admixtures of Mongoloid, Negroid and Australoid racial elements.
The ethnic composition of the population is very diverse. Ethnographers distinguish about 60 large peoples on the territory of the subregion. A significant part of the population belongs to three major language groups: Iranian, Semitic and Turkic. In terms of population, the peoples of the Iranian language group predominate, they make up 40% of the inhabitants of Southwest Asia. The Iranian language group includes Persians, Tajiks, Kurds, etc. The Semitic language group includes a third of the inhabitants of the subregion, mostly Arabs. Jews also belong to the Semites.
About a quarter of the population of the subregion belongs to the Turkic language group, among which Turks and Azerbaijanis dominate. Among the peoples of other language groups, Greeks, Armenians, and Georgians predominate.
Multinational countries include: Türkiye, Iran, Iraq. Next to the Turks, Persians and Arabs, national minorities live here: Kurds, Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks, etc.
The population of Southwest Asia is extremely unevenly distributed. The average population density is 49.7 people / km2. This figure ranges from 6 persons/km2 in Oman to 763 persons/km2 in Bahrain. Almost uninhabited vast areas of deserts and part of mountainous areas, where the population density is less than 1 person / km2. The highest population density is on the coast of the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas, in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates, in the desert oases. 90% of the population lives in this area.
The demographic situation is characterized by a high birth rate - more than 28 births per 1000 inhabitants per year, while the same indicator in Asia is 22 births (2001). High birth rates in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. The maximum value of this indicator is observed in Yemen - 44, and the minimum - in Georgia - 9. The mortality rate is one of the smallest in Asia - 7 people per 1,000 inhabitants. Its value ranges from 11 people in Yemen to 2 people in Qatar, UAE, Kuwait.
The average life expectancy in the countries of Southwest Asia over the past decades, although it has grown, was 67 years, but still has not reached the level of economically developed countries (73 years), but two years more than in Asia as a whole. The highest average life expectancy in Israel and Cyprus is 77 years, and the lowest in Yemen is 59 years. In all countries of Southwest Asia, women live four years longer than men.
Population growth rates in the countries of Southwest Asia tend to increase further. Rapid population growth could jeopardize today's resource and service levels and bring many economic problems. According to UN projections, the population in the subregion will increase from 193 million people in 2001 to 329 million people in 2025
The population growth rate in Southwest Asia is the highest in Asia at 2.8% per year. The highest population growth rates are observed in agricultural countries - from 3.5-4.5% per year. The maximum population growth is typical for Jordan and Saudi Arabia - 4.9% per year. Only Israel and Turkey have an average population growth rate of 2.3% per year. Low population growth rates are observed in five countries of the subregion - Cyprus, Lebanon, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and range from 1.5 to 1% per year.

High natural population growth leads to a young age structure of the population. In Southwest Asia, half of the population under the age of 20 creates a number of problems: increased demand for education, employment, housing construction.
The gender structure of the population is dominated by men - 51.7%. The situation in the society of most countries is unequal.
The countries of Southwest Asia are characterized by rather significant population migration. In the oil-producing countries of the Arabian Peninsula, for example, there is a shortage of labor. Therefore, these countries are characterized by a significant influx of emigrants from other countries.
Emigration processes are most common in Lebanon and Turkey. Part of the population of these countries went to Western Europe and America in search of work.
Urbanization. With a low average population density for Asia (due to the presence of deserts), Southwest Asia has a high level of urbanization in the region - 65.8%.
The most urbanized countries include Kuwait, Qatar, Israel. In these countries, the proportion of the urban population is 96, 90, 90%, respectively. In seven countries, the level of urbanization ranges from 50 to 70%. And only two countries in the subregion are dominated by the rural population - Oman and Yemen.
Cities in the countries of the subregion are mostly small - up to 10 thousand inhabitants. Now in Southwest Asia there are about 100 large cities, among them 11 cities - millionaires. The largest cities: Istanbul and Tehran, which are home to more than 7 million people.
Economically active population (EAP). In the mid-90s, 20% of EAN was employed in the industry of the subregion and almost the same amount in agriculture - 19.1%. In most countries, the proportion of people employed in industry, mainly in the oil industry, prevails.
The oil-producing countries of the Arabian Peninsula are experiencing a significant influx of labor from other regions. Among the countries that import labor, Saudi Arabia should be named first of all. Non-indigenous residents of this country make up more than 50% of EAN. The largest suppliers of labor force are oil-producing countries - Egypt, Yemen, Jordan. Emigration to Yemen and Jordan was so widespread that these countries were forced in turn to import labor from India and Pakistan.
The religious composition of the population. The majority of the population of Southwest Asia professes Islam, which is the state religion in Muslim countries. Muslims in the countries of the subregion belong to two branches of Islam: Sunni and Shia. Sunnis predominate, most of whom live in Iran and Iraq. Supporters of Shiites live in the countries of the Persian Gulf.
Christians predominate only in Cyprus and Lebanon, where they make up about half of the population. Judaism is practiced in Israel. In Southwest Asia, there is an important religious center of Islam, Christianity and Judaism - Jerusalem, as well as important centers of Muslim pilgrimage - Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, etc.
The modern structure of the economic complex. The countries of Southwest Asia, despite significant differences in the level of development of their economy, belongs to the group of developing countries. Only Israel belongs to the economically advanced countries. Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, which were included in the subregion due to their geographical position, represent the countries of the former planned economy.
The sectoral structure of the economy of the subregion is determined by oil deposits and limited opportunities for the development of agriculture.

Industry. The industrial development of the countries of Southwest Asia is closely connected with the territorial localization of oil resources. Large oil deposits determine the sectoral structure of both the mining and manufacturing industries. Oil revenues in the countries of the subregion are used to build industrial enterprises, housing, and infrastructure facilities.
Oil industry. Oil in Southwest Asia began to be extracted a long time ago. The old fields located in the foothills of the Zagros gave the first oil in the 20s of the XX century. The development of deposits in the Arabian Peninsula began only after the Second World War. And already in the 1950s, South-West Asia became the world center of oil production.
Until the 1970s, the oil wealth of the countries of Southwest Asia was in the hands of the International Oil Cartel. At first, control over the exploration and production of oil was carried out by British monopolies, and in the post-war period - by American ones. From the exploitation of oil resources, they received large profits. And the countries from whose bowels oil was extracted, only an insignificant part of these incomes remained.
In the post-colonial period, oil resources in the countries of the subregion were nationalized. In 1960, to protect their interests from the International Oil Cartel, the developing countries created the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which included six countries of the subregion.
In the 1980s, due to the restructuring of the energy balance structure in economically highly developed countries, exports decreased, which led to a sharp drop in prices. In 1986, oil prices fell almost three times, reaching almost the level of 1974, that is, 70-100 dollars per ton. This significantly affected the volume of export earnings in oil-producing countries.
The countries of the subregion produce oil of very high quality, and its cost is the lowest in the world - from 4 to 7 dollars per ton, while in the USA - 60-80 dollars.
In the early 1990s, more than 800 million tons of oil were produced annually in Southwest Asia, which accounted for 26% of its world production.
Southwest Asia is the largest oil export region in the world. Ten countries are oil exporters. Among them: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, UAE and Kuwait - to the largest not only in the sub-region, but also in the world. Countries such as Turkey, Bahrain, Qatar and Syria fully meet their needs and export a small amount of oil to the world market. Only Yemen, Jordan and Lebanon meet their liquid fuel needs through imports.
A significant part of the oil from the subregion is exported in its crude form. About half of total exports go to the countries of Western Europe, 1/4 - to Japan, the rest - to the USA and other Asian countries.
Oil is transported by sea and pipelines. The first oil pipelines were built before World War II. The main oil pipelines stretched from the oil fields to the ports on the Mediterranean Sea. The length of most oil pipelines does not exceed 1000 km. The main purpose of the main international oil pipelines is to pump oil to the ports of the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. Then it is transported by tankers to Western Europe.
Gas industry. In the early 1990s, Southwest Asia produced annually 100 billion m3 of natural gas, which accounted for 1/3 of the total natural gas production in Asia and 5.0% of the world. Natural gas is produced in ten countries of the subregion. The largest producers of natural gas are Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, which account for 2/3 of the total production. Saudi Arabia is among the "top ten" gas producing countries in the world.
The countries of Southwest Asia annually export 20 billion m3 of natural gas. The main exporters in the subregion are Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Export opportunities for natural gas are significantly limited by the difficulties of its transportation. Liquefied natural gas plants have been built in the countries of the subregion. For its transportation, special tankers are used - gas carriers. The volume of international trade in liquefied gas is still insignificant. The main importers are Japan, the USA and the countries of Western Europe.
Energy. The subregion produces 41.3% of all Asia's primary energy sources and 10.2% of the world's. The total consumption of primary energy sources is 245 million Tup, or 25% of the total production.
The main energy resource in Southwest Asia is oil. Its share in the consumption structure of primary energy sources reaches 70%. In ten countries, oil is the main, and in Jordan and Yemen - the only source of energy.
The second place in the energy consumption of the subregion is occupied by natural gas. In countries such as Bahrain and Qatar, its share significantly exceeds oil. In oil-producing countries, the consumption of natural gas produced along with oil is constantly growing.
Only in Turkey coal dominates in the structure of energy consumption. The role of hydropower and other energy sources in the subregion is insignificant.
The oil-producing countries have the highest absolute level of consumption of primary energy sources. Countries such as Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia consume about 50 million Tup per year, and five countries have more than 10 million Tup.
Southwest Asian countries have an average per capita energy consumption of 4.5 tou, more than double that of the world. A very high relative level of consumption in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates - 15-20 tou, which is associated with a small population in these countries.
Manufacturing industry. Prior to World War II, only the traditional manufacturing industries, textile and food, developed in Southwest Asia. In the post-colonial period, new manufacturing industries developed in the subregion - chemical and petrochemical, metallurgical, machine-building and metalworking, etc.
The manufacturing industry has become the most dynamic branch of the economy. However, its share in the creation of GDP is only 13%. High rates of development of this industry are observed in oil-producing countries. In most countries, the manufacturing industry, in terms of its share in GDP, is inferior to the extractive industry, and in the least developed countries, to agriculture. Only in Israel and Turkey is the manufacturing industry the leading branch of the economy. In these countries, its share is the highest in the subregion and exceeds 25%. In seven countries it ranges from 10 to 15%, while in the remaining countries it is less than 10%.
In the sectoral structure of the manufacturing industry of the oil-producing countries, the leading role belongs to the oil refining and chemical industries. The share of these industries in the structure of the manufacturing industry is 42%. To expand the export of petroleum products and products of the petrochemical industry, petrochemical complexes were built. Among the branches of the chemical industry, the production of mineral fertilizers, rubber products and household goods is of great importance.
The food industry is closely connected with the local raw material base. It ranks second in terms of the value of the gross output of the manufacturing industry, although the growth rates of other industries are much higher. Its share in the structure of the gross output of the manufacturing industry is 16.6%. Of the branches of the food industry, the most developed are: flour-grinding, sugar, oil, canning, tobacco, etc. The level of development of this industry does not provide the country's needs with food products. The countries of the subregion have to import a significant part of food products.
Among the branches of light industry, the leading place belongs to the textile industry. The countries of the subregion have their own raw material base for the production of cotton and woolen fabrics. The production of fabrics from artificial and synthetic fibers is developing, as well as the carpet and leather and footwear industries.
Mechanical engineering and metalworking in the countries of Southwest Asia has a narrow specialization. Enterprises involved in the repair of machinery and equipment predominate, as well as assembly plants producing automobiles, tractors, combines, radio equipment and electrical appliances. Metalworking is developing in all countries of the subregion. Among the countries of the subregion, mechanical engineering is most developed in Israel and Turkey.
In Israel, almost all branches of engineering are developing, including aircraft and shipbuilding, including the military. they are provided with financial, scientific and technical assistance from the United States and subsidies from Zionist organizations. In terms of the production of military products per inhabitant, this country ranks first in the world.
Turkey has the greatest prospects for the development of mechanical engineering, where it relies on a significant metallurgical base. The country is developing the production of means of production for the light and food industries, transport, electrical engineering and other industries.
The metallurgical industry in the countries of Southwest Asia is still poorly developed. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises were built on the basis of domestic and imported raw materials. In the oil-producing countries of the Persian Gulf, aluminum production enterprises operate on the basis of cheap energy. The building materials industry is one of the most dynamic sectors, as it creates a material base for the development of other industries. The greatest development was received by: the cement, brick industries, the production of various structures from reinforced concrete products, etc.
Agriculture. The growth rate of gross agricultural output is 2.6% on average, it lags far behind the population growth rate - 2.8% (1999), does not meet domestic needs for food. According to the calculations of UN experts, the minimum growth rate of agricultural production in the country of the region should be at the level of 4%.
The countries of Southwest Asia, except Turkey and Saudi Arabia, belong to the importers of food products. The dynamics of food imports have been seriously affected by many years of hostilities in different parts of this subregion, as well as an unstable political environment. In the agricultural exports of countries, an important place is occupied by products of tropical and subtropical agriculture - dates, raisins, figs, citrus fruits, fruits, tobacco and cotton.
The diversity of the natural conditions of the territory determine the differences in the specialization of agriculture. In a dry climate, agriculture without irrigation is extremely limited. The largest agricultural regions of irrigated agriculture include the central regions of Arabia, where drybnooasis agriculture and the Mesopotamian lowland are widespread. Non-irrigated agriculture occupies a narrow strip of dry steppes that stretch north of the Mesopotamian lowland. Terraced agriculture is developing in the mountainous regions of Arabia. Yemen is one of the countries of terraced agriculture.
Plant growing. Most of the cultivated land is used for crops - wheat, barley and rice.
Industrial and fruit crops occupy an insignificant place in the structure of cultivated land, although climatic conditions are exceptionally favorable for the cultivation of many valuable tropical and subtropical fruit and industrial crops. Of the fruit crops, the most promising is the date palm, whose products have always occupied an important place in the food balance and exports.
Cereal crops. Most of the irrigated lands of Mesopotamia, the oases of the central regions of Arabia, are used for grain crops. In the steppe zone, crops are grown on irrigated lands. The main crops are wheat, barley and rice. Among drought-resistant crops, millet and sorghum are the most important. Almost half of the cultivated areas produce two harvests per year.
Grain farming is marked by a low level of productivity. The average grain yield in the countries of the subregion is only 15.2 c/ha, which is 2 times less than in the whole world. The gross annual harvest of grain is 46-48 million tons. The share of the countries of Southwest Asia in the total grain production of Asian countries does not exceed 6%. The largest grain producers in the subregion are Türkiye and Iran. These two countries provide 8.5% of the total grain production. Grain production per inhabitant in the countries of Southwest Asia is 170 kg., which is more than 2 times less than the world average. Only Türkiye produces 465 kg. grain per inhabitant, which is the highest rate, both in the subregion and in Asia as a whole (1996).
Every year, countries import 20-21 million tons of grain. Grain import per capita is 205 kg on average, which is 5 times higher than in the world. The largest grain importers in the sub-region are Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Kuwait. Only Türkiye and Saudi Arabia meet their needs through domestic production.
The main industrial crops are sugar cane, sugar beet, cotton, tobacco, and opium poppy. Cotton and sugar cane can be considered as promising industrial crops. For their cultivation, the most favorable conditions developed in Mesopotamia. In the north of the subregion, sugar beet crops occupy an important place among industrial crops.
Cultivation of fruit trees is a traditional branch of agriculture that has developed in the subregion for a long time. The main fruit crop is the date palm. The areas of its cultivation occupy the Mesopotamian lowlands and oases of Arabia. Citrus fruits are also widespread, although they appeared here much later than other fruit crops. Natural conditions are exceptionally favorable for growing figs, which were widely distributed here in ancient times. On the coast of the Persian Gulf, the main share of the cultivated area is occupied by plantations of fruit trees - peaches, apricots, citrus fruits and date palms.
Viticulture is one of the traditional branches of agriculture in the subregion. However, grapes can not be grown everywhere, as they are very sensitive to unfavorable soil conditions, in particular salinity. This culture occupies the largest share of land in the Mesopotamian lowland.
Forage crops have not yet taken their proper place in the structure of sown areas. Under them, about 1% of cultivated land is occupied. This is due to the priority in growing food crops, which do not yet meet the domestic needs of the countries of the subregion. However, the problem of expanding acreage under fodder crops is very relevant in connection with the development of animal husbandry.

Asia is the largest of the parts of the world, its area is 43.4 million km2 (29.2% of the earth's land area). The population of the continent is about 4.4 billion people (almost 59.5% of the world's population). On the modern political map of Asia there are 47 independent states, 13 - monarchies, 7 have a federal form of national-state structure. Asia is divided into 5 sub-regions - Southwest, South, East, Southeast and Central Asia. These subregions are also considered as historical and geographical regions. When selecting them, historical, ethnic, religious and natural factors are taken into account.

Countries of Southwest Asia. Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia are leaders in the subregion in terms of population. 60% of the total population is rural. The countries of the subregion have the most developed oil (Gulf countries, Azerbaijan), machine-building (Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia), metallurgical (Turkey, Iran, UAE) and chemical (Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan) industries. Light and food industries are also well developed in many countries of the subregion.

The leading subdivision of agriculture is agriculture, which is mainly irrigated. Wheat, corn, barley are grown for domestic consumption. Near the Mediterranean Sea, horticulture, viticulture, vegetable growing, and olive cultivation are developed. These branches constitute the international specialization of the Mediterranean countries of Southwest Asia. In Turkey, the cultivation of cotton, tobacco, citrus fruits, and grain has been developed; in Iran, the cultivation of persimmon, citrus, sugar beet, and cotton; in Iraq, Syria, and Israel, cotton, tobacco, and persimmon are grown. Livestock in Turkey specializes in breeding Angora goats, in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula in camel breeding, in Iran and Afghanistan in astrakhan breeding. Among the service industries, the role of transport and tourism is great.

South Asian countries. The total area of the sub-region is 4.5 million sq. km. The population of the countries of the subregion is approaching 2 billion people. Within this sub-region are the Hindustan Peninsula, the Indo-Gangetic lowland, the islands of Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Andaman, Nicobar and Laccadive. There are 7 countries on the territory of South Asia, 1 of which is a monarchy (Kingdom of Bhutan), and the rest are republics. According to the national-state structure, only India and Pakistan are federations.

The place of South Asia on a global scale is determined by the fact that it accounts for 3.1% of the entire land area of the globe, 25.4% of the world's population, and more than 9% of the world's GNP.

The presence of access to the World Ocean, location in the center of the Indian Ocean coast, the presence of ancient historical centers are the specifics of the geographical location of the subregion.

South Asia is bordered from the north by the mountain systems of the Himalayas and the Karakorum. In the northeast, it is bounded by the wooded slopes of the Assam-Burman Mountains, and in the northwest by the Hindu Kush and the Iranian Highlands. The territory of the subregion drops from north to south from the highest mountain system in the world - the Himalayas to the low-lying Maldives, located in the equatorial belt.

This subregion has a monsoonal climate that varies greatly throughout the year. Two climatic seasons are clearly distinguished here (wet summer and dry winter). Mineral resources play an important role in the development of the economy of South Asian countries, the diversity of which includes from fuel and energy resources (coal, natural gas, monazite sands containing radioactive thorium) to precious metals and stones (gold, emeralds, diamonds). South Asia stands out in particular for its reserves of ferrous metals (iron, manganese, and chromium). Recently, oil and gas production has been developing on the shelf of the countries of the subregion.

The subregion is relatively well provided with water resources. The largest rivers are the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. In the countries of the subregion, fertile alluvial and chernozem-like soils - regura are common.

In all countries of South Asia, the rate of natural population growth is high, which is due to national, religious, socio-economic factors. South Asia is home to 33 ethnic groups with a population of more than 1 million people, which account for 98% of the population of the subregion. The most widespread religions are Hinduism (India, Nepal), Islam (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives), Buddhism (Bhutan, Sri Lanka).

As one of the oldest centers for the development of irrigated agriculture, South Asia has long been one of the most densely populated areas on the globe. The average population density of the sub-region is 355 people/km2, which is 6.7 times higher than the world average. On the plains, in the river valleys (especially in the Ganges valley), on the sea coast, the highest population density is noted. South Asia is one of the least urbanized regions of the modern world (46%). This is due to the low level of socio-economic development. At the same time, the phenomenon of “false” urbanization is observed in large urban agglomerations.

Compared to other sub-regions of Asia, South Asia is characterized by a lower level of socio-economic development. Bhutan and Nepal are agrarian, the Maldives are agro-industrial, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka are industrial-agrarian countries. The countries of South Asia are distinguished by the development of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy (Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka), mining (India, Nepal, Bhutan), chemical (India, Pakistan), light and food (all countries of the subregion) industry.

Farming dominates agriculture. South Asia is one of the world's leading cereal growing regions (especially rice). It also grows jute (India, Bangladesh), natural rubber, coconut palm (Sri Lanka), sugar cane, cotton, peanuts. India and Sri Lanka account for up to 40% of the world's tea harvest and occupy leading positions in the export of this product. In addition, the countries of the subregion are leading in the collection of many types of spices. In animal husbandry, cattle breeding, sheep breeding, and goat breeding are most developed. Fishing is also well developed. Among the service industries, tourism, transport, and medical care are of great importance.

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28.03.2023

natural science

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