Cities of the Greater Middle EastMap of the Middle EastMap of Greater Middle EastKey Urban FactsKey ThemesPre-City DevelopmentCities of MesopotamiaCities of the Nile ValleyImpact of EmpiresOrigins of the Middle EastModern PeriodModern Period: Most UrbanizedModern Period:Least UrbanizedThe Urban TriangleCapital CitiesLandscape FeaturesInternal StructureSocial ConditionsProblems/IssuesRepresentative CitiesCairoPowerPoint PresentationSlide 23Slide 24DamascusSlide 26JerusalemSlide 28Slide 29Slide 30Slide 31IstanbulSlide 33Slide 34Slide 35Cities of the Greater Middle EastGrowth and Change in Urban SocietiesKUWAIThttp://www.networkoverseas.cc/images/kuwait.jpgMap of the Middle EastMap of Greater Middle EastKey Urban FactsTotal Population 539 MillionPercent Urban Population 60.3% Total Urban Population 325 MillionMost Urbanized Country Kuwait (98.4%)Least Urbanized Country Tajikistan (26.4%) # of Cities over 1 Million 37# of Megacities2Three Largest Cities Cairo, Istanbul, TeheranWorld Cities Cairo, Istanbul, JerusalemKey ThemesFertile CrescentOrigins of early cities & civilizationLocation of cities influenced by availability of waterBirthplace of 3 world religionsMulti-cultural Strongly Arab, but also Persian, Turkish, Kurds etc.Oil and gas are key to modern urbanizationMillions of “guest workers” from South/Southeast AsiaThe “Arab Spring” in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt is spreading to Syria, Yemen and BahrainFertile Crescenthttp://online.sfsu.edu/~patters/culinary/media/fertilec.jpgPre-City DevelopmentJericho – city-like•Wall and watchtower•8th millennium B.C.•Fertile landÇatal Höyük •6,500 B.C.•50,000 pop.•Sophisticated•Domesticated wheatÇatal HöyükCities of MesopotamiaFirst cities5 or 6,000 years agoCenters of urban innovationUr and Uruk in may be origins of word and concept “urban”URUKhttp://wwwoi.uchicago.edu/OI/IS/SANDERS/PHOTOS/MESO/URUK/uruk55.jpgCities of Mesopotamia & the Fertile CrescentCities of the Nile ValleyCity concept diffused from MesopotamiaOr independently inventedMemphisOne of earliest cities5000 years agoThebes (Luxor today)Monumental architectureTHEBEShttp://www.lightstream.ie/big_images/thebes0026.jpgImpact of EmpiresPersianGreekRomanByzantineArab OttomanOrigins of the Middle EastIslam is born on Arabian PeninsulaSpread between 7th and 10th century Created new landscape•The “Islamic City”•Mosques, religious schools•Free thinking, honest trade, tolerance RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Post-Ottoman ColonialismModern PeriodRapid urbanization a late 20th century processOil & Gas RevenuesIn 1900 there were no cities with a million inhabitantsToday, 37 cities have populations over one millionhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/820000/images/_820118_kuwait_oil300.jpgModern Period: Most UrbanizedThe most urbanized countries of this region are eitherMore Westernized states likeIsraelJordanLebanonOr, small oil-rich states likeKuwaitUAROmanQatarBeirut, LebanonSt Elie Khalde, Boulevard DistrictModern Period:Least UrbanizedLeast urban countries are the least developedYemenTajikistanFewer than three in ten inhabitants live in citiesYemen www.hgpho.to/wfest/ house/house-e.htmlThe Urban TriangleSource: Text Page 263Capital CitiesLargest collection of historical capitals in world, example:Memphis, Thebes, Carthage, PersepolisColonial administrative capitals, example:Cairo, Damascus, Beirut, Amman, CasablancaNew independent statesSome kept the existing colonial capitalsOthers selected new capitals, such as Ankara, Rabat & TripoliThere are even specialized religious “capitals”Mecca, Medina, JerusalemLandscape FeaturesKhan: Caravanserai of Qalaat al-Madig, Syria.The Nur-Astana Mosque, KazakhstanSher-Dor Madrasa in Samarkand, UzebekistanTraditional Islamic CourtyardCovered Souk: The Grand Bazaar, IstanbulIslamic wind TowerInternal Structurehttp://www.micktravels.com/israel/jerusalem/07-citadel.jpgwww.myphotographs.net/ maroc/image14.htmlSocial ConditionsNeighborhood MosquesHospitality of inhabitantsGenerations mix freelyHomelessness less common than in the westFood/cuisine defines national cultureswww.syriatourism.org/Destinations/ damascus.htmProblems/IssuesRapid population growthUnemployment and underemploymentTransportation & other urban amenitiesShanty townsShortage of water Preservation of heritage resources Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to PhilaeThis outstanding archaeological area contains such magnificent monuments as the Temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel and the Sanctuary of Isis at Philae, which were saved from the rising waters of the Nile thanks to the International Campaign launched by UNESCO, in 1960 to 1980.Representative CitiesCairoDamascusJerusalemIstanbulCairoCapital of EgyptCultural center of Arab WorldPopulation 15 million+/- Mainly Egyptian Arabs•“Cairenes”Bustling activityTourist centerPyramids, SphinxThe SphinxThe Great Pyramid of GizaSprawling Cairo, EgyptCairoSite and Situation of CairoSatellite picture of the NileCairo Internal StructureKhan al-Khalili Souk, Islamic CairoIslamic Cairo, viewed from Central CairoCairo Tower, El GeziraTahrir Square, Central CairoCoptic Christian Church, Old CairoGreater Cairo“City of the dead”Cooking among the mausoleumsSuburbs encroaching on the pyramids Fast food has arrivedMix of old and new fight for space. “Women’s car in modern metro systemDamascusCapital of SyriaOne of oldest continuously inhabited citiesGreat oasis siteBiblical referencesKing DavidSt. PaulFamous for steel, fruit, “damask” silksHQ of Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and Syria during 3rd Crusade Omayyad Mosque - At the heart of DamascusDamascus Site:On the banks of the Barada River in SW SyriaAncient city on S. bankModern suburbs on N. bankSituationEdge of Syrian DesertOn crossroads of TradeOldest trade routes followed a curve around Fertile Crescent Desert was E-W short-cutAlso on N-S trade routesJerusalem• Official capital of Israel• Religion gave importance• Two cities in one• Old City• 4
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