Southwest Asia map: arid climate, oil and population
GeographyRegions & CountriesAges 16–17
Use it with your class: students open it from a link or a QR code, with no account needed.
Next in Regions & Countries
A map of Southwest Asia drawn from latitude and longitude coordinates, showing 13 countries and country groups along with the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Caspian Sea. Click a country to see its average annual rainfall, population, GDP and oil reserves; switch the data layer and the year between 2000, 2010 and 2022. Red circles on the map have radii proportional to oil reserves, showing how oil is concentrated around the Persian Gulf and why this arid region remains a global flashpoint.
Lesson: Geographic location, natural conditions, population, society and economy of Southwest Asia
What it shows
Southwest Asia lies where Asia, Europe and Africa meet. Most of the region sits under subtropical high pressure and has an arid continental climate, with rainfall below 100 mm a year in many places. Yet the countries around the Persian Gulf hold nearly half of the world's proven oil reserves. The map brings together rainfall, population, GDP and oil data for 13 countries and country groups, showing how scarce water, abundant oil and a strategic location shape the region's economy and its long history of conflict.
How to use
Start on the Natural layer and click countries to compare rainfall, then turn on Show oil reserve circles and see where the largest circles cluster. Switch to Population and Economy and drag the Year slider, or press Play, to compare 2000, 2010 and 2022. Click the countries around the Persian Gulf to link oil reserves with GDP, and use Whole region to return to the overview.
Parameters you can change
- Data layer Natural – average annual rainfall, Population – population, Economy – GDP
- Year of population and economic data Year 2000, Year 2010, Year 2022
- Selected country View whole region, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, United Arab Emirates
- Show oil reserve circles
- Show country names on the map
Questions to explore
- Why does most of Southwest Asia receive so little rainfall?
- Around which body of water are the largest oil reserves concentrated?
- How did Saudi Arabia's GDP change from 2000 to 2022, and what explains the change?
