MAP Class 02

Previous Class Topic

• Coverage of important locations in Asia (South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Central Asia)
and an initial overview of West Asia.

West Asia

Terminology and Geographical Context

• Also referred to as the Middle East based on a Eurocentric view, it is technically known as
West Asia.

• Borders include South Asia (through Afghanistan and Pakistan bordering Iran), Central Asia
(mainly Turkmenistan), and the Caucasus region in the north.

• Separated from Africa by the Sinai Peninsula and from Europe (through Turkey) by the Sea of
Marmara.

Major Water Bodies

• Surrounded by the Black Sea and Caspian Sea in the north, the Mediterranean Sea in the
west, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in the southwest, Arabian Sea in the south, and the
Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf in the southeast.

Countries around the Persian Gulf

• Iran

• Capital:Tehran.

• Coastlines touching the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman.

• Holds the longest coast in the Persian Gulf.

• Iraq

• Capital:Baghdad.

• Narrow coastal strip along the Persian Gulf.

• Location of the historical Mesopotamian Civilization near the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers.

• Kuwait

• Capital:Kuwait City.

• Small, oil-rich state.

• Gulf War of 1991 linked to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

• Saudi Arabia

• Capital:Riyadh(in the interior).

• Vast desert kingdom (absolute monarchy).

 • Coastlines on both the Persian Gulf and Red Sea.

• Bahrain

• Island nation in the Persian Gulf.

• First country in the region to discover oil.

• Qatar

• Capital:Doha.

• A peninsula sharing its sole land border with Saudi Arabia.

• United Arab Emirates (UAE)

• Capital:Abu Dhabi.

• Composed of emirates such as Dubai and Sharjah.

• First Arab country to develop a nuclear power plant.

• Oman

• Capital:Muscat, located near the Tropic of Cancer.

• Coasts along the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and Arabian Sea.

• Yemen

• Capital:Sana’a.

• Coastlines on the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea.

• Undergoing civil conflict involving Houthi rebels.

Additional West Asian Countries

• Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, with seas such as the Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, Aegean
Sea, and Mediterranean around it.

• Jordan (capital:Amman) has a coastline only on the Gulf of Aqaba.

• Israel lies between the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba.

• Lebanon (capital:Beirut) is located on the Mediterranean coast.

• Syria (capital:Damascus) has cities such as Aleppo and Idlib in ongoing conflicts.

• Cyprus is geographically part of Asia but politically aligned with Europe.

Israel-Palestine Conflict

• Key disputed areas include the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

• Gaza has crossing points like Erez (north) and Rafah (south).

• Jerusalem is near the border of the West Bank and Israel.

Blue Line and the Golan Heights

 • The Blue Line is the unofficial border between Israel and Lebanon, monitored by the UN.

• The Golan Heights borders Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. Originally under Syria, it is
occupied by Israel for its strategic high ground.

Kurdistan

• Not an official state; a region inhabited by the Kurdish people spanning parts of Iran, Iraq,
Syria, and Turkey.

• Known for seeking autonomy and having conflicts tied to neighboring states.

Indian Ocean Islands

• Socotra (Yemen)

• Lies in the Gulf of Aden, known at times for foreign military bases.

• Maldives

• Located north of the equator in the Indian Ocean.

• Comprises many low-lying coral islands vulnerable to sea-level rise.

• Chagos Archipelago

• Controlled by the UK but claimed by Mauritius.

• Includes Diego Garcia, a strategic US naval base.

• Plans exist to transfer most islands to Mauritius, retaining Diego Garcia under US
control.

• Seychelles

• Includes Assumption Island, where India is developing facilities.

• Comprises multiple islands known for tourism and biodiversity.

• Comoros

• Archipelago between Africa and Madagascar.

• Mauritius

• Receives significant foreign investment flows.

• Agalega Island is under development cooperation with India (airstrip initiatives).

• Host to the first overseas Jan Aushadhi Kendra by India.

• Réunion

• An overseas territory of France.

• Joint maritime patrols agreed upon by France and India.

Other Multilateral Groups in Asia

• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

 • Gulf countries bordering the Persian Gulf (minus Iran and Iraq).

• Members: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman.

• BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)

• Comprises Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan.

• Focuses on collaboration around the Bay of Bengal area.

• Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC)

• Involves five Indo-Chinese countries (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam)

plus India.

• Named after the Mekong and Ganga Rivers, excluding Bangladesh.

• Cyclone Naming in the Northern Indian Ocean

• Thirteen countries coordinate a naming system for cyclones.

• Involves nations around the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, plus adjacent West
Asian states.

• Caspian Sea Countries

• Landlocked basin bordered by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, and

Kazakhstan.

• Known for its significant oil and gas reserves.

• Arabian Sea Countries

• Include Maldives, India, Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Yemen, and Somalia.

• Sri Lanka is not on the main body of the Arabian Sea but on the side of the Laccadive
Sea.

• Bay of Bengal Countries

• Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand.

• Indonesia is often excluded despite its proximity to the Andaman Sea region.

• South China Sea, East China Sea, Sea of Japan, and Bering Sea

• South China Sea surrounds China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia,
Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and sometimes Cambodia.

• East China Sea includes China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

• Sea of Japan (East Sea) touches Japan, Russia, North Korea, and South Korea.

• Bering Sea lies between Russia and the United States.

Europe

Boundaries

• Separated from Asia by the Ural Mountains, Ural River, and the Caucasus region.
 • Surrounded by the Arctic Ocean in the north, the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and the
Mediterranean Sea in the south.

• Known as the “peninsula of peninsulas”.

Major Water Bodies

• TheCaspian Seapartially overlaps Europe (through Russia).

• Black Seaand theSea of Azovlie between Europe and Asia (the Ukraine-Russia region).

• Mediterranean Seaincludes sub-seas: Aegean, Adriatic, Ionian, etc.

• Strait of Gibraltarconnects the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean.

• Bay of Biscaylies to the west of France and north of Spain.

• North Sea,Baltic Sea,Irish Sea, and others define maritime boundaries in northern and
northwestern Europe.

• Norwegian Sealies between Norway and Iceland, carrying warmer currents.

• White Seais fully within Russia’s territory.

Key Regions in Europe

• Nordic / Scandinavian

• Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark.

• Nordic: Above three plus Finland, Iceland, and Greenland.

• Known for high living standards and significant environmental initiatives.

• British Isles

• Comprising England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.

• Great Britain: England, Wales, and Scotland.

• United Kingdom(UK): Great Britain plus Northern Ireland.

• The Republic of Ireland is a separate nation with Dublin as its capital.

• West Europe

• The Atlantic coasts involve Portugal, Spain, and France, also factoring in the Bay of
Biscay.

• Belgium, the Netherlands, and parts of Germany border the North Sea.

• Countries in this region often host important global summits.

• Baltic Countries and Surrounding Areas

• Baltic coastal countries include Denmark, Germany, Poland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Finland, and Sweden.

• Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are often referred to collectively as the Baltic nations.
 • Known historically for peaceful movements like the “singing” revolutions.

• Balkan Peninsula

• Surrounded by seas: Adriatic, Ionian, Aegean, and Black Sea.

• Adriatic coast belongs to five countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia,
Montenegro, Albania).

• Landlocked Balkan states include Serbia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia.

• Greece and parts of Turkey lie around the Aegean Sea.

• Eastern Europe

• Moldova, Belarus, and Ukraine once part of the Soviet sphere.

• The broader region includes additional inland states.

Ukraine

• Ports on the Black Sea:Odessaand nearbySnake Island(Zmiinyi Island).

• Conflict areas include Donbas, Donetsk, Kherson, and other eastern regions bordering
Russia.

Landlocked Countries in Central Europe

• A common mnemonic isCASH: Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary.

• Austria’s capital,Vienna, isknown for major global conventions.

• Switzerland is north of Italy and is recognized for Geneva and Basel.

• Liechtensteinis doubly landlocked, surrounded by landlocked Austria and Switzerland.

• Luxembourglies between Belgium, Germany, and France and is associated with the
Schengen Agreement.

Others

• Russia spans both Europe and Asia, with a vast western section in Europe.

• Turkey has a small portion in Europe (around Istanbul).

Africa

Seas Surrounding Africa

• North:Mediterranean Sea.

• Northeast:Red Sea,Gulf of Aden.

• East:Indian Ocean.

• West:Atlantic Ocean, including theGulf of Guinea.

• Contains a total of 54 recognized nations, part of the African Union.

North African Countries (Mediterranean Coast)

 • A mnemonic isMETAL: Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya.

• Moroccotouches both the Mediterranean and Atlantic.

• Algeriafeatures extensive Sahara regions.

• Tunisiais known as the starting point of the Arab Spring.

• Libya(capital Tripoli) is rich in oil.

• Egypt(capital Cairo) is home to pyramids and the Giza site.

Red Sea and Horn of Africa

• Red Sea (African side) code wordSEED: Sudan, Egypt, Eritrea, Djibouti.

• Sudanwas divided into Sudan and South Sudan, with the Darfur region in conflict.

• Eritreais sometimes termed “North Korea of Africa” due to its rigid governance.

• Djibouti, which isnear both the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, hosts the Djibouti Code of
Conduct for maritime security.

Horn of Africa

• Another use ofSEED: Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti.

• Somaliafaces longstanding internal strife and piracy issues.

• Ethiopiais landlocked, and the capital, Addis Ababa, is the African Union HQ; the region near
Eritrea includes Tigray, which is in conflict.

East African Coast

• Running from Somalia to South Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique.

• Kenya(capital Nairobi) is known for grasslands and varied elevations.

• Tanzaniahas Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.

• Mozambiqueborders the Mozambique Channel with the famous Mozambique Current.

Southern Africa

• South Africacontains cities like Cape Town (near the Cape of Good Hope), Durban,
Johannesburg, and Pretoria which is the administrative capital.

• Eswatini(formerly Swaziland) is located between South Africa and Mozambique.

• Lesothois encircled entirely by South Africa.

Additional Notable Points

• Madagascaris rich in biodiversity and home to unique species such as lemurs and baobab
trees.

• Countries fully enclosed by another are known as enclaves, such as Lesotho (enclosed by
South Africa).

Topic to be Discussed in the Next Class

• The remaining African regions and exploration of other continents like North America, South
America, Oceania, and Antarctica.

• Coverage of major physical features and economic locations worldwide.