Arabian Peninsula Vocab

OPEC

• An international organization that influences oil prices
• Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter
• Brought wealth to Saudi Arabia
• Economy is based on oil
• We get lots of oil imported in the United States

Arabian Peninsula

• Peninsula off of Africa and between Asia
• Kuwait, Saudi Arabia,Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen.
• Also includes Iran and Iraq
• Peninsula- surrounded by water on all sides
• These countries have many conflicts that include the United Statesar

Revolution

• A drastic change in a way of life or government
• Iran's Islamic Revolution
• In 1979, Iranians overthrew the shah (king) and set up Islamic Republic
• Relations with the United States broke down shortly afterward

Theocracy

• A government ruled by religious leaders
• Iran's current government
• Supreme leader has unlimited power
• Also has an elected president and parliament
• Islamic leader

Embargo

• Limit on trade
• Forced the Iraqis out of Kuwait (led by the United States)
• Saddam, the leader, would not accept the UN's terms for peace
• Placed an embargo
• As a result, Iraq's government suffered

Monarchy

• A form of government with a monarch at the head, and royal families
• Saudi Arabia is a monarchy- the Saud family has ruled since 1932
• Most government officials are relatives of the king
• They trade lots of oil with the United States

Arab

• A person from the Arabian peninsula or neighboring territories
• Includes all of the countries in the Arabian Peninsula, plus Iran and Iraq
• United States has many conflicts with Arab people from this area
• Arabs are not a religion, but more like a population or ethnic group