​Peninsulas and waterways

The most distinctive landform in Southwest Asia is the Arabian Peninsula, Which is seperated from the continent of Africa by the Red sea on the southwest and from the rest of Asia by the Persian gulf on the east.

Plains and highlands

Much of the Arabian Peninsula is covered by plains. Because of the dry, sandy, and windy conditions, few activities using the land take place here. Most of the land is barren with some low hills, ridges, and wadis, which are riverbeds that remain dry except during the rainy seasons.

Mountains

The Zagros Mountains on the 250 Persian Gulf western side of Iran help isolate that country from the rest of Southwest 500 miles Asia. The Elbur Mountains south of the Caspian Sea cut off easy access to Tropic of Cancer - that body of water by Iran. Finally, the Taurus Mountains separate Turkey from the rest of Southwest Asia.

Water bodies

Southwest Asia is almost completely surrounded by bodies of water. They provide vital avenues for trade and access to other parts of the region and to the rest of the world. However, because much of the region is arid, there are few rivers that flow the entire year.

​Oil rich region

Today, about one-half of the world's oil reserves are found in Southwest Asia, along the coast of the Persian Gulf, and at offshore drilling sites in the Gulf itself. The presence of these large reserves has made the region important because so many countries, including the United States, depend on its oil.

Other Resources

The most valuable resource in parts of Southwest Asia is water. In mountainous lands such as Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, and Afghanistan, water is plentiful compared to the rest of the region. It can be harnessed for hydroelectric power. However, elsewhere, water is a scarce resource that must constantly be guarded and carefully used.