Which scarce resource has most directly shaped Southwest Asia's history and settlement patterns? rich soil natural gas water forests

The correct answer is water. Since the landscape of this region is mostly desert, Kara Kum and Kyzl Kum, water was the vital source for the civilizations of this region to make settlements and grow crops. Great civilizations of this region were build in the valleys of big river systems.

Water is a scarce resource which has directly shaped Southwest Asia's history and settlement patterns

Explanation:

Majority of the South Asian population are situated along with water areas. Along the river in the Tigris that has the Mediterranean Sea. The land situated in Euphrates River and Tigris is referred to as Mesopotamia. The land is fertile; thus, agricultural practices and carried out by the villages. Besides rich in agriculture, Mesopotamia is rich in culture. Therefore, as a result, agricultural activities have spread to other areas. Because of the rise of these activities, water as a resource has become scarce.