The
Middle East, as a geographic
entity, comprises the lands around the southern and
eastern parts of the
Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the
eastern Mediterranean Sea to the
Persian Gulf. Also called
southwestern Asia.
The Middle East is comprised of
Turkey,
Cyprus,
Syria,
Lebanon,
Iraq,
Iran,
Israel,
Jordan,
Egypt,
Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait,
Yemen,
Oman,
Bahrain,
Qatar, the
United Arab Emirates, the
West Bank, and the
Gaza Strip.
"Middle East" is still not a completely settled term
and in some documents this area can also be referred to
as the Near East. In some references,
"Near East" also includes northeastern Africa. Moreover,
the list of countries discussed in the context of Middle
East is occasionally extended due to strong cultural,
economic and political relationships to include such
countries as
Morocco,
Sudan,
Libya,
Tunisia,
Algeria,
Afghanistan,
Pakistan and even
Greece.
The region is well known for its huge stock of
crude oil and for being the birthplace and spritual
centre of
Judaism,
Christianity and
Islam. Outside of
Israel,
Lebanon and
Cyprus, almost everyone in the Middle East is at
least nominally Muslim.
The Middle East is a subregion of
Africa-Eurasia.
See also
Levant,
History of Levant,
Mesopotamia,
Orientalism
