Peysepar: /* External links */

2025-12-17T08:18:53Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:48, 17 December 2025
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	[https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/mena Middle East & North Africa] – World Bank		[https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/mena Middle East & North Africa] – World Bank

	~~{{Regions of the world}}~~
	~~{{Middle East}}~~
	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	[[Category:Middle East\| ]]		[[Category:Middle East\| ]]

Peysepar at 06:29, 17 December 2025

2025-12-17T06:29:02Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:59, 17 December 2025
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	~~{{Short description\|Transcontinental region centered on Western Asia and Egypt}}~~
	~~{{Infobox region~~
	~~\| name = Middle East~~
	~~\| native_name = {{hlist\|{{lang\|ar\|الشرق الأوسط}}\|{{lang\|fa\|خاورمیانه}}\|{{lang\|tr\|Orta Doğu}}}}~~
	~~\| image = [[File:Middle East (orthographic projection).svg\|300px]]~~
	~~\| caption = The Middle East, a geopolitical region spanning parts of Western Asia and North Africa.~~
	~~\| area_km2 = ~7,250,000~~
	~~\| population = ~490 million~~
	~~\| population_ref = <ref>World Bank. (2023). Population, Total - Middle East & North Africa. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=ZQ</ref>~~
	~~\| density_km2 = 41~~
	~~\| demonym = Middle Eastern~~
	\| countries = {{hlist\|[[Bahrain]]\|[[Cyprus]]\|[[Egypt]]\|[[Iran]]\|[[Iraq]]\|[[Israel]]\|[[Jordan]]\|[[Kuwait]]\|[[Lebanon]]\|[[Oman]]\|[[Palestine]]\|[[Qatar]]\|[[Saudi Arabia]]\|[[Syria]]\|[[Turkey]]\|[[United Arab Emirates]]\|[[Yemen]]}}
	~~\| languages = [[Arabic]], [[Persian language\|Persian]], [[Turkish language\|Turkish]], [[Kurdish languages\|Kurdish]], [[Hebrew]], [[Armenian language\|Armenian]] and others~~
	~~\| time = UTC+2 to UTC+4~~
	~~\| largest_cities = {{hlist\|[[Cairo]]\|[[Tehran]]\|[[Baghdad]]\|[[Riyadh]]\|[[Jeddah]]\|[[Ankara]]\|[[Istanbul]]\|[[Dubai]]}}~~
	}}

	The '''Middle East''' is a transcontinental region centered on [[Western Asia]] and [[Egypt]], also encompassing parts of [[North Africa]] and, at times, [[Southwest Asia]]. It is located at the juncture of [[Eurasia]], [[Africa]], and the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean basins. The term is largely a geopolitical construct that gained prominence in the early 20th century, superseding the earlier term "[[Near East]]" (Lewis, 1995).<ref>Lewis, B. (1995). The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years. Scribner.</ref> The region is historically the cradle of several ancient civilizations and the birthplace of the [[Abrahamic religions]]: [[Judaism]], [[Christianity]], and [[Islam]].		The '''Middle East''' is a transcontinental region centered on [[Western Asia]] and [[Egypt]], also encompassing parts of [[North Africa]] and, at times, [[Southwest Asia]]. It is located at the juncture of [[Eurasia]], [[Africa]], and the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean basins. The term is largely a geopolitical construct that gained prominence in the early 20th century, superseding the earlier term "[[Near East]]" (Lewis, 1995).<ref>Lewis, B. (1995). The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years. Scribner.</ref> The region is historically the cradle of several ancient civilizations and the birthplace of the [[Abrahamic religions]]: [[Judaism]], [[Christianity]], and [[Islam]].

Peysepar: Created page with "{{Short description|Transcontinental region centered on Western Asia and Egypt}} {{Infobox region | name = Middle East | native_name = {{hlist|{{lang|ar|الشرق الأوسط}}|{{lang|fa|خاورمیانه}}|{{lang|tr|Orta Doğu}}}} | image = 300px | caption = The Middle East, a geopolitical region spanning parts of Western Asia and North Africa. | area_km2 = ~7,250,000 | population = ~490 million | population_ref =
2025-12-17T06:28:29Z

Created page with "{{Short description|Transcontinental region centered on Western Asia and Egypt}} {{Infobox region | name = Middle East | native_name = {{hlist|{{lang|ar|الشرق الأوسط}}|{{lang|fa|خاورمیانه}}|{{lang|tr|Orta Doğu}}}} | image = 300px | caption = The Middle East, a geopolitical region spanning parts of Western Asia and North Africa. | area_km2 = ~7,250,000 | population = ~490 million | population_ref = <r..."

New page
{{Short description|Transcontinental region centered on Western Asia and Egypt}}
{{Infobox region
| name = Middle East
| native_name = {{hlist|{{lang|ar|الشرق الأوسط}}|{{lang|fa|خاورمیانه}}|{{lang|tr|Orta Doğu}}}}
| image = [[File:Middle East (orthographic projection).svg|300px]]
| caption = The Middle East, a geopolitical region spanning parts of Western Asia and North Africa.
| area_km2 = ~7,250,000
| population = ~490 million
| population_ref = <ref>World Bank. (2023). Population, Total - Middle East & North Africa. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=ZQ</ref>
| density_km2 = 41
| demonym = Middle Eastern
| countries = {{hlist|[[Bahrain]]|[[Cyprus]]|[[Egypt]]|[[Iran]]|[[Iraq]]|[[Israel]]|[[Jordan]]|[[Kuwait]]|[[Lebanon]]|[[Oman]]|[[Palestine]]|[[Qatar]]|[[Saudi Arabia]]|[[Syria]]|[[Turkey]]|[[United Arab Emirates]]|[[Yemen]]}}
| languages = [[Arabic]], [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Turkish language|Turkish]], [[Kurdish languages|Kurdish]], [[Hebrew]], [[Armenian language|Armenian]] and others
| time = UTC+2 to UTC+4
| largest_cities = {{hlist|[[Cairo]]|[[Tehran]]|[[Baghdad]]|[[Riyadh]]|[[Jeddah]]|[[Ankara]]|[[Istanbul]]|[[Dubai]]}}
}}

The '''Middle East''' is a transcontinental region centered on [[Western Asia]] and [[Egypt]], also encompassing parts of [[North Africa]] and, at times, [[Southwest Asia]]. It is located at the juncture of [[Eurasia]], [[Africa]], and the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean basins. The term is largely a geopolitical construct that gained prominence in the early 20th century, superseding the earlier term "[[Near East]]" (Lewis, 1995).<ref>Lewis, B. (1995). The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years. Scribner.</ref> The region is historically the cradle of several ancient civilizations and the birthplace of the [[Abrahamic religions]]: [[Judaism]], [[Christianity]], and [[Islam]].

== Etymology and definition ==
The term "Middle East" was first used systematically in 1902 by American naval strategist [[Alfred Thayer Mahan]] to designate the area between [[Arabia]] and [[India]]. It was later adopted by the British military and government and became standard during World War II (Koppes, 1976).<ref>Koppes, C. R. (1976). Captain Mahan, General Gordon, and the Origins of the Term "Middle East". Middle Eastern Studies, 12(1), 95–98.</ref>

There is no single definitive boundary. Core countries universally included are [[Bahrain]], [[Egypt]], [[Iran]], [[Iraq]], [[Israel]], [[Jordan]], [[Kuwait]], [[Lebanon]], [[Oman]], [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]], [[Qatar]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Syria]], [[Turkey]], the [[United Arab Emirates]], and [[Yemen]]. The region often overlaps with or is grouped with [[North Africa]] in the term "[[Middle East and North Africa]]" (MENA).

== History ==
=== Ancient civilizations ===
The Middle East is home to some of the world's earliest civilizations, including [[Mesopotamia]] (Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, Assyria) between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and [[Ancient Egypt]] along the Nile. The region saw the rise of the [[Persian Empire]], [[Phoenicia]], and the [[Hittites]] (Cline & Graham, 2011).<ref>Cline, E. H., & Graham, M. W. (2011). Ancient Empires: From Mesopotamia to the Rise of Islam. Cambridge University Press.</ref>

=== Rise of Islam and caliphates ===
In the 7th century CE, [[Islam]] emerged in the [[Arabian Peninsula]] under the prophet [[Muhammad]]. The subsequent [[Arab]] conquests and the establishment of the [[Rashidun Caliphate|Rashidun]], [[Umayyad Caliphate|Umayyad]], and [[Abbasid Caliphate]]s unified the region under Islamic rule, creating centers of learning, science, and culture in cities like [[Baghdad]] and [[Damascus]] (Kennedy, 2004).<ref>Kennedy, H. (2004). The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates: The Islamic Near East from the 6th to the 11th Century (2nd ed.). Pearson/Longman.</ref>

=== Ottoman and European rule ===
From the early 16th century, much of the Arab world was incorporated into the [[Ottoman Empire]]. Following its dissolution after World War I, the modern state system was largely shaped by the [[Sykes–Picot Agreement]], with Britain and France establishing mandates and protectorates (Fromkin, 2009).<ref>Fromkin, D. (2009). A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East (20th Anniversary ed.). Holt Paperbacks.</ref> This period also saw the emergence of [[Zionism]] and the [[Balfour Declaration]], leading to the eventual establishment of the State of [[Israel]] in 1948.

=== Post-colonial era and conflicts ===
The post-World War II era was marked by the rise of [[Arab nationalism]], the [[Arab–Israeli conflict]], the [[Iranian Revolution]] of 1979, and the [[Gulf War]]s. The 21st century has been defined by the [[Iraq War]], the [[Arab Spring]] uprisings, and the subsequent civil wars in [[Syrian civil war|Syria]] and [[Yemeni civil war|Yemen]] (Gelvin, 2020).<ref>Gelvin, J. L. (2020). The Modern Middle East: A History (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.</ref>

== Geography and climate ==
The region is predominantly arid, dominated by deserts like the [[Arabian Desert]], [[Syrian Desert]], and [[Dasht-e Kavir]] in Iran. Major mountain ranges include the [[Zagros Mountains]] (Iran), [[Taurus Mountains]] (Turkey), and the [[Atlas Mountains]] (North Africa). Key waterways include the [[Nile]], [[Tigris]], [[Euphrates]], and [[Jordan River]]s, as well as strategic chokepoints like the [[Suez Canal]], the [[Strait of Hormuz]], and the [[Bosporus]] (Beaumont, Blake, & Wagstaff, 2016).<ref>Beaumont, P., Blake, G. H., & Wagstaff, J. M. (2016). The Middle East: A Geographical Study (2nd ed.). Routledge.</ref>

== Demographics and religion ==
The Middle East has a population of approximately 490 million. The largest ethnic groups are [[Arabs]], [[Persians]], [[Turks]], [[Kurds]], and [[Azerbaijanis]]. The dominant religion is [[Islam]], with major [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] and [[Shia Islam|Shia]] branches. Significant religious minorities include [[Christianity in the Middle East|Christians]], [[Jews]], [[Druze]], [[Yazidis]], [[Mandaeans]], and [[Baháʼí Faith|Baháʼís]] (Pew Research Center, 2012).<ref>Pew Research Center. (2012, December 18). The Global Religious Landscape. https://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-exec/</ref>

== Politics and economy ==
=== Government forms ===
The region features diverse political systems, including constitutional republics (Turkey, Iran), absolute monarchies (Saudi Arabia, Oman), constitutional monarchies (Jordan, Kuwait), and parliamentary democracies (Israel). Authoritarian governance is common.

=== Oil and economy ===
The Middle East holds about half of the world's proven [[Petroleum reserves|oil reserves]] and a significant portion of [[natural gas]] reserves, making it a central player in the global energy market. Major producers include Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait. Wealth distribution is uneven, and many economies face challenges of diversification, youth unemployment, and water scarcity (Yergin, 2008).<ref>Yergin, D. (2008). The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power (New ed.). Free Press.</ref>

== Culture ==
The Middle East possesses a rich and diverse cultural heritage, being the birthplace of writing, law codes, and major monotheistic religions.

'''Language:''' [[Arabic language|Arabic]], [[Persian language|Persian]], and [[Turkish language|Turkish]] are the primary literary and cultural languages.

'''Literature:''' Famous works include the Arabic ''[[One Thousand and One Nights]]'', the Persian ''[[Shahnameh]]'' by Ferdowsi, and the poetry of [[Rumi]] and [[Hafez]].

'''Cuisine:''' Staple foods include wheat (bread), rice, legumes, and lamb. Iconic dishes include hummus, falafel, kebabs, and baklava.

'''Religion:''' Islamic art and architecture, with features like calligraphy, geometric patterns, and mosques with domes and minarets, are dominant cultural expressions.

== Contemporary issues ==
Key ongoing issues include:

The [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]]

Regional rivalry between [[Saudi Arabia–Iran relations|Saudi Arabia and Iran]]

Political instability and civil war (Syria, Yemen, Libya)

[[Human rights in the Middle East and North Africa|Human rights]] and political freedoms

Refugee crises and displacement

Economic diversification and climate change pressures, particularly on water resources

== See also ==

[[Arab League]]

[[Arab Spring]]

[[Fertile Crescent]]

[[Greater Middle East]]

[[History of the Middle East]]

[[List of conflicts in the Middle East]]

[[Middle Eastern studies]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

[https://www.britannica.com/place/Middle-East Middle East] – Encyclopædia Britannica

[https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/mena Middle East & North Africa] – World Bank

{{Regions of the world}}
{{Middle East}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Middle East| ]]
[[Category:Regions of Asia]]
[[Category:Regions of Africa]]
[[Category:Western Asia]]
[[Category:Regions of Eurasia]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:59, 17 December 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	~~{{Short description\|Transcontinental region centered on Western Asia and Egypt}}~~
	~~{{Infobox region~~
	~~\| name = Middle East~~
	~~\| native_name = {{hlist\|{{lang\|ar\|الشرق الأوسط}}\|{{lang\|fa\|خاورمیانه}}\|{{lang\|tr\|Orta Doğu}}}}~~
	~~\| image = [[File:Middle East (orthographic projection).svg\|300px]]~~
	~~\| caption = The Middle East, a geopolitical region spanning parts of Western Asia and North Africa.~~
	~~\| area_km2 = ~7,250,000~~
	~~\| population = ~490 million~~
	~~\| population_ref = <ref>World Bank. (2023). Population, Total - Middle East & North Africa. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=ZQ</ref>~~
	~~\| density_km2 = 41~~
	~~\| demonym = Middle Eastern~~
	\| countries = {{hlist\|[[Bahrain]]\|[[Cyprus]]\|[[Egypt]]\|[[Iran]]\|[[Iraq]]\|[[Israel]]\|[[Jordan]]\|[[Kuwait]]\|[[Lebanon]]\|[[Oman]]\|[[Palestine]]\|[[Qatar]]\|[[Saudi Arabia]]\|[[Syria]]\|[[Turkey]]\|[[United Arab Emirates]]\|[[Yemen]]}}
	~~\| languages = [[Arabic]], [[Persian language\|Persian]], [[Turkish language\|Turkish]], [[Kurdish languages\|Kurdish]], [[Hebrew]], [[Armenian language\|Armenian]] and others~~
	~~\| time = UTC+2 to UTC+4~~
	~~\| largest_cities = {{hlist\|[[Cairo]]\|[[Tehran]]\|[[Baghdad]]\|[[Riyadh]]\|[[Jeddah]]\|[[Ankara]]\|[[Istanbul]]\|[[Dubai]]}}~~
	}}

	The '''Middle East''' is a transcontinental region centered on [[Western Asia]] and [[Egypt]], also encompassing parts of [[North Africa]] and, at times, [[Southwest Asia]]. It is located at the juncture of [[Eurasia]], [[Africa]], and the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean basins. The term is largely a geopolitical construct that gained prominence in the early 20th century, superseding the earlier term "[[Near East]]" (Lewis, 1995).<ref>Lewis, B. (1995). The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years. Scribner.</ref> The region is historically the cradle of several ancient civilizations and the birthplace of the [[Abrahamic religions]]: [[Judaism]], [[Christianity]], and [[Islam]].		The '''Middle East''' is a transcontinental region centered on [[Western Asia]] and [[Egypt]], also encompassing parts of [[North Africa]] and, at times, [[Southwest Asia]]. It is located at the juncture of [[Eurasia]], [[Africa]], and the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean basins. The term is largely a geopolitical construct that gained prominence in the early 20th century, superseding the earlier term "[[Near East]]" (Lewis, 1995).<ref>Lewis, B. (1995). The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years. Scribner.</ref> The region is historically the cradle of several ancient civilizations and the birthplace of the [[Abrahamic religions]]: [[Judaism]], [[Christianity]], and [[Islam]].

Middle East - Revision history

Peysepar: /* External links */

Peysepar at 06:29, 17 December 2025