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Region

The Middle East

Also Known As Southwest Asia A geographically descriptive alternative to the political term Middle East, increasingly used on its own or paired with North Africa as SWANA; boundaries drawn under either term vary by source.

Asia

A region spanning the eastern Mediterranean coast, the Arabian Peninsula, Mesopotamia and Iran, at the meeting point of Asia, Africa and Europe. Its geography ranges from the fertile river valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates to the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, and it has served as a crossroads of trade and cultural exchange since antiquity. This is the home region Middle Eastern cuisine is described against in the Food atlas.

Facts

Disputed

Area (sq km)

7,222,000 2

Definitions vary by which states are counted (Cyprus and Egypt are borderline); figures in the literature range from about 6 to 7.2 million sq km.

Classification

Region Type

Cultural Region 1

Region Type

Cultural Region 1

Population

469,300,000 2

2025 estimate.

FAQs

Which countries count as part of the Middle East?

It is generally defined as covering Egypt and all of West Asia except the Caucasus.

The Middle East is a geopolitical region that is generally defined as encompassing all of Egypt and all of West Asia except for the Caucasus.

Connections

Associated With

This source names Africa directly: "Iran, at the meeting point of Asia, Africa and Europe."

Source Encyclopaedia Britannica

Source Asia (Wikipedia)

This source names Europe directly: "the meeting point of Asia, Africa and Europe."

Source Encyclopaedia Britannica

Palestine is described as being part of West Asia / the Middle East.

Source State of Palestine (Wikipedia)

The Persian Gulf

Source Persian Gulf (Wikipedia)

In the Other Atlases

Origin Of

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Boortsog (Wikipedia)tier 3

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Bread (Wikipedia)tier 3

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Brik (Wikipedia)tier 3

Bülbül yuvası

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Cooks Info: BulgurEncyclopaedia entry text

Quote, Encyclopaedia entry text

The process originated in the Middle East.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Food Drying (Wikipedia)

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Grape (Wikipedia)tier 3

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Joshpara, Wikipedia

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Lentil soup - Wikipedia

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Moussaka (Wikipedia)tier 2

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Cooks Info: ShallotHistory notes

Quote, History notes

Shallots probably originated in the Middle East.

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Turkish Cuisine

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Turkey (Turkiye): Cultural Life (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

One Thousand and One Nights

Also in Literature Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikipedia: One Thousand and One NightsLead sectiontier 2

Quote, Lead section

One Thousand and One Nights or The Thousand and One Nights (Arabic: أَلْفُ لَيْلَةٍ وَلَيْلَةٌ, Alf Laylah wa-Laylah) is a collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled in the Arabic language during the Islamic Golden Age.

Location Of

Also in History Atlas: which took place in this subject.

The Black Death

Also in History Atlas: which took place in this subject.

Also in History Atlas: which took place in this subject.

Site Of

Apollonius of Tyana

Also in Divinity Atlas: which is located in this subject.

Found There

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: found in this subject.

Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Goat (Wikipedia)

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Grape (Wikipedia)

Peste des Petits Ruminants

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Wikipedia: Pigtier 2

The Hellenistic Period

Also in History Atlas: found in this subject.

The Mesolithic Period

Also in History Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Language Atlas: found in this subject.

Arab Sign Language family

Also in Language Atlas: found in this subject.

Northwest Semitic

Also in Language Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Language Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Language Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Nature Atlas: found in this subject.

Also in Sport and Games Atlas: found in this subject.

Source Great chess (Wikipedia)Lead

Quote, Lead

which were played in the Middle East and Central Asia

Also in Sport and Games Atlas: found in this subject.

Sources

1. The Middle East (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationIntroduction

Quote, Introduction

The Middle East is a geo-political region that is generally defined as encompassing all of Egypt and all of West Asia except for the Caucasus.

View the Source

2. Encyclopaedia Britannica

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Middle EastView the Source

Wikidata: The Middle East

Wikidata Q7204, class allow-list match verified against P17/real-world identity (w-geo-qidcite-0926).View the Source

Asia (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Asia, Geography section, Main regions subsection

Quote, Associated With: Asia, Geography section, Main regions subsection

North Asia (Siberia), Central Asia, West Asia (the Middle East or Near East and part of the Caucasus), South Asia (Indian subcontinent), East Asia (Far East), Southeast Asia (East Indies and Indochina).

View the Source

Persian Gulf (Wikipedia)

Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: The Persian Gulf, Lead section

Quote, Associated With: The Persian Gulf, Lead section

An extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran (Persia)

View the Source

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