Middle East
Where oil abounds
Middle East is a geographical and political term for the region where southwestern Asia meets northeastern Africa, centered on the Arabian Peninsula and including countries such as Iran, Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey, though exact boundaries vary by source.
The term gained currency in early 20th-century British strategic thinking, replacing "Near East" in most contexts.
Tensions in the Middle East dominated the news cycle.
The region is significant for its oil reserves, religious history, and geopolitical complexity.
Southwest Asian landmass
- Fertile CrescentMideast arc where civilization began
- LevantEastern Mediterranean coastal region
- MesopotamiaTigris-Euphrates river region
- Gulf StatesCountries around Arabian waters
Persian Gulf · Red Sea · Dead Sea · Tigris · Euphrates · Nile Delta · Suez Canal · Anatolia
Quranic monotheistic religion
- mosqueIslamic house of worship
- minaretMosque tower with balcony
- soukTraditional Arab market
- bazaarOpen-air merchant district
Bedouin · nomad · caravan · Arabic · calligraphy · hospitality · coffeehouse · hookah
Slippery viscous fluid
- crudeUnpolished, raw state
- OPECPetroleum exporters' coalition
- drillingHole-making by rotation
- refineryIndustrial purification facility
reserves · pipelines · barrels · tanker · petrochemical · natural gas · production · export
Armed struggle between groups
- sectarianRigidly devoted to faction
- strifeAngry, prolonged conflict
- tensionsStates of strained relations
- violenceHarmful physical force
insurgency · occupation · resistance · ceasefire · refugee · displacement · sanctions · proxy war
Tigris-Euphrates river region
- BabylonAncient Mesopotamian capital
- PersiaIran's former name
- Ottoman EmpireTurkish sultanate, 1299-1922
- caliphateIslamic successor-led government
Silk Road · ancient · civilization · empire · pharaoh · ziggurat · cuneiform · archaeology
Arabian Peninsula
Southwest Asian landmass
- Fertile CrescentMideast arc where civilization began
- LevantEastern Mediterranean coastal region
- MesopotamiaTigris-Euphrates river region
Gulf States · Persian Gulf · Red Sea · Dead Sea · Tigris · Euphrates · Nile Delta · Suez Canal · Anatolia · wadi
Islam
Quranic monotheistic religion
bazaar · Bedouin · nomad · caravan · Arabic · calligraphy · hospitality · coffeehouse · hookah · henna
oil
Slippery viscous fluid
refinery · reserves · pipelines · barrels · tanker · petrochemical · natural gas · production · export · wealth
war
Armed struggle between groups
- sectarianRigidly devoted to faction
- strifeAngry, prolonged conflict
- tensionsStates of strained relations
violence · insurgency · occupation · resistance · ceasefire · refugee · displacement · sanctions · proxy war · militias
Mesopotamia
Tigris-Euphrates river region
- BabylonAncient Mesopotamian capital
- PersiaIran's former name
- Ottoman EmpireTurkish sultanate, 1299-1922
caliphate · Silk Road · ancient · civilization · empire · pharaoh · ziggurat · cuneiform · archaeology · Crusades
- EurasiaRussia, China, India, Germany, France
- Asian regionsIndian subcontinent, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, China
- Directional PlacesNorth Korea, South Korea, North America, South America, West Virginia
- geographic regionscontinent, country, state, province, county
- World RegionsEurope, Asia, Africa, Australia, Oceania
- Eastern regionsEastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Orient, eastern seaboard, eastern plains
Middle EastFar East
Eastern Asian region
Western Hemisphere · East Asia · Americas · Western Europe · Christendom
middle, east, Middle Eastern, Near East, Mideast, Mideastern