The term middle eastern can include

The four most common languages of the Middle East all use the term in translation to describe the region:. To decide what the Middle East is, and what area it covers, we have to understand what a region is. Regions are subjectively determined and thus debatable areas that we perceive to have certain characteristics in common. They may be defined by physical geography; for example, areas bordered by mountains or rivers or seas, or areas which share a similar climate.

They may also be defined by characteristics of human geography, such as shared historical experience, the same language, the same religion, or similar cultural practices. In the case of the Middle East, both physical and human geographic considerations are brought to bear to define the region.

It has a long shared history and a shared religious tradition, being the birthplace of the three main monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is also often defined as being a locale of trade and cultural transmission, and sometimes conflict, between Europe, Africa and Asia. Within the larger Middle East, one can also describe sub-regions, such as North Africa or the Levant, which share certain characteristics.

The Levant, for example, encompasses modern Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories, and is often seen as an important area in part because of its close historical connection with countries in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The Gulf countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman are linked not only by shared history, language and religion, but by the shared opportunities and problems caused by the presence of large oil reserves in these countries.

These countries all lie at the eastern edge of a large geological plate the Arabian plate that is tilted down from west to east — thus there are mountainous areas on the western end of the plate and oil deposits concentrated along the eastern edge at the shores of the Persian Gulf.

The exact roster of countries thought to be a part of the Middle East region is often debated. If you look at different maps of the Middle East, you will see different countries included and excluded.

Almost everyone would agree that the following countries are part of the Middle East:. Notice that all but two are Arabic-speaking majority countries, the exceptions being Iran where the national language is Persian and Israel where the national languages are Hebrew and Arabic. Egypt is normally included in maps of the Middle East, although it is in Northeast Africa. Egyptians speak Arabic, and Egypt has been a major player in the politics of the Middle East for literally thousands of years, so it is difficult to conceive of the region without Egypt.

For example, the United Arab Emirates has a burgeoning tech sector, and Qatar is expanding into financial services. Due to the strategic importance of their oil reserves, countries in the MENA region have been affected by major local conflicts as well as interference by foreign powers.

Notably, the U. Other major conflicts in the area include the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, ongoing wars in Yemen, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and a growing rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are often grouped together with the Middle East, but they are not typically included in considerations of the MENA region.

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The region has vast oil, petroleum, and natural gas reserves. As expected, Arabic is the most spoken language here. Other popular languages include Persian, Kurdish, Hebrew, and Turkish. Bahrain is an archipelago nation, located in the Persian Gulf between Saudi Arabia and the peninsula of Qatar. It covers an area of km 2 and has a population size of just over 1. Nearly half of Bahrain's population is foreign nationals. The Index of Economic Freedom designated the country as having the most independent economy in the Middle East.

Before that, Bahrain was recognized for its banking and financial services sector, which are the fastest-growing in the world. Cyprus is another island nation located in the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Egypt. The country covers an area of 9, km 2 and has a population size of approximately 1. In , Cyprus became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations after gaining its independence from Great Britain, and in it was accepted as a member of the European Union.

Cyprus is a hub for foreign businesses due to its tax rates, which are below the European Union average. The country's economy relies on tourism, shipping services, and banking and financial services. Egypt located in the northeastern region of Africa, where it has borders along the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aqaba.

Its territory also encompasses the Sinai Peninsula, which shares borders with Israel and Palestine. It is this peninsula that connects Egypt to the Middle East, making it a transcontinental country.

Egypt covers a total area of 1,,40 km 2 and has a population size of over million. The rest of the economy relies on agriculture, tourism, and natural gas. It covers an area of 1,, km 2 and has a population size of approximately 83 million. Iran is home to the largest supply of natural gas in the world and the fourth-largest supply of oil reserves.

The economy and gross domestic product GDP of Iran rely on the services sector. Iraq is almost entirely landlocked, except for a mile long area located along the Persian Gulf. The country covers an area of , km 2 and has a total population of 39 million. Israel has coastlines along both the Red and the Mediterranean Seas and shares borders with several countries, including Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip. It covers an area of 20, km 2 and has a population size of approximately 9 million.

The majority of the population of Israel around