Mashriq — LLMpedia

Mashriq
Tanvir Anjum Adib · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Mashriq

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Mashriq The Mashriq is the eastern part of the Arabic-speaking world, historically denoting the region east of the Arabian Peninsula western fringe and north of the Horn of Africa. It has been a crossroads linking the Levant, Mesopotamia, and the Persian Gulf with connections to the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean. The region's cities, empires, and institutions have played central roles in the histories of Ottoman Empire, Umayyad Caliphate, Abbasid Caliphate, and modern nation-states.

Etymology and terminology

The term derives from Arabic roots used in medieval texts produced in places such as Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, and Alexandria and appears in accounts by travelers like Ibn Battuta, Ibn Khaldun, and chroniclers associated with the Ayyubid dynasty. European encyclopedists and cartographers including Edward Said commentators and scholars in the traditions of Orientalism contrasted it with the Maghreb, a term found in sources about Carthage, Al-Andalus, and medieval Cordoba. Modern usage appears in documents from the League of Nations, diplomatic correspondence between the United Kingdom and the Ottoman Empire, and in works by historians referencing the Crusades and the Mamluk Sultanate.

The Mashriq encompasses territories historically linked to the Levantine Sea, Syrian Desert, Nile Delta, Fertile Crescent, and the alluvial plains of Mesopotamia. Core cities and regions include Cairo, Damascus, Beirut, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Aleppo, Amman, Benghazi, and Tripoli. Natural features and maritime routes tie it to the Suez Canal, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Mediterranean Sea. Borders have been delineated in treaties such as the Sykes–Picot Agreement and the Treaty of Lausanne, and adjusted through conflicts involving entities like the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Israel, and the Republic of Turkey.

Ancient states and civilizations in the region include Ancient Egypt, the Hittite Empire, Assyria, Babylon, and Canaanite city-states referenced in sources connected to Ugarit and Byblos. The conquests of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic successor states influenced centers such as Antioch. The Roman and Byzantine periods integrated urban centers later transformed under the Rashidun Caliphate, Umayyad Caliphate, and Abbasid Caliphate with capitals at Damascus and Baghdad. Crusader states like the Kingdom of Jerusalem and military orders including the Knights Hospitaller contested the region against powers such as the Ayyubid dynasty of Saladin and the Mamluk Sultanate. Ottoman rule centralized administration until the aftermath of World War I and partitions implemented by the League of Nations mandates overseen by France and the United Kingdom. The 20th century saw the establishment of modern states like the Republic of Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Iraq, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan alongside events involving Zionism, the Arab League, and pan-Arab movements led by figures such as Gamal Abdel Nasser and King Faisal I. Late-century and early-21st-century conflicts include the Suez Crisis, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War, the Iraq War, the Syrian Civil War, and international interventions by coalitions involving United States, Russia, and NATO partners.

Population centers reflect ethnic and linguistic diversity including populations identified as Arabs, Kurds, Persians in border zones, Assyrians, Armenians, Circassians, Berbers in peripheral areas, and diasporas such as Palestinians and Lebanese Americans. Languages of wide use encompass varieties of Arabic dialects centered in Cairo Arabic, Levantine Arabic, and Iraqi Arabic, as well as minority languages including Kurdish languages (e.g., Kurmanji, Sorani), Armenian language, Neo-Aramaic languages, Persian language, Turkish language, and Greek language in some coastal communities. Urban multilingualism is evident in cities like Alexandria, Beirut, Baghdad, Haifa, Tripoli, Jaffa, and Basra. Migration and refugee movements involve entities such as United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees operations.

Religious traditions in the region include major institutions and communities such as Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, Druze, Maronite Church, Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, Coptic Orthodox Church, Armenian Apostolic Church, Judaism in Palestine, Samaritanism, and smaller communities including Baha'i Faith adherents in locales like Haifa. Cultural production is associated with figures and institutions such as poets Adonis (poet), novelists Naguib Mahfouz, musicians linked to Umm Kulthum, film movements centered in Cairo Film Industry and festivals like Cannes Film Festival screenings of regional cinema. Architectural heritage spans sites such as Palmyra, Citadel of Aleppo, Al-Azhar Mosque, Umayyad Mosque, and urban fabrics of Jerusalem Old City. Culinary traditions reflect cross-cultural exchange visible in foods linked to mezze, baklava, and regional markets exemplified by Souq al-Hamidiyya.

States and political actors in the area include the Arab League, United Nations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and bilateral relations involving United States–Israel relations, France–Lebanon relations, Iran–Iraq relations, Turkey–Syria relations, and Saudi Arabia–United Arab Emirates relations. Political movements have involved parties and figures such as Ba'ath Party, Muslim Brotherhood, Fatah, Hamas, and leaders like Anwar Sadat, Hafez al-Assad, Bashar al-Assad, Saddam Hussein, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in regional diplomacy and conflict. Treaties and agreements relevant to the region include the Camp David Accords, Taif Agreement, Treaty of Sèvres aftermath, and security frameworks shaped by alliances such as NATO involvement in certain operations.

Economic landscapes combine hydrocarbon-rich states linked to Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries members such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia with trade hubs including Cairo International Airport, Port of Beirut, Port of Jebel Ali, Suez Canal revenue, and financial centers like Beirut Central District. Infrastructure projects and institutions include energy pipelines crossing borders, electricity grids, and urban transit efforts exemplified by the Cairo Metro and proposed rail corridors such as the Gulf Railway concept. Development and reconstruction efforts involve organizations like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Nations Development Programme, and multinational investment from partners including China's Belt and Road Initiative and bilateral programs with European Union members. Economic crises, sanctions, and commodity price shocks have influenced states' fiscal policies in interactions with entities like the International Court of Justice and arbitration tribunals.

Category:Regions of the Arab world