Middle East and North Africa

Middle East and North Africa
Name	Middle East and North Africa
Population	~? (varies by source)
Area	~? km2
Countries	Algeria; Bahrain; Djibouti; Egypt; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Libya; Morocco; Oman; Palestine; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; Tunisia; United Arab Emirates; Yemen; Western Sahara

Middle East and North Africa is a transcontinental region spanning parts of North Africa, the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula, and Iran. The area has been a crossroads connecting the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean and encompasses major cities such as Cairo, Riyadh, Tehran, Baghdad, and Istanbul. The region's history and contemporary affairs intersect with institutions like the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the United Nations, and treaties such as the Camp David Accords.

Definition and Geographic Scope

Definitions vary among sources including the United Nations, World Bank, and regional bodies like the Arab League. Geographically the area includes parts of Maghreb states like Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, the Levant with Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, the Sinai Peninsula and Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula including Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and the Iranian plateau with Iran. Maritime features include the Suez Canal, the Bosporus, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf while landforms include the Atlas Mountains, the Zagros Mountains, the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys, and the Sahara Desert.

History and Historical Regions

The region contains ancient civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Achaemenid Empire, and the Phoenicians, and later imperial powers like the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Ottoman Empire. Key medieval developments include the Umayyad Caliphate, the Abbasid Caliphate, and the Fatimid Caliphate; later interactions involved the Crusades, the Mongol Empire, and the Safavid dynasty. Modern history features events like the Sykes–Picot Agreement, the Treaty of Sèvres, the Arab Revolt, the Balfour Declaration, the Iranian Revolution (1979), the Suez Crisis, the Six-Day War, the Gulf War, and the Arab Spring.

Politics and International Relations

International actors such as the United States, Russia, China, and the European Union play major roles alongside regional organizations like the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League. Diplomatic landmarks include the Oslo Accords, the Camp David Accords, and the Abraham Accords; security issues feature conflicts like the Syrian civil war, the Iraq War, the Yemeni Civil War, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and the rise and decline of ISIS. Arms and alliances involve states such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Israel and nonstate actors like Hezbollah and Hamas; mediation and peacekeeping have involved the United Nations Security Council and missions like UNIFIL.

Economy and Resources

Resource-rich areas host major producers such as Saudi Aramco, National Iranian Oil Company, and QatarEnergy; countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait are significant OPEC members. Trade corridors include the Suez Canal and ports like Jeddah Islamic Port, Port Said, and Dubai Port. Economic initiatives and institutions involve the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Gulf Cooperation Council, and sovereign wealth funds such as the Public Investment Fund (Saudi Arabia). Diversification efforts reference projects like Vision 2030 (Saudi Arabia), Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, and the development of neom.

Demographics and Society

Populations range from large states like Egypt and Iran to small Gulf states like Bahrain and Qatar; diasporas include communities in Europe, North America, and Australia. Ethnolinguistic groups include Arabs, Persians, Kurds, Berbers, Assyrians, and Turks; languages include Arabic language, Persian language, Turkish language, Kurdish language, and Berber languages. Urbanization centers around Cairo, Istanbul, Tehran, Riyadh, and Alexandria; migration and refugee crises have involved UNHCR, mass movements from Syria, Iraq, and Libya, and labor migration to Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Culture and Religion

Religious and cultural sites include Mecca, Medina, Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Persepolis; major traditions encompass Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and minority faiths such as Druze and Yazidism. Literary and artistic heritage features figures and works like Rumi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Al-Khwarizmi, Naguib Mahfouz, and architectural legacies such as the Great Mosque of Córdoba influence; music and cinema industries include Egyptian cinema, directors like Youssef Chahine, and festivals such as the Cairo International Film Festival. Cultural diplomacy and heritage protection involve organizations like UNESCO and agreements addressing antiquities looting after events like the Iraq War and the Syrian civil war.

Environment and Geography

Climatic zones range from Mediterranean climates in Levant and Maghreb coasts to arid deserts like the Sahara and the Rub' al Khali; ecosystems include coastal wetlands, oases such as those near Siwa Oasis, and mountain ranges like the Atlas Mountains and the Zagros Mountains. Environmental challenges involve water scarcity affecting the Tigris–Euphrates river system, desertification in the Sahel, and pollution linked to hydrocarbon extraction in regions around Persian Gulf. Conservation efforts include protected areas like Dhofar reserves and cross-border initiatives engaging organizations such as the IUCN.

Category:Regions