The Middle East is a geographical and cultural region located primarily in western Asia, but also

in parts of northern Africa and southeastern Europe. The western border of the Middle East is
defined by the Mediterranean Sea, where Israel, Lebanon, and Syria rest opposite from Greece
and Italy in Europe. Egypt in Africa also borders the Mediterranean and is sometimes
considered as part of the Middle East, while Turkey and Cyprus literally connect Europe to Asia
and oscillate between being called European and Middle Eastern.

The majority of the Middle East region is characterized by a warm desert climate. Weather in
this climate is very high during the summer and can reach dangerous levels, with parts of Iraq
and Iran having recorded feel-like temperatures of over 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees
Celsius). Average temperatures during the summer usually rest at around 120 degrees
Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius), while the winters are somewhat milder. This climate also has
very little rainfall, resulting in large desert regions. Areas of the Middle East surrounding the
Mediterranean, such as Israel and Lebanon, instead boast a warm Mediterranean climate
similar to parts of Greece and Italy, while Turkey’s territory stretches over a variety of arid and
continental climate. The northern regions of the Middle East in Iran, Afghanistan, and Central
Asia are closer to a steppe climate, with colder winters but still very little precipitation.

As a result of its arid climate, the Middle East is home to several of the world’s largest deserts.
The Syrian Desert, which also stretches into Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, combines both
traditional desert and steppe geography, while the Arabian Desert around Yemen, Oman,
Jordan, Iraq, and the Persian Gulf contains more of the rolling sand dunes which often
characterize desert imagery. Indeed, the Rub ‘al-Khali, or Empty Quarter, at the center of the
Arabian Desert is the largest sand-only desert on the planet and receives as little as 1.2 inches
(30 millimeters) of rainfall per year. The Sahara Desert, which stretches across northern Africa
and which is perhaps the best-known desert in the world, reaches into the Middle East by way
of Egypt.

Despite the proliferation of deserts within the region, the Middle East also has several seas,
gulfs, and rivers. It shares the Mediterranean Sea with Africa and Europe and the Black and
Caspian Seas with Eastern Europe. The famous Suez Canal and Gulf of Suez run between Egypt’s
African territory and its Sinai region bordering Israel in Asia, while the equally renowned Nile
River flows from the Mediterranean Sea through Egypt and well into the African continent. The
Dead Sea borders Israel to the West and Jordan to the East and is among the saltiest lakes in
the world and is also lowest point on the Earth’s land surface, while the Red Sea is shared by
both the Western Middle East and parts of Eastern Africa. The massive Tigris and Euphrates
rivers begin in the mountains of eastern Turkey, flowing through Syria and Iraq out into the
Persian Gulf. The Persian Gulf, along with the Gulfs of Arden and Oman, connect the central and
southern regions of the Middle East to the Arabian Sea and ultimately the Indian Ocean.
History Of The Middle East

The Middle East is often referred to as the “Cradle of Civilization,” and a brief look at the
region’s history clearly explains why this is true. This part of the world, and particularly the
Mesopotamia region around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, is home to many of humanity’s
earliest accomplishments. Neolithic humans here made their first transitions from nomadic to
agricultural lifestyles by inventing the wheel, basic agriculture, and the beginnings of the
written word roughly 12,000 years ago. Ancient Sumer was the first civilization on Earth, and
produced the oldest known piece of literature, the Epic of Gilgamesh, which is now over 4000
years old. This region was also home to the ancient Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian
empires, while farther West the Middle East region saw the unification and rise of Ancient
Egypt. Several Persian empires originating in modern Iran also rose to dominance in the Middle
East, while the Romans and their successor state in the East, the Byzantine Empire, eventually
controlled the region from the Mediterranean coasts up to the Euphrates River.

The Middle East is also the origin point for many of the religions and belief systems which help
define modern civilizations today. The region was home to the ancient Kingdom of Israel and
thus fostered the Jewish religion. Jesus is believed to have been born in Nazareth, which is
located in what is now the northern region of Israel, and indeed early Christianity traces its
origins back to the Middle East. The region is also the birthplace of Islam, as the Prophet
Muhammad was born in Mecca (now the capital of Saudi Arabia) in around AD 570. Several
other belief systems also trace their origins to the Middle East, such as the pantheon of Ancient
Egyptian gods, the deities of Ancient Sumer, and the Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism of
Ancient and Classical Persia.

Demographics Of The Middle East

Stretching the definition of the Middle East to include its widest borders as per the parameters
outlined earlier, the population of the region rests at around 690 million people. The most
populous countries in the Middle East include Pakistan (~193 million), Egypt (~90.6 million), Iran
(~79 million), and Turkey (~78.7 million), while the least populated countries are Cyprus (~1.1
million), Bahrain (~1.4 million), Qatar (~2.4 million), and Armenia (~3 million).

The two largest denominations of Islam in the Middle East are Sunni and Shia, though Sunni is
the more dominant sect in most countries of the region. The countries that have Shia majorities
in the Middle East are Bahrain, Iraq, and Iran. Shia Islam specifically is the official religion of
Iran, which is the country with the highest percentage of its adherents in the world (90-96%)
and with its largest global population (30-35%). Orthodox Christianity is the most prominent
Christian denomination in the Middle East, with several major groups including the Armenian,
Coptic, and Greek Orthodox churches. Christianity is the dominant religion in Armenia, Cyprus,
and Georgia, and Christian minority populations of at least 10% are found in Bahrain, Egypt,
Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, Turkmenistan, and the United Arab Emirates. Lebanon is of particular
note for having a nearly even split between Islam and Christianity, being roughly 54% Muslim
and 40% Christian and having a Christian as its president. Israel is unique for being the only
country in the world with a majority Jewish population, though it officially has no state religion.
Roughly 75% of its population adheres to Judaism, with about 17% adhering to Islam. Among
Israel’s Jewish population, roughly 66% are Secular, 26.5% Orthodox, 3.2% Conservative, and
3.9% Reform.

Arabic is the most common language in the Middle East. It is the sole official language in
Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab
Emirates, and Yemen. Iraq has two official languages, with Arabic spoken by the majority of its
population and Kurdish spoken by in the autonomous Kurdistan region. Persian is the second-
most spoken language in the Middle East, and it has specific dialects in the region. The most
common form of Persian is Farsi, which is the sole official language of Iran and is spoken by the
vast majority of the population there. The Tajiki dialect of Persian is the official language of
Tajikistan, with Russian recognized as a regional language, and Dari is the Persian dialect spoken
primarily in Afghanistan. Afghanistan actually has two official languages: Dari and Pashto, a
Central Asian language related to (but separate from) Persian. Turkish is the third-most popular
language in the Middle East. It is the sole official language of Turkey and one of the two official
languages of Cyprus, alongside Greek.

Dozens of rivers are found in the Middle East (Asia).

Amu Darya: This river flows from a high plateau in the Pamir Mountains of central Asia, across
southern Tajikistan, forming its border with Afghanistan, then northwest, forming parts of the
borders between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and on into the Aral Sea. It's (1,578 miles)
(2,539 km) in length. In ancient times the Amu Darya was called the Oxus. It was part of Persia,
and played a significant role in the military campaigns of Alexander the Great.

Euphrates: From the Caucasus Mtns of Armenia, it flows southwesterly across east-central
Turkey, then generally southeast through Syria and Iraq, ending in the waters of the Persian
Gulf. It joins with the Tigris in southern Iraq, and from that junction continues on as the Shatt al
Arab. Overall it's (2,235 miles) (3,596 km) in length, and is certainly the longest river in the
Middle East. Historically important in ancient history, the once great city of Babylon stood on its
banks. Indus: It begins in the high mountains of Tibet (southwestern China), flowing northwest
through the Jammu & Kashmir region of India and Pakistan, then generally south through
Pakistan, ending in the Arabian Sea. The Indus, through a series of dams and canals, provides
much of the irrigation and power for central Pakistan. It's (1,800 miles) (2,896 km) in length.
Tigris: Rising in the mountains of southern Turkey, the Tigris flows southeast through Iraq,
where in the southern part of that country it merges with the Euphrates to become the Shatt al
Arab, which then flows to the Persian Gulf. The river has numerous small tributaries running
from its eastern bank, and is (1,180 miles) (1,899 km) in length.

Landforms of Middle East

Anatolian Plateau:

This generally barren and arid plateau of central Turkey averages about 500 meters in
elevation. Farming and livestock raising (the major industries) are difficult occupations here as
extreme temperatures, both summer and winter are commonplace. Regardless, scattered
towns and villages cover the landscape.

An Nafud Desert:

Part of the Arabian Desert, this desert of western Saudi Arabia is famous for gigantic sand
dunes, some reaching over 100 ft.high.

Ar Rub' Al Khali Desert:

Known as the Empty Quarter, it's the largest (only sand) desert in the world and famed for huge
sand dunes that can extend for over 25 miles. A large part of the Arabian Desert, it covers most
of southern Saudi Arabia, and is almost moistureless. The Ad Dahna' is the northern expanse
that connects to the An Nafud Desert.

Arabian Desert:

The Arabian Desert, one of the largest deserts on the planet, is a vast desert wilderness
stretching from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and from Oman to Jordan and Iraq. It occupies most
of the Arabian Peninsula, with an estimated area of 2,330,000 sq km (900,000 sq mi).

Asir & Hejaz Mountains:

Running along Saudi Arabia's border with the Red Sea, these two ranges of lower mountains
averages 6,000 - 7,000 ft. (1,829 - 2,130 m)

Caucasus Mountains:

Positioned between the Black and Caspian Seas, these mountains dominate the landscape of
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia where the Middle East begins. Volcanic peaks here exceed
15,000 ft., with the highest point being Mt. Elbrus at 18,481 ft. (5,633m).

Middle East Rivers

Known as the Lout Desert, this region of eastern Iran is an arid, wind-blown desert, completely
surrounded by mountains. In the summer months, it can be one of the hottest and driest spots
on the planet. In some areas here rain has never been measured.

Dash E -Kavir:

This plateau of north-central Iran is often referred to as the "Great Salt Desert." It's the largest
desert in the country and is mostly uninhabited wasteland covered with crusty salt ridges.

Elburz Mountains:

Extending for almost 620 miles along Iran's northern border with the Caspian Sea, these jagged
mountains average over 9,000 ft, with the highest point being Mt. Damavand, a dormant
volcano, at 18,602 ft. (5,670m).

Hadramawt

This low mountain range (and region) of Yemen averages about 3,500 ft. (1,067m), with the
highest peak estimated at 8,000 ft. (2,440m).

Hindu Kush

These dramatic mountains form a natural border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with many
snow-capped peaks reaching over 22,000 ft. The highest point is Tirich Mir at 25,282 ft.
(7,706m).

Kara Kum Desert

This desert of south-central Turkmenistan is a large mass of sand known for its towering sand
dunes extending in all directions. It's about 115,000 sq. miles in size.