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Middle East Maps Center
Middle East Maps Center
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The Middle East is a historical and political region of
Africa-Eurasia with no clear boundaries. The term "Middle East" was
popularized around 1900 in Britain, and has been criticized for its
loose definition. The Middle East traditionally includes countries or
regions in Southwest Asia and parts of North Africa. The corresponding
adjective to Middle East is Middle-Eastern and the derived noun is
Middle-Easterner. The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient
times, and throughout its history the Middle East has been a major
center of world affairs. The Middle East is also the geographic origin
of three of the world’s great religions - Christianity, Islam, Judaism.
The Middle East generally has an arid and hot climate, with several
major rivers providing for irrigation to support agriculture in limited
areas. Many countries located around the Persian Gulf have large
quantities of crude oil. In modern times, the Middle East remains a
strategically, economically, politically, culturally, and religiously
sensitive region. |
Saudis blame Iran for Lebanon 'coup'
The kingdom described Hizbollah's military actions in the country as a coup backed by Tehran, illustrating the regional tensions the crisis threatens to exacerbateTue, 13 May 2008 18:14 BST |
IMF points to inflationary threat in Gulf
Inflation is the most pressing problem facing the region, which is reaping the benefits of record oil revenues but does not have the tools available to cap rising pricesTue, 13 May 2008 10:43 BST |
Truce hopes dim as Israel rebuffs plan
The rejection of an Egypt-sponsored peace proposal and the firing of a rocket by Palestinian militants further weakened the chances of a ceasefire with HamasTue, 13 May 2008 02:53 BST |
US alerts banks to risks of Iran support
The Bush administration is seeking to broaden the scope of its enforcement tools to rein in Iran's nuclear programme, including greater scrutiny of global banks that may be violating US export control rules by financing prohibited transactionsMon, 12 May 2008 23:04 BST |
Candidates converge on Middle East policy
For all the difference in temperament and outlook between them, many analysts and insiders say there are important points of continuity between the three main US presidential campaigns' policies on the Middle East, despite the many controversies in the regionTue, 13 May 2008 20:05 BST |
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