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The Middle East: Geography, History, and Culture
The Middle East is a term used to describe a region that spans Western Asia and, in some definitions, parts of North Africa and southeastern Europe. Its boundaries are not fixed, and its composition varies depending on historical, cultural, political, or strategic perspectives. This explainer explores the region's geography, history, and the countries commonly associated with it.
The Middle East is a transcontinental region centred on Western Asia, with its boundaries varying by context. It is home to some of the world's oldest civilisations and has a complex modern geopolitical landscape.
The Middle East is a transcontinental region
The Middle East is a geographical and cultural region located primarily in western Asia, but it also extends into parts of northern Africa and southeastern Europe. The western border is defined by the Mediterranean Sea, where countries like Israel, Lebanon, and Syria sit opposite Greece and Italy. The region's southern edge is marked by the Red and Arabian Seas, while the Persian Gulf cuts into its centre, giving the region its distinctive hook-like shape.
The Middle East is not a formal UN subregion
Unlike many world regions, the Middle East is not a formal subregion under the United Nations (UN) geoscheme. Its boundaries vary depending on historical, cultural, political, or strategic context. The term is therefore descriptive rather than strictly geographic, and its usage has evolved over time. This lack of formal definition means that the list of countries considered part of the Middle East can differ between academic, media, and policy contexts.
The core Middle East includes 13 countries
The countries most commonly cited as Middle Eastern are Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. These 13 nations form the core Middle East in most academic, media, and policy contexts. This list is based on common usage rather than a formal definition, as the region's boundaries are not officially fixed.
Broader definitions include Egypt, Turkey, and Cyprus
Some broader or alternative definitions of the Middle East also include Cyprus, Egypt, Palestine, and Türkiye (Turkey). Egypt is frequently included because of its role in Middle Eastern politics, history, and regional affairs, despite being geographically part of North Africa. Türkiye is often included due to its historical ties to the region and its strategic role linking Europe and Western Asia. Cyprus is sometimes included due to its eastern Mediterranean location and regional political context.
The Middle East was a cradle of civilisation
The Middle East, or the Near East, was one of the cradles of civilisation. After the Neolithic Revolution and the adoption of agriculture, many of the world's oldest cultures and civilisations were created there. The Sumerians, around the 5th millennium BC, were among the first to develop a civilisation. By 3150 BC, Egyptian civilisation unified under its first pharaoh, and Mesopotamia hosted powerful empires, notably Assyria, which lasted for 1,500 years.
The region has had several lingua francas
Since ancient times, the Middle East has had several lingua francas, including Akkadian, Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Arabic. These languages have served as common means of communication across the region's diverse cultures and empires. The succession of these lingua francas reflects the region's long history of trade, conquest, and cultural exchange, from the ancient Akkadian Empire to the spread of Greek after Alexander the Great and the later dominance of Arabic.
The Middle East's eastern and northern borders are difficult to define
The eastern and northern borders of the Middle East are somewhat difficult to define. Afghanistan and Pakistan border Iran to the east, but Pakistan's shared history with India sometimes leads to it being seen as part of South Asia instead. Some countries bordering Iran and Afghanistan's north, such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, are sometimes included within the northern borders of the Middle East, but are other times seen as their own Central Asian region.
The Persian Gulf is central to the region's geography
At the centre of the Middle East rests the Persian Gulf, cutting into the region and giving it its hook-like shape. Countries along the Persian Gulf include the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iran. The Persian Gulf is a strategically important waterway, and its surrounding nations are major players in global energy markets. The gulf's geography has shaped trade routes and settlement patterns for millennia.
Palestine is a partially recognised state in the region
Palestine, which is made up of the Gaza Strip and West Bank regions in and around Israel, declared its independence in 1988 and is currently recognised as independent by 134 countries. However, it is not an official member of the United Nations and is not considered to be its own country by every G-8 nation except Russia. Palestine is commonly included in regional and geopolitical discussions of the Middle East, particularly in political, diplomatic, and security contexts.
The Middle East's population is nearly 470 million
The Middle East has an area of approximately 7,222,411 square kilometres (2,788,588 square miles) and a population of about 469,300,000 as of 2025. This population figure is based on the 16 UN member countries commonly included in the region, which include Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, and others. The region's population is diverse, with a mix of ethnicities, languages, and religions, reflecting its long history as a crossroads of civilisations.
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