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The most populous countries in the region are Egypt, Turkey, and Iran, while Saudi Arabia is the largest Middle Eastern country by area. The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient times, with the geopolitical importance of the region being recognized for millennia.
- What Makes Middle East?
- Bahrain
- Cyprus
- Egypt
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
As mentioned above, the countries of the region share several features in common. For example, the Middle East region has Arabs as the largest ethnic group. Iranian peoples and Turkic speaking peoples are the next two common ethnic groups. Islam is the largest religion in the region. In fact, the region is the birthplace of Islam, Judaism, and Chri...
Area: 760 km2Population: 1,641,170Capital: ManamaArea: 9,251 km2Population: 1,198,580Capital: NicosiaArea: 1,010,40 km2Population: 100,388,070Capital: CairoArea: 1,648,195 km2Population: 82,913,910Capital: TehranArea: 438,317 km2Population: 39,309,780Capital: BaghdadArea: 20,770 km2Population: 9,053,300Capital: JerusalemArea: 92,300 km2Population: 10,101,690Capital: AmmanArea: 17,820 km2Population: 4,207,080Capital: Kuwait CityArea: 10,400 km2Population: 6,855,710Capital: BeirutLearn about the 18 countries that make up the Middle East region, their geography, history, culture, and economy. Find out how the Middle East is defined and what makes it unique among other regions.
- Amber Pariona
2 days ago · Middle East, the lands around the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing at least the Arabian Peninsula and, by some definitions, Iran, North Africa, and sometimes beyond. Learn more about the history of the classification of the region in this article.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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.
- John Moen
1 day ago · Stay on top of Middle East latest developments on the ground with Al Jazeera’s fact-based news, exclusive video footage, photos and updated maps.
Get all the latest news, live updates and content about the Middle East from across the BBC.
View the latest Middle East news from Israel, Iran, Iraq, Syria and other Middle Eastern countries on CNN.com.