The Middle East

Page Updated December 2024

Arabs The Arabs are first mentioned in the mid-ninth century BC as tribal people in eastern and southern Syria, and the north of the Arabian Peninsula. Tradition holds that Arabs descend from Ishmael, the son of Abraham. The Arabian Desert is the birthplace of "Arab", as well other Arab groups that spread in the land and existed for millennia. Wikipedia.

Arabs, Muhammad and Islamic Empire, to 680 Muhammad conquers Arabia, succession problems, Muslims conquer beyond Arabia and war with each other.

Bahrain The site of one of the oldest civilizations in the world and thought by some to be the site of the Garden of Eden. Bahrain is packed with archaeological digs, historical museums, dhow building yards and back-street souks.

Bahrain  Atlas Of Bahrain.

Egypt Egypt emerged as one of the world's first nation states in the tenth millennium BC. Modern Egypt dates back to 1922 and the country continues to face challenges from terrorism, political unrest, and economic underdevelopment. Wikipedia.

Egypt Atlas Of Egypt.

Israel Israel is a country in the Middle East, on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea. It has land borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan on the east. The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah emerged during the Iron Age. The modern State Of Israel has fought several wars with Arab countries who have sought to destroy Israel and reposes it's land. Wikipedia.

Israel Atlas Of Israel.

Iran Iran has a turbulent history scarred by war, and has been labeled as a country that supports terrorism. Islamic fundamentalists have branded the US as evil, and Iran is viewed as a dangerous nation in a dangerous region. Wikipedia.

Iran Atlas Of Iran.

Iraq It won't come as a surprise that Iraq isn't the best place for a holiday. The almost constant threat of military action by the US (sometimes even with UN support), combined with a turbulent situation, makes Iraq one of the least desirable places to be. Wikipedia.

Jewish History: Maps A collection of detailed maps relating to Jewish history.

Jews Jews, also known as Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and a nation originating from the Israelites, or Hebrews, of the Ancient Near East. Jewish ethnicity, nationhood and religion are strongly interrelated. Jews originated during the second millennium BCE, in the part of the Levant known as the Land of Israel.^] The Merneptah Stele appears to confirm the existence of a people of Israel somewhere in Canaan as far back as the 13th century BCE (Late Bronze Age). Wikipedia.

Jordan Bible stories, lost cities, - It's a country that ought to be awash with tourists, but the Middle East's bad reputation has kept them away in droves. Learn about Jordan’s interesting history here! Wikipedia.

Jordan Atlas Of Jordan.

Kuwait  Oil reserves were discovered in commercial quantities in 1938. From 1946 to 1982, the country underwent large-scale modernization. In 1990, Kuwait was invaded, and later annexed, by Iraq. The Iraqi occupation came to an end in 1991 after military intervention by coalition forces. At the end of the war, there were extensive efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure. Wikipedia.

Kuwait Atlas Of Kuwait.

Lebanon Once considered the "Paris" of the Middle East, Lebanon fell off the tourist map when it disintegrated into civil war in 1975. Lebanon is still a dangerous area because of the influences of various terrorist groups. A real shame for the poor Lebanese people! Wikipedia.

Lebanon Atlas Of Lebanon.

Middle Eastern Country Profiles  Full country profiles that provide a guide to history, politics and economic background of the country including a picture of the current leader. From the BBC archives.

Mongols From the first explosion of Mongol military might from the steppes of central Asia in the early decades of the 13th century to the death of Timur in 1405, the nomads of central Asia took center stage in world history. history-world.org.

Oman Holding a strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the country shares land borders with the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest, and shares marine borders with Iran and Pakistan. Wikipedia.

Oman Atlas Of Oman.

Qatar Best known for being unknown, Qatar has a habit of falling off the outside world's radar screens. Learn about this “unknown” country on the Arabian Peninsula here! Wikipedia.

Qatar Atlas Of Qatar.

Saddam Hussein and the Gulf War  Hussein's rise, the Iraq-Iran war and U.S.-Iraq relations, Iraq invades Kuwait, giving "peace a chance," and Operation Desert.

Saudi Arabia Arabia has intrigued travelers for centuries. Its vast swathes of desert were birthplace of the Arab race and of Arabic, a language considered holy by Muslims. Visiting the country is difficult and today Arabia is still a unique and intriguing land! Wikipedia.

Saudi Arabia Atlas Of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Aramco World Archive Saudi Aramco, officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, most popularly known just as Aramco (formerly Arabian-American Oil Company), is a Saudi Arabian national petroleum and natural gas company based in Dhahran. Saudi Aramco's market value has been estimated at between $2 trillion and $10 trillion, making it the most valuable company in Asia and the world. Aramco World produces this on-line archive  to increase cross-cultural understanding by broadening knowledge of the histories, cultures and geography of the Arab and Muslim worlds and their global interconnections, past and present. An interesting glimpse into the Arab and Muslim world!

September 11th Attacks The destruction of the World Trade Center towers in New York, and the loss of 2,996 lives in 2001 was caused by Radical Islamic Terrorist's under the direction of Osama Bin Laden in response to US support of Israel as well as support for the "attacks against Muslims" in other parts of the world. As a result efforts now center on destroying Islamic Fundamentalism and it's ideology of hatred and warfare around the world. Wikipedia.

Sinai Explore this historic desert land that is Egypt's border with Israel. Meet the Bedouin inhabitants, tour amazing sites, dive its coral reefs, and discover why it is considered a holy and sacred land for so many.

Syria Syria is still on the US State Department's list of the seven countries sponsoring terrorism. Once a crossroads of empire, it is today a failed state with an uncertain future. Wikipedia.

Syria Atlas Of Syria.

The Iranian Revolution  The reign of Shah Muhammad Reza Pahlavi and relations with the United States. Resistance led by the Ayatollah Khomeini. Clerical rule. From Frank E. Smitha's "World History."

Turkey Turkey is a transcontinental country in Eurasia, mainly in Anatolia in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. Wikipedia.

Turkey Atlas Of Turkey.

UAE: United Arab Emirates The UAE sometimes simply called the Emirates, is a federal absolute monarchy in Western Asia at the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a union of seven sovereign sheikdoms, formed when the British withdrew from the Persian Gulf in 1971. The UAE boasts mountains, beaches, deserts, oases, camel racing, Bedouin markets and unique desert adventures. Wikipedia.

UAE Atlas Of The Unites Arab Emirates.

Yemen Things in Yemen were really looking up. Since the start of the 1990s, however, kidnappers have taken all the shine off what could have been a bright future, taking in excess of 100 foreigners hostage. Your best trip to Yemen remains through a history book! Wikipedia.

Yemen Atlas Of Yemen.