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The Middle East
A region that encompasses at least the Arabian Peninsula and, according to some definitions, Iran, North Africa, and occasionally even farther afield, the Middle East is comprised of the territories that are located along the southern and eastern coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea. In the past, the center portion of this geographical region was referred to as the Near East.
This term was given to it by some of the early modern Western geographers and historians, who had a tendency to split what they referred to as the Orient into three distinct sections. The term “Near East” refers to the area that is closest to Europe and extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. The term “Middle East” refers to the region that extends from the Persian Gulf to Southeast Asia. The term “Far East” refers to the territories that directly front the Pacific Ocean.
throughout World War II, the phrase “Middle East” was given to the British military command in Egypt, which marked the beginning of the shift in use that started to emerge before to the war. This change in usage was largely reinforced throughout the war. During the middle of the 20th century, a common definition of the Middle East included the states or territories of Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and the various states and territories of Arabia proper, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and the Trucial States, or Trucial Oman, which is now known as the United Arab Emirates.
There has been a tendency, in a more general sense, for subsequent occurrences to increase the number of lands that are included in the definition. In terms of both attitude and foreign policy, the three North African nations of Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco are strongly tied with the Arab states. Furthermore, in relation to the events of the Middle East, it is often necessary for politicians and other individuals to take into consideration Afghanistan and Pakistan due to the presence of geographical considerations.
The Middle East from a Perspective
Greece is sometimes included in the compass of the Middle East. This is due to the fact that the Middle Eastern (then Near Eastern) question in its modern form was first brought to light in 1821, when the Greeks rose up in rebellion to assert their independence from the Ottoman Empire (see Eastern Question). Historically, the region that is now known as the Levant included not just Turkey and Greece but also the territories that are mostly Arabic-speaking and are located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean.
The use of the term Middle East, on the other hand, continues to be a contentious issue, and certain organizations, most notably the United States Department of State and certain bodies of the United Nations, continue to use the term Near East.
Is it more appropriate to refer to the area that covers southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa as the Middle East or the Near East?
The term “Middle East” basically replaced “Near East” in the early 20th century, despite the fact that the two terms are currently used interchangeably among those who speak English. Therefore, when used in modern times, the terms “Middle East” and “Near East” should be considered to refer to the same geographical area.
The situation has not always been like this. In the 19th century, Westerners established a division of the “Orient” into three distinct regions: the Near East, the Middle East, and the Far East. This division led to the creation of the phrase “Near East.” For example, the Ottoman Empire and the Balkans were considered to be part of the Near East, but the Middle East included the territory between the Persian Gulf and Southeast Asia. This was a rather tiny region in comparison to what we now perceive to be the Middle East. (The Far East consisted of Asian nations that were located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.) During the time when Europe was getting ready for World War II, however, the British military started using the phrase “Middle East” to refer to both of these areas. The word “Middle East” quickly became the most used one.
At this point in time, we consider the region to be the Middle East, which includes Morocco, the Arabian Peninsula, and Iran. (The abbreviation MENA, which stands for Middle East and North Africa, is used by certain academics and businesses because they believe it better correctly defines the area in which they do their study and conduct their business.) Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria may seem to be geographical outliers; but, due to the fact that they share similar sentiments, religions, and politics, they are regarded to be a part of this area. Afghanistan and Pakistan are two examples of nations that are often grouped along with the Middle East due to current events, despite the fact that they may not formally belong to this region.
You should bear in mind that both of these labels are fully Eurocentric, which means that Western English-speaking historians called the area based on its location in relation to Europe. This is a crucial cultural point to keep in mind. As a result of recent developments in the academic world that aim to de-Westernize fundamental education, the phrase “Middle East” may seem to be rather archaic. However, until a new name makes its way into popular discourse, we will continue to use the term “Middle East” to represent the area even if it is incorrect.
