1 | [[quoteright:176:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/middle_east.png]] |
2 | One of the world's most volatile regions, the traditional definition of the Middle East, pictured to the right and which the countries listed down below go by, are the countries of Western UsefulNotes/{{Asia}} that are south of UsefulNotes/TheCaucasus. |
3 | |
4 | The Greater Middle East political definition, coined in the [[TurnOfTheMillennium early 2000's]] by the UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush administration, throws in the entirety of Maghreb/North UsefulNotes/{{Africa}} as far west as UsefulNotes/{{Morocco}} (while the traditional Middle East only includes Egypt, as it is a transcontinental country in both North Africa and Western Asia), as well as UsefulNotes/{{Mauritania}} in West Africa, UsefulNotes/{{Comoros}}, UsefulNotes/{{Djibouti}} and UsefulNotes/{{Somalia}} in East Africa, and UsefulNotes/{{Afghanistan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Pakistan}} and the UsefulNotes/{{Maldives}} in South Asia, fitting more closely with the UsefulNotes/ArabWorld and/or the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_world Muslim world]] (note that the three terms are ''not'' synonymous). The Caucasus and Central Asia are sometimes also included in the Greater Middle East due to sociopolitical connections. Some particularly ignorant individuals equate "The Middle East" with "anywhere where Muslims are the majority", which is a major mistake since hundreds of millions of Muslims live far away from the traditional Middle East, and in decidedly non-dry places too.[[note]]Sure, it is easy to conflate Afghanistan and Pakistan with the Middle East since they border Iran and have deserts, but do you really want to include lush, green UsefulNotes/{{Bangladesh}} as well? How about UsefulNotes/{{Indonesia}}? Furthermore, Southern Europe, which is very much a part of the West, has several Muslim-majority countries in UsefulNotes/{{Kosovo}}, UsefulNotes/{{Bosnia}} and UsefulNotes/{{Albania}}.[[/note]] The Near East, mainly in texts originating in {{UsefulNotes/Europe}} (both English and foreign texts), is described as the Levant[[note]]Cyprus, Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, as well as Hatay Province in Turkey[[/note]] plus Iraq, while the Middle East is the area around Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. This can cause a mess for translators as well, so you always better make sure what the author's definition of the term is and preferably attach your own definition if writing about it yourself. |
5 | |
6 | In the case of casting "Middle Eastern" characters in the Western world, casting could look for anyone from Morocco [[note]]in North Africa[[/note]] to Bangladesh [[note]]in South Asia[[/note]] and everything in between. So it's not uncommon to see Indians playing Arabs (Naveeen Andrews as Iraqi Sayyid Jarrah in Lost), Arabs playing South Asians (Fady Elsayed as Ram Singh in Class), Iranians playing Bangladeshis (Golshifteh Farahani as Nik Khan in Extraction), etc. |
7 | Ironically, if the Middle Eastern setting is a fantasy/sci-fi genre or biblical/historical, then don't be surprised to see White (Arnold Vosloo as Egyptian Imhotep in The Mummy), Black (Peter Mensah as the Persian messenger in 300), Far East Asian (Elodie Yung in Gods of Egypt) or Oceanic (Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam) actors playing Middle Eastern characters and historical figures. In fact, almost every other actor thats played Jesus is white. The only Asians to play Jesus so far are British Sri-Lankan/English actor Selva Rasalingam, Lebanese Haaz Sleiman and American Syrians Bruce Marchiano[[note]] his mother is Syrian while his father is Italian[[/note]] and Jonathan Roumie[[note]] his parental grandfather is Syrian while his father is Egyptian and his mother is Irish[[/note]]. |
8 | |
9 | The Middle East is generally considered the "cradle of civilization"[[note]]to the West, at least; it is now generally accepted that multiple civilization cradles sprung up across the world independently from each other[[/note]]; the earliest civilizations in the world (in the modern sense of the word) - Sumer, Akkad, Assyria, Babylon and Elam - developed in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) and the surrounding areas about 5000 years ago; AncientEgypt showed up at about the same time as Sumer, and Egyptian and Mesopotamian empires would later trade territory in the Levant. Anatolia, meanwhile, was home to the Hittites, the world's earliest Indo-European civilization. The whole area served as an important cultural and trade center in ancient times. It was the birthplace of several major religions, the most famous being the Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, but also other historically-important ones like Zoroastrianism and Gnosticism. It should also be noted that the oldest known law code to date, the Code of Ur-Nammu (circa. 2100-2050 B.C.), is also from Mesopotamia. |
10 | |
11 | One should note that not all of the Middle East is autocratic and theocratic like Saudi Arabia. Some states are more liberal (and desert-covered) than others. Additionally, not everyone in the Middle East is even Muslim, as Egyptian Coptic Christians, Israeli Jews, Lebanese Maronite Christians and Iranian Zoroastrians, among others, would point out. Likewise, even leaving aside Turkey, Cyprus, Israel and Iran (Turks, Greeks, Jews and Persians, respectively), not everyone in the Middle East is Arab, as Assyrians, Azerbaijanis, Balochs, Circassians, Kurds, Lurs, Turkmens, and migrant South Asians would point out. |
12 | |
13 | Also note that the region is not just a big desert. The Middle East is actually very mountainous in many places, as it sits on top of the intersection between several geological plates. It just happens that a major part of the region is arid and covered in sand. Countries like Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and Turkey have more proportion of arable land and forest than desert. Oh, and it snows in the Middle East, with Iran, Lebanon, and Turkey having ski resorts and Iran being hit by the deadliest blizzard in history in 1972. |
14 | |
15 | [[index]] |
16 | !Countries and Dependencies |
17 | !!!Anatolia |
18 | * UsefulNotes/{{Turkey}} |
19 | ->'''Capital''': Ankara |
20 | ->'''Largest City''': UsefulNotes/{{Istanbul}} |
21 | |
22 | !!!Mediterranean Sea |
23 | * UsefulNotes/AkrotiriAndDhekelia (controlled by the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom) |
24 | ->'''Capital''': Episkopi Cantonment |
25 | ->'''Largest Civilian Settlement''': Akrotiri |
26 | * UsefulNotes/{{Cyprus}} |
27 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': Nicosia |
28 | * UsefulNotes/NorthernCyprus (de facto independent country, claimed by Cyprus) |
29 | ->'''Capitals''': North Nicosia (''de facto''), Nicosia (''de jure'') |
30 | ->'''Largest City''': North Nicosia |
31 | |
32 | !!!Sinai Peninsula |
33 | * [[UsefulNotes/ModernEgypt Egypt]] |
34 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': UsefulNotes/{{Cairo}} |
35 | |
36 | !!!Fertile Crescent |
37 | * UsefulNotes/{{Iraq}} |
38 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': Baghdad |
39 | * UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} |
40 | ->'''Capital & Largest city''': UsefulNotes/{{Jerusalem}} (limited recognition)[[note]]Though the Israeli government and state apparatus are mostly based in Jerusalem, only a handful of foreign countries recognize and house their embassies within the city, with the others still basing themselves in Tel Aviv pending the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.[[/note]] |
41 | * UsefulNotes/{{Jordan}} |
42 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': Amman |
43 | * UsefulNotes/{{Lebanon}} |
44 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': UsefulNotes/{{Beirut}} |
45 | * UsefulNotes/{{Palestine}} (UN observer state, de jure independent state, occupied by Israel)[[note]]The Palestinian National Authority exercises limited self-rule over the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967. Both the PNA and Israel have little say in the Gaza Strip since the Hamas group took over the territory in 2007.[[/note]] |
46 | ->'''Proclaimed Capital''': Jerusalem[[note]]As with the West Bank, the PNA exercises limited self-rule over East Jerusalem after the Six-Day War. West Jerusalem has been under Israeli control since the Arab-Israeli conflict first erupted in 1948.[[/note]] |
47 | ->'''Administrative Center''': Ramallah |
48 | ->'''Largest City''': Gaza City[[note]]As with the rest of the Gaza Strip, the PNA and Israel have little say in the administration of the Gaza City after the 2007 Hamas takeover.[[/note]] |
49 | * UsefulNotes/{{Syria}} |
50 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': Damascus |
51 | |
52 | !!!Iranian Plateau |
53 | * UsefulNotes/{{Iran}} |
54 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': UsefulNotes/{{Tehran}} |
55 | |
56 | !!!Arabian Peninsula |
57 | * UsefulNotes/{{Bahrain}} |
58 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': Manama |
59 | * UsefulNotes/{{Kuwait}} |
60 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': Kuwait City |
61 | * UsefulNotes/{{Oman}} |
62 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': Muscat |
63 | * UsefulNotes/{{Qatar}} |
64 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': Doha |
65 | * UsefulNotes/SaudiArabia |
66 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': UsefulNotes/{{Riyadh}} |
67 | * UsefulNotes/UnitedArabEmirates |
68 | ->'''Capital''': Abu Dhabi |
69 | ->'''Largest City''': UsefulNotes/{{Dubai}} |
70 | * UsefulNotes/{{Yemen}} |
71 | ->'''Capital & Largest City''': Sanaa |
72 | ->'''Capital-in-exile''': Aden[[note]]Yemen has been mired in civil war since 2015. The UN-backed government was forced to retreat from the capital Sana'a and relocate many times, with the president himself living in exile in Saudi Arabia. The government is technically based in Aden, but the city has been under the control of the Southern Transitional Council, which nominally sides with the government but has agendas of its own since 2019.[[/note]] |
73 | |
74 | '''Related articles:''' |
75 | * UsefulNotes/TheAchaemenidEmpire |
76 | * AdamAndEvePlot |
77 | * AdamAndOrEve |
78 | * AdventuresInTheBible |
79 | * [[AllJewsAreAshkenazi All Jews are Ashkenazi]] |
80 | * [[AllJewsAreCheapskates All Jews are Cheapskates]] |
81 | * AllMuslimsAreArab |
82 | * AmbiguouslyJewish |
83 | * UsefulNotes/AncientEgyptianHistory |
84 | * AncientPersia |
85 | * TheAntiChrist |
86 | ** AntiAntiChrist |
87 | * UsefulNotes/ArabIsraeliConflict |
88 | * Myth/ArabMythology |
89 | ** MagicCarpet |
90 | ** {{Miraj}} |
91 | ** OurGeniesAreDifferent |
92 | *** BecomingTheGenie |
93 | *** BenevolentGenie |
94 | *** FreeingTheGenie |
95 | *** GenieInABottle |
96 | *** TheGenieInTheMachine |
97 | *** GenieWorks |
98 | *** JackassGenie |
99 | *** LiteralGenie |
100 | *** {{Wishplosion}} |
101 | ** OurGhoulsAreCreepier |
102 | ** RocBirds |
103 | * ArabOilSheikh |
104 | * UsefulNotes/TheArabSpring |
105 | * UsefulNotes/ArabWorld |
106 | * ArabianNightsDays |
107 | ** BazaarOfTheBizarre |
108 | ** MagicCarpet |
109 | * UsefulNotes/ArabicLanguage |
110 | ** ArabBeobleTalk |
111 | * TheArk |
112 | * UsefulNotes/TheArmenianGenocide |
113 | * AsTheGoodBookSays |
114 | * AsianAnimation |
115 | * AsianStoreOwner |
116 | * {{Asmodeus}} |
117 | * AwayInAManger |
118 | * BadSamaritan |
119 | * BadassIsraeli |
120 | * BedlahBabe |
121 | * BedouinRescueService |
122 | * {{Beelzebub}} |
123 | * BibleTimes |
124 | ** SwordAndSandal |
125 | * BiblicalBadGuy |
126 | * BiblicalMotifs |
127 | * BigBrotherIsWatchingThisIndex |
128 | ** UsefulNotes/{{Emniyet}} |
129 | ** UsefulNotes/{{Mossad}} |
130 | * BlackJezebelStereotype |
131 | * BloodOath |
132 | * BuildLikeAnEgyptian |
133 | * UsefulNotes/ByzantineEmpire |
134 | * CainAndAbel |
135 | ** {{Cain}} |
136 | *** TheDescendantsOfCain |
137 | *** NameOfCain |
138 | ** CainAndAbelAndSeth |
139 | * Myth/CanaaniteMythology |
140 | * UsefulNotes/{{Castles}} |
141 | * ChildSoldiers |
142 | * UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} |
143 | ** AmbiguouslyChristian |
144 | ** EveryoneIsChristianAtChristmas |
145 | ** UsefulNotes/OrthodoxChristianity |
146 | ** Myth/SaintGeorge |
147 | * ClamshellCurrency |
148 | * CloneJesus |
149 | * UsefulNotes/{{Coffee}} |
150 | ** YouGetMeCoffee |
151 | * CrossingTheDesert |
152 | * CrucialCross |
153 | * CrucifiedHeroShot |
154 | * UsefulNotes/TheCrusades |
155 | * CurseOfBabel |
156 | * CurseOfThePharaoh |
157 | * DarkMessiah |
158 | * DarkShepherd |
159 | * DavidVersusGoliath |
160 | * DeadlyDustStorm |
161 | * DealWithTheDevil |
162 | * DesertBandits |
163 | * DesertWarfare |
164 | * DevelopingNationsLackCities |
165 | * DuelingMessiahs |
166 | * Myth/EgyptianMythology |
167 | ** OurSphinxesAreDifferent |
168 | * EmissaryFromTheDivine |
169 | * [[EunuchsAreEvil Eunuchs are Evil]] |
170 | * EyeOfHorusMeansEgypt |
171 | * UsefulNotes/TheFallOfConstantinople |
172 | * FalseProphet |
173 | * FlamingSword |
174 | * ForbiddenFruit |
175 | * ForcesWithFirepower |
176 | ** UsefulNotes/EgyptiansWithEagleFighters (Egyptian military) |
177 | ** UsefulNotes/IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles (Israeli Defense Force) |
178 | *** UsefulNotes/TheSamsonOption (Israeli nuclear weapons) |
179 | ** UsefulNotes/PersiansWithPistols (Iranian military) |
180 | ** UsefulNotes/SaudisWithSabers (Saudi Arabian military) |
181 | ** UsefulNotes/TurksWithTroops (Turkish military) |
182 | ** UsefulNotes/WarriorsOfDesertWinds (Jordanian Army) |
183 | * GardenOfEden |
184 | * GarlicIsAbhorrent |
185 | * TheGeneralissimo |
186 | * GentileJewChaser |
187 | * UsefulNotes/{{Gnosticism}} |
188 | ** OurArchonsAreDifferent |
189 | * GoAndSinNoMore |
190 | * {{God}} |
191 | ** TheAntiGod |
192 | ** BeingGodIsHard |
193 | ** GodForADay |
194 | ** GodKartingWithBeelzebub |
195 | ** GodIsDead |
196 | ** GodIsDispleased |
197 | ** GodIsEvil |
198 | ** GodIsFlawed |
199 | ** GodIsGood |
200 | ** GodIsInept |
201 | ** GodIsNeutral |
202 | ** GodWasMyCopilot |
203 | ** GodsHandsAreTied |
204 | ** GrandpaGod |
205 | ** TheHandIsGod |
206 | ** HaveYouSeenMyGod |
207 | ** ReasoningWithGod |
208 | ** WhatIfGodWasOneOfUs |
209 | * GodEmperor |
210 | * {{Golem}} |
211 | ** ImprovisedGolems |
212 | * GoodSamaritan |
213 | * GoodShepherd |
214 | * GratuitousUseOfTheTallit |
215 | * TheGreatFlood |
216 | * UsefulNotes/GrecoPersianWars |
217 | * GreedyJew |
218 | * UsefulNotes/GreekLanguage |
219 | ** GratuitousGreek |
220 | * UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar |
221 | * UsefulNotes/TheHashshashin |
222 | * {{Heaven}} |
223 | ** TheArmiesOfHeaven |
224 | ** BonusLevelOfHeaven |
225 | ** CelebritiesHangOutInHeaven |
226 | ** FluffyCloudHeaven |
227 | ** HealthyInHeaven |
228 | ** HeavenAbove |
229 | ** HeavenSeeker |
230 | ** HeavenlyBlue |
231 | ** HellOfAHeaven |
232 | ** HighTechHeaven |
233 | ** NostalgiaHeaven |
234 | ** PhysicalHeaven |
235 | ** RageAgainstTheHeavens |
236 | ** ReroutedFromHeaven |
237 | ** StairwayToHeaven |
238 | ** TakingOverHeaven |
239 | ** ThisIsntHeaven |
240 | ** UnfeelingHeavens |
241 | * HeavenVersusHell |
242 | * Myth/HebrewMythology |
243 | * HeinousHyena |
244 | * {{Hell}} |
245 | ** AHellOfATime |
246 | ** BloodyBowelsOfHell |
247 | ** CityOfTheDamned |
248 | ** DraggedOffToHell |
249 | ** EasyRoadToHell |
250 | ** FireAndBrimstoneHell |
251 | ** {{Hellevator}} |
252 | ** HellHasNewManagement |
253 | ** HellIsWar |
254 | ** HellSeeker |
255 | ** IronicHell |
256 | ** TheLegionsOfHell |
257 | ** NotAfraidOfHell |
258 | ** PhysicalHell |
259 | ** SelfInflictedHell |
260 | ** ToHellAndBack |
261 | ** YouAreWorthHell |
262 | * HellInvadesHeaven |
263 | * HidingInAHijab |
264 | * HijackedByJesus |
265 | * UsefulNotes/HistoryOfModernEgypt |
266 | * Myth/HittiteMythology |
267 | * HolyCity |
268 | * HollywoodMirage |
269 | * HorsemenOfTheApocalypse |
270 | * IndoEuropeanAlienLanguage |
271 | * UsefulNotes/IranIraqWar |
272 | * UsefulNotes/IranianRevolution |
273 | * UsefulNotes/{{Islam}} |
274 | ** UsefulNotes/IslamicDress |
275 | ** [[UsefulNotes/IslamicHolidaysAndFestivals Islamic Holidays and Festivals]] |
276 | ** UsefulNotes/TheProphetMuhammad |
277 | ** Literature/TheQuran |
278 | * JacobAndEsau |
279 | * JesusTheEarlyYears |
280 | * JesusWasCrazy |
281 | * JesusWasWayCool |
282 | * JewishAndNerdy |
283 | * JewishComplaining |
284 | * JewishMother |
285 | * UsefulNotes/JewishRevolts |
286 | * JewsLoveToArgue |
287 | * UsefulNotes/{{Judaism}} |
288 | ** InformedJudaism |
289 | ** UsefulNotes/JewishHolidays |
290 | ** JudaismAndJewishCultureInMedia |
291 | *** HanukkahEpisode |
292 | ** UsefulNotes/JewishLifeEvents |
293 | ** UsefulNotes/{{Kabbalah}} |
294 | ** UsefulNotes/TheNoahideLaws |
295 | * KosherNostra |
296 | * KrakenAndLeviathan |
297 | * UsefulNotes/KravMaga |
298 | * UsefulNotes/{{Kurdistan}} |
299 | * LooksLikeJesus |
300 | * UsefulNotes/TheMaccabeanRevolt |
301 | * UsefulNotes/MacedonianSuccessionWars |
302 | * MagicalJew |
303 | * MaliciousMonitorLizard |
304 | * UsefulNotes/{{Manichaeism}} |
305 | * MesopotamianMonstrosity |
306 | * Myth/MesopotamianMythology |
307 | ** MotherOfAThousandYoung |
308 | ** ScorpionPeople |
309 | ** SheduAndLammasu |
310 | * MessianicArchetype |
311 | * {{Metatron}} |
312 | * MicroMonarchy |
313 | * MiddleEasternCoalition |
314 | * MiddleEasternTerrorists |
315 | * UsefulNotes/MilitaryAnimals |
316 | ** WarElephants |
317 | * MosesArchetype |
318 | * MosesInTheBulrushes |
319 | * {{Mummy}} |
320 | ** ChummyMummy |
321 | ** MummyWrap |
322 | ** SeductiveMummy |
323 | * NaziHunter |
324 | * NephariousPharaoh |
325 | * {{Nephilim}} |
326 | * NeverAcceptedInHisHometown |
327 | * NewEden |
328 | * NiceJewishBoy |
329 | * NoahsStoryArc |
330 | * NumberOfTheBeast |
331 | * ObviousJudas |
332 | * {{Orientalism}} |
333 | * UsefulNotes/OtherRoyalFamilies |
334 | * OurAngelsAreDifferent |
335 | ** AngelUnaware |
336 | ** AngelicAbomination |
337 | ** AngelsInOvercoats |
338 | ** CelestialParagonsAndArchangels |
339 | *** ArchangelAzrael |
340 | *** ArchangelGabriel |
341 | *** ArchangelMichael |
342 | *** ArchangelRaphael |
343 | *** ArchangelUriel |
344 | ** CouncilOfAngels |
345 | ** FallenAngel |
346 | ** GuardianAngel |
347 | * OurGryphonsAreDifferent |
348 | * OurHippocampsAreDifferent |
349 | * OurMermaidsAreDifferent |
350 | ** ApparentlyHumanMerfolk |
351 | ** MermaidArcEmergence |
352 | ** MermaidMedia |
353 | ** MermaidProblem |
354 | ** UnscaledMerfolk |
355 | * {{Ouroboros}} |
356 | * PartingTheSea |
357 | * ThePearlyGates |
358 | * Myth/PersianMythology |
359 | ** OurManticoresAreSpinier |
360 | * PhilosophersStone |
361 | * ThePromisedLand |
362 | * PublicBathhouseScene |
363 | ** BathhouseBlitz |
364 | * PyramidPower |
365 | * {{Qurac}} |
366 | * RealMenLoveJesus |
367 | * UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire |
368 | * UsefulNotes/TheRomanRepublic |
369 | * RoyalHarem |
370 | * SacredHospitality |
371 | * ASaintNamedMary |
372 | * SamaritanSyndrome |
373 | * {{Satan}} |
374 | ** SatanIsGood |
375 | * SatanicArchetype |
376 | * ScarabPower |
377 | * ScheherezadeGambit |
378 | * SeaOfSand |
379 | * SecondComing |
380 | * SerpentStaff |
381 | * ShiksaGoddess |
382 | * SignsOfTheEndTimes |
383 | * SizableSemiticNose |
384 | * ThirstyDesert |
385 | * TheThreeWiseMen |
386 | * TowerOfBabel |
387 | * UsefulNotes/TurkicPeoples |
388 | * TurkishDrama |
389 | * TurnTheOtherCheek |
390 | * {{Unperson}} |
391 | * UriahGambit |
392 | * WalkOnWater |
393 | * UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror |
394 | * ZodiacMotifs |
395 | * UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}} |
396 | [[/index]] |
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