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The Middle East |
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The Middle East |
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The Middle East
The Middle East is a
historical and political region of Afro-Eurasia with no clear boundaries. The
term "Middle East" was popularized around 1900 in Britain; it has a loose
definition traditionally encompassing countries or regions in Southwest Asia and
parts of North Africa. The corresponding adjective to Middle East is
Middle-Eastern and the derived noun is Middle-Easterner.
The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient times, and throughout its
history the Middle East has been a major center of world affairs. The Middle
East is also the geographic origin of three of the world’s great religions -
Christianity, Islam, Judaism. The Middle East generally has an arid and hot
climate, with several major rivers providing for irrigation to support
agriculture in limited areas. Many countries located around the Persian Gulf
have large quantities of crude oil. In modern times, the Middle East remains a
strategically, economically, politically, culturally, and religiously sensitive
region.
The Middle East primarily
consists of arid and semi-arid, with grasslands, rangelands, and deserts. Water
shortages are a problem in many parts of the Middle East, with rapidly growing
populations increasing demands for water, while salinization and pollution
threaten water supplies. Major rivers, including the Nile and the Euphrates,
provide sources for irrigation water to support agriculture.