The Middle East is a historical and cultural subregion of Africa-Eurasia traditionally held to be countries or regions in Southwest Asia together with Egypt. In other contexts, the region can include other parts of North Africa and/or Central Asia.

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In the Western world, the Middle East is generally thought of as a predominantly Islamic Arabic community defined by frequent war. However the area encompasses many distinct cultural and ethnic groups, including the Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians, Azeris, Berbers, Chaldeans, Druze, Greeks, Jews, Kurds, Maronites, Persians and Turks. The main language groups include: Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian (also known as Aramaic and Syriac), Hebrew, Persian, Kurdish and Turkish. The corresponding adjective is Middle-Eastern and the derived noun is Middle-Easterner.

Most Western definitions of the "Middle East" — in both established reference books and common usage — define the region as 'nations in Southwest Asia, from Iran (Persia) to Egypt'. Egypt, with its Sinai Peninsula in Asia, is often considered part of the 'Middle East', although most of the country lies geographically in North Africa. North African nations without Asian links, such as Libya, Tunisia and Morocco, are increasingly being called North African — as opposed to Middle Eastern (Iran (Persia) to Egypt-Asia) — by international media outlets.

One widely used definition of "Middle East" is that of the airline industry, maintained by the IATA standards organization. This definition — as of early 2006 — includes Bahrain, Egypt, Iran (Persia), Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestinian Territory, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. ^* This definition is used in world-wide airfare and tax calculations for passengers and cargo.

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Middle East - Twitter Search

why does it seem like there's an election in the middle east every 4 months?
OnIndolence (Lukas hodge) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:51:04 -0000
why does it seem like there's an election in the middle east every 4 months?
Student Kills Middle East Studies Professor | NewsReal Blog: http://bit.ly/5ZyZqi via @addthis
Bigdaph (Bigdaph) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:50:51 -0000
Student Kills Middle East Studies Professor | NewsReal Blog: http://bit.ly/5ZyZqi via @addthis
entrepreneurship and the middle east http://www.tjacobi.com/50226711/entrepreneurship_and_the_middle_east.php
creaweblogging (Creative Weblogging) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:50:08 -0000
entrepreneurship and the middle east http://www.tjacobi.com/50226711/entrepreneurship_and_the_middle_east.php
@ChrisWiIIiams Definitely blacked out during a Count Me Out show at the Middle East in 2002. Damn that place gets hot in mid-summer!
seanlivesbig (Sean BIG) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:47:33 -0000
@ChrisWiIIiams Definitely blacked out during a Count Me Out show at the Middle East in 2002. Damn that place gets hot in mid-summer!
图片新闻http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6968798.ece #cn4iran
srsman (srsman) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:47:08 -0000
图片新闻http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6968798.ece #cn4iran
MIDDLE EAST-IRAN-REGIME-Police forces are refusing their commanders' orders to shoot at demonstrators in central Tehran
wwresearch (WORLD WATCH RESEARCH) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:45:37 -0000
MIDDLE EAST-IRAN-REGIME-Police forces are refusing their commanders' orders to shoot at demonstrators in central Tehran

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