When did the Middle East become the Middle East?

Terminology. The term “Middle East” may have originated in the 1850s in the British India Office. However, it became more widely known when American naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan used the term in 1902 to “designate the area between Arabia and India”.

Where is Middle East?

southeast Asia
The Middle East is an unofficial grouping of countries geographically located in the region where southeast Asia touches Africa (to the west) and Europe (to the north).

Why is Middle East called Middle East?

The term “Middle East” originated from the same European perspective that described Eastern Asia as “the Far East.” The Middle East denotes the transcontinental area between Western Asia and Egypt.

What is the problem in Middle East?

The Middle East is the most militarized region in the world and most arms sales head there. A suppressed people that sees US influence as a major root cause of the current problems in the Middle East has led to a rise in Islamic militancy, acts of terrorism and anti-west sentiment, anti-US in particular.

Is the Middle East the most important region in the world?

The Middle East is a geographical region that has been of great importance in history since ancient times. Strategically located, it is a natural land bridge connecting the continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe. In recent times its enormous deposits of oil have made the Middle East more important than ever.

Why does the Middle East have so much oil?

The most widely accepted theory for why the Middle East is loaded with oil is that the region was not always a vast desert. The oil was captured in place on the seabed by thick layers of salt. As the land in the modern Middle East region rose due to tectonic activity, the Tethys Ocean receded.

How did Islam change the Middle East?

Islam, founded in seventh-century Arabia by the prophet Muhammad, altered the Middle East economically. Within a century, Muslims had conquered most of the Middle East and parts of Spain, and had created a unified economic sphere. Trade flourished and the Middle East experienced an economic and cultural renaissance.

What countries in the Muslim world allow dictators to rule?

Further away from the Arab region, the Muslim world has little forbearance for dictators. Pakistan, a country made in the name of Islam, offers the most extensive political liberty, allowing all political parties, ranging from religious fundamentalists to communists, to organize and contest federal and provincial elections.

Which countries in the Middle East are emerging as democracies?

While the Arab region tramples over the will of the people, prominent states in the rest of the Muslim world are emerging as democracies. Turkey and Iran, the most prominent countries in the Middle East, are experimenting with democracy at the opposite ends of Islamic ethos.

Should the Arab culture reconsider hero-worship?

The Arab culture, which has greatly contributed to the world civilization, may continue to adore leaders but it must reconsider hero-worship. The people must compel rulers, under law, to leave office after an appointed term. When rulers know that they must become ordinary citizens again, their abuse of power is limited.

What happened to Tunisia and Yemen?

In Tunisia and Yemen, the people endured lengthy dictatorships. In Syria, Bashar Assad, a physician by profession, has brought untold suffering to his people but shows little remorse and no intention of leaving the reign of power.