The Middle East is a commonly used geographic and cultural term referring to a region that spans Western Asia and, in some definitions, parts of North Africa.
Unlike many world regions, the Middle East is not a formal subregion under the United Nations (UN) geoscheme. Its boundaries vary depending on historical, cultural, political, or strategic context.
The term is therefore descriptive rather than strictly geographic, and its usage has evolved over time.
For clarity, this page presents the countries most commonly included in definitions of the Middle East, while acknowledging areas of overlap.
Countries commonly considered part of the Middle East
The following countries are most commonly cited as Middle Eastern:
- Bahrain
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Syria
- United Arab Emirates
- Yemen
These countries form the core Middle East in most academic, media, and policy contexts.
Sometimes included in broader definitions
Some broader or alternative definitions of the Middle East may also include:
- Cyprus – sometimes included due to its eastern Mediterranean location and regional political context, despite being geographically part of Western Asia and politically aligned with Europe.
- Egypt – frequently included because of its role in Middle Eastern politics, history, and regional affairs, despite being geographically part of North Africa.
- Palestine* – commonly included in regional and geopolitical discussions of the Middle East, particularly in political, diplomatic, and security contexts.
- Türkiye (Turkey) – often included because of its historical ties to the region and its strategic role linking Europe and Western Asia.
*Palestine is a partially recognised state with observer status at the United Nations, but it is not universally recognised as a sovereign country.
View their country flags here.
Middle Eastern countries table
The countries listed above are often grouped together in reference works, regional studies, and geopolitical analysis.
| Country | Capital City | Country Code | Population (Thousands) | Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | Manama | BH | 1,588.67 | 760 |
| Iran | Tehran | IR | 91,567.74 | 1,648,195 |
| Iraq | Baghdad | IQ | 46,042.01 | 438,317 |
| Israel | Jerusalem (disputed) | IL | 9,974.40 | 21,937 |
| Jordan | Amman | JO | 11,552.88 | 89,342 |
| Kuwait | Kuwait City | KW | 4,973.86 | 17,818 |
| Lebanon | Beirut | LB | 5,805.96 | 10,400 |
| Oman | Muscat | OM | 5,281.54 | 309,500 |
| Qatar | Doha | QA | 2,857.82 | 11,586 |
| Saudi Arabia | Riyadh | SA | 35,300.28 | 2,149,690 |
| Syria | Damascus | SY | 24,672.76 | 187,437 |
| United Arab Emirates | Abu Dhabi | AE | 10,876.98 | 83,600 |
| Yemen | Sana'a | YE | 40,583.16 | 527,968 |
For broader context, you can also explore how these nations compare in size and population across continents.
Regional overlap and classification
Countries commonly described as Middle Eastern are classified differently under formal statistical systems.
Under the UN geoscheme:
- Most Middle Eastern countries are classified as part of Western Asia
- Egypt is classified as Northern Africa
Because of this, the Middle East functions as a cultural and geopolitical region, rather than a statistical one.
How the Middle East is defined
The concept of the Middle East developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, originally as a strategic term used to describe lands between Europe and Asia.
The term largely replaced the earlier concept of the “Near East” during the early 20th century, particularly through British military and administrative usage during and after the First World War.
Over time, the term came to describe a region shaped by:
- shared historical empires and trade routes
- linguistic and religious connections
- long-standing political and economic interdependence
Broader political or strategic frameworks have at times expanded the definition of the Middle East to include parts of North Africa, South Asia, or Central Asia, though such usage is not applied here.
Although its boundaries are not fixed, the term remains widely used in education, media, diplomacy, and regional studies because it describes a real and persistent regional framework that does not align neatly with modern continental divisions.
Global regions context
For statistical and comparative purposes, the UN assigns all countries to defined geographic regions. The Middle East overlaps primarily with Western Asia and, in some definitions, North Africa, often referred to collectively as MENA (Middle East and North Africa).
Geographic terms such as Western Asia or Southwest Asia describe physical location, whereas “Middle East” reflects historical, cultural, and geopolitical usage.
