Middle East
The
Middle East is a region that roughly encompasses a majority of Western Asia and Egypt. The term is used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East. The corresponding adjective is
Middle-Eastern and the derived noun is
Middle-Easterner. Arabs, Persians, and Turks constitute the largest ethnic groups in the region by population, while Kurds, Azeris, Copts, Jews, Assyrians, Maronites, Circassians, Somalis, Armenians, Druze and other denominations form a significant minority. The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient times, and the region has generally been a major center of world affairs. However, in the context of its ancient history, the term
"Near East" is more commonly used. Several major religions have their origins in the Middle East, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; the Baha'i faith, Mandaeism, Unitarian Druze, and numerous other belief systems were also established within the region.