Middle East Cultural Characteristics. There were intense feelings of nationalism among the Jewish people living in Palestine prior to 1948 that helped.

Middle East Cultural Characteristics

There were intense feelings of nationalism among the Jewishpeople living in Palestine prior to 1948 that helped lead to the creationof the country Israel.

Israel became a country in 1948. This land was known as Palestine. There is still conflict over this land.

The area known as the West Bank and The Gaza Strip are where most of theArab Palestinians live today. This isoften referred to as the Occupied Territories.

The area known as the GolanHeights is a disputed area between Israel and Syria.

The Middle East is the birthplaceof three major monotheistic religions. Monotheistic = belief in one God1. Judaism

2. Islam

3. Christianity

The way of life differs greatly in urbanareas as opposed to rural areas.

Urban Areas

Rural Areas

Modernization

Traditional Life

The population is made up a large percentage of people 15 years of ageor younger. Therefore, the populationpyramid has a wide base and is shaped like a triangle or pyramid.

Many of the people living in ruralareas live nomadic lifestyles.

YURTS!

The main ethnic group in the MiddleEast is Arab. What is the languagespoken by the Arabs?

ARABIC

Non-Arab countries in the MiddleEast include Turkey, Iran, and Israel.

Turkey – Turkish

Iran – Farsi

Israel - Hebrew

A political organization of over 20Arab Nations.

•Serve the common good of all Arab countries.•Ensure better conditions for all Arab countries.•Guarantee the future of all Arab countries. •Fulfill the hopes and expectations of all Arab countries

League of Arab States

The art of the region reflects the diversity of religions

Stained Glass Geometric Tiles Calligraphy

Mosaics

(Christianity) (Islam) (Islam)

(Islam) (Islam)

Prayer Rug

Mosque and minarets

Minaret

Architectural structures include:

Church

Synagogue

Statues and Monuments of the region include:

Kaaba – Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Hagia Sophia – Istanbul, Turkey

Bazaars(suqs or sooks) Oil Rigs

Western Wall – Jerusalem, Israel

Dome of the Rock – Jerusalem, Israel

Church of the Holy Sepulcher – Jerusalem, Israel