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Middle East Countries at a Glance

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Middle East Country information

Flags, capitals, currency, area, languages, links

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Basic Data Religions & ethnic groups

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Algeria

Map of Algeria

 

Capital Algiers Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%;

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

falgeria.gif (316 bytes)

Foreign Affairs
Finances
Energy
Industry
Statistics
Bank

Currency Algerian Dinar
Area (km2) 2,380,000
Languages Arabic, French, Berber

Bahrain

Map of Bahrain

 

Capital Manama Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%

fbahrain.gif (314 bytes)

Foreign Affairs
Finance
Commerce
Information
Research

Currency Bahraini dinar
Area (km2) 620
Languages Arabic

Egypt

Map of Egypt

History of Egypt

Capital Cairo Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90-94%, Coptic Christian and other 6-10%.

Eastern Hamitic (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

fegypt.gif (316 bytes)

Foreign Affairs
Economy
Statistics
Energy Planning
Central Bank
Government Site
Currency Egyptian pound
Area (km2) 1,001,450
Languages Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Iraq

Map of Iraq

History of Iraq

Capital Baghdad Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%.

Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

firaq.gif (320 bytes) Foreign Affairs
Information
Currency Iraqi Dinar
Area (km2) 437,072
Languages Arabic, Kurdish, Assyrian, Armenian

Iran

Map of Iran

 History of  Iran

Capital Teheran Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1%.

Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%.

firan.gif (851 bytes) Foreign Affairs
Agriculture
Energy
Mines and Metals
Statistics
Currency Iranian Rial
Area (km2) 1,648,000
Languages Persian & dialects 58%, Turkic & dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Israel

Map of Israel

History of Israel and Palestine
 

Capital Jerusalem2 Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.)

Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language

fisrael.gif (320 bytes) Foreign Affairs
Prime Minister
Bank

Education

Currency New Israeli Shekel
Area (km2) 20,770
Languages Official: Hebrew, English, Arabic; Russian, French

Jordan

Map of Jordan

Capital Amman Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6%, other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2000 est.)

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

fjordan.gif (411 bytes) Finance
Planning
Industry and Trade
Energy
Tourism
Statistics
Bank of Jordan

Currency Jordanian Dinar
Area (km2) 92,300
Languages Arabic (official), English

Kuwait

Map of Kuwait

Capital Kuwait Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%.

Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

fkuwait.gif (336 bytes) Foreign Affairs
Finance
Planning
Information
Bank of Kuwait
Currency Kuwaiti Dinar
Area (km2) 17,820
Languages Arabic (official), English

Lebanon

Map of Lebanon

Capital Beirut Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% Jewish <1%.

Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

flebanon.gif (308 bytes) Finance
Economy
Agriculture
Tourism
Président
Statistics
Banque du Liban
Currency Lebanese Pound
Area (km2) 10,400
Languages Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Libya

Map of Libya

 

Capital Tripoli Sunni Muslim 97%.

Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians.

flibya.gif (106 bytes)
Currency Libyan dinar
Area (km2) 1,759,540
Languages Arabic, Italian, English

Morocco

Map of Morocco

Capital Rabat Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

fmoroc.gif (248 bytes) Foreign Affairs
Planning
Industry
Economy
Investments
Statistics
Currency Moroccan Dirham
Area (km2) 446,550
Languages Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French

Oman

Map of Oman

Capital Muscat Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African.

foman.gif (374 bytes) Economy
Commerce
Information
Bank of Oman
Currency Omani Rial
Area (km2) 212,460
Languages Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Palestine1

Map of Palestine

History of Israel & Palestine

Capital NA Muslim 87% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 7% (settlers), Christian and other 6%.

Palestinian Arab and other 93%, Jewish 7%

fpalestine.gif (352 bytes) Planning
Industry
Information
Labor
Tourism
Statistics (PCBS)
Currency New Israeli Shekel; Jordanian Dinar
Area (km2) 5,898
Languages Arabic, English

Qatar

Map of Qatar

Capital Doha Muslim 95%

Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

fqatar.gif (328 bytes) Foreign Affairs
Municipal Affairs and Agriculture
Planning Council
Qatar Central Bank
Currency Qatari Rial
Area (km2) 11,437
Languages Arabic (official), English

Saudi Arabia

Map of Saudi Arabia

History of Arabia

Capital Riyadh Muslim 100%.

Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

fsaudia.gif (458 bytes) Foreign Affairs
Agriculture and Water
Information
Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency
Currency Saudi Riyal
Area (km2) 1,960,582
Languages Arabic (official), English

Sudan

Map of Sudan

Capital Khartoum Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), animist 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum).

African 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

fsudan.gif (372 bytes) Foreign Affairs
Currency Sudanese Dinar
Area (km2) 2,505,810
Languages Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English

Syria

Map of Syria

Capital Damascus Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, & other Muslim  16%, Christian 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo).

Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
fsyria.gif (286 bytes) Economy
Industry
Information
Tourism
Currency Syrian Pound
Area (km2) 185,180
Languages Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English

Tunisia

Map of Tunisia

 

Capital Tunis Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

ftunisia.gif (240 bytes) Government Statistics
Bank
Tourism

Currency Tunisian dinar
Area (km2) 163,610
Languages Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)

Turkey

Map of Turkey

Capital Ankara Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (Christian and Jews).

Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20%

fturkey.gif (255 bytes) Foreign Affairs
Finance
Industry and Trade
Planning
Statistics
Mineral Research
Currency Turkish Lira
Area (km2) 769,630
Languages Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

UAE

Map of UAE

Capital Abu Dhabi Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%;

Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, others 8% (1982). less than  20% are citizens.

fuae.gif (319 bytes) Commerce
Finance
Planning
Statistics
Government
Bank

Currency Emirati dirham
Area (km2) 78,000
Languages Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Yemen

Map of Yemen

 

Capital Sana Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu;

Predominantly Arab. also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

fyemen.gif (220 bytes)

Resources
Supply and Trade
Information
Central Bank of Yemen

Currency Yemeni Riyal
Area (km2) 527,970
Languages Arabic

Sources: CIA World Book of Facts (2000 estimates) SESRTCIC,  Updated November 2001.

*Includes Middle Eastern countries and Arab countries of North Africa.

1. "Palestine" consists of the areas and persons under the control of the Palestinian authority in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The area given is the entire area of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestine is not a state and does not have a recognized capital. Administrative centers are in Gaza and Ramallah. The Palestine National Authority claims East Jerusalem as its capital.

2. Jerusalem is claimed as capital by the Israeli government and is the administrative center of Israel. The United States and many other countries do not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and have embassies in Tel Aviv.

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