Talk:Middle East/Archive 4

Emblem of Qatar (edit request)
As the Emblem of Qatar was changed in 2022, but this page has not yet been changed accordingly, I would request that the emblem of Qatar is changed in the ‘Countries and territory’

File:Emblem of Qatar (2022–present).svg notadev (talk) 12:48, 9 May 2023 (UTC)

More maps of the “Middle East” needed
The Middle East is a blanket term for all the countries between the Near East and Far East. Countries between Syria and China, including Central Asia. With the ongoing usage of this extremely confusing term, I believe it would be beneficial to include a map of the previous definition of “Middle East”, aka countries of Southwest Asia and Central Asia. Another map including southwestern Asian countries (not including the near East)and Central Asia. Finally, a map including all Asian countries west of Burma and east of Mesopotamia. General people that come to Wikipedia for education and assistance must also learn about the multiple uses of the term, which I believe a couple extra maps will help. Thanks! Ricemaster12 (talk) 20:39, 22 May 2023 (UTC)

Köppen climate classification maps
I believe the Köppen climate classification maps in the article should be replaced/changed, as

1) They include Afghanistan and Pakistan, both of which are not in the Middle East

2) They also include North Africa which mostly isn't in the Middle East

Admins or editors please look into this. Regards. DosariDosari (talk) 17:24, 2 July 2023 (UTC)

Source found!!
For the sentence, "Until World War II, it was customary to refer to areas centered around Turkey and the eastern shore of the Mediterranean as the "Near East", while the "Far East" centered on China, and the Middle East then meant the area from Mesopotamia to Burma, namely the area between the Near East and the Far East" I have found the source, which is: "United States Government Manual". Division of Public Inquiries Office of War Information: 191. 1944. Please update. Picture of map can be provided as well. Ricemaster12 (talk) 04:31, 14 July 2023 (UTC)


 * Words to this effect are essentially included in the second sentence of the Definitions section, where it highlights a usage that connotated the area between Arabia and India, which is similar, less the India. For the above, is there a link to an online resource that other can view to cross-reference? Sources with links are better. Iskandar323 (talk) 06:42, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I assume that they are referring to this source (which is about the various offices of the U.S. Department of State). M.Bitton (talk) 10:39, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I believe that’s the one. The US Department of State wrote “The region covered by the Division of Middle Eastern Affairs corresponded to the earliest British usage of “Middle East.”” Ricemaster12 (talk) 11:51, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Where does it say that? I can't see it in the above source. M.Bitton (talk) 13:07, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * There’s a picture of the map provided by the Manual that says that towards the bottom of the paragraph via the US Department of State. It’s a separate image that can be found here: https://mideast.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/7-U.S.-Department-of-State-1944.png
 * And at the bottom, it uses the source found in the US Government Manual Ricemaster12 (talk) 13:17, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * That's a different source (that's commenting on the first and adding its own conclusions). The US Department of State didn't write what you're attributing to it. M.Bitton (talk) 13:25, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * It’s titled “where is the Middle East” and under it “US Department of State, 1944”. There’s a paragraph under the image saying “The region covered by the Division of Middle Eastern Affairs corresponded to the earliest British usage of "Middle East." Who else would be writing that besides the US DPT?
 * source on the bottom is: U.S. Government Manual, Summer 1944, 191. Ricemaster12 (talk) 13:29, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Perhaps an author from the website? Ricemaster12 (talk) 13:32, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Now that I have provided a direct link to the source, do you at least agree that the US Department of State didn't write what you're attributing to it? M.Bitton (talk) 13:48, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Did you see the link I provided? It’s saying the same thing I’m saying - same source you and I are both talking about. Maybe the bottom paragraph is not in the book, but that 1 source is including all the info Ricemaster12 (talk) 13:57, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Nope, we're not talking about the same thing. Anyway, the next time "you find a source", make sure you link to the source that you actually have read. I'm done here. M.Bitton (talk) 14:34, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Yeah, somewhat confused. We’re talking about the same thing. How was that sentence in the wiki page written in the first place without a source? The one I found points in all the right directions for what the sentence is implying. Have you seen the other source I provided? Just trying to find it. No need to get upset with that attitude. Have a nice day. Ricemaster12 (talk) 14:46, 14 July 2023 (UTC)

A curious question
Hello,

I’m not looking to make an edit necessarily, but for some education for myself and other readers if an editor is well-educated on the topic.

So, the definition of Middle East nowadays is a political term that refers to mostly West Asian countries and Egypt. It has nothing to do with ethnicity or religion or culture, since there’s no 1 ethnicity nor 1 religion nor 1 culture in the area. How did the modern definition evolve to what it is today? Why did the terms Middle East and Near East merge while Afghanistan and Pakistan were dropped from the previous definitions? Why was India dropped as well?

Sorry I know that’s a lot of questions, but it’s all for education :) WikiAmerican1 (talk) 05:47, 15 July 2023 (UTC)


 * The Indian subcontinent was dropped for several reasons: the emergence of the discussion of the subcontinent as a genre unto itself, the appreciation of the physical barrier that the Hindu Kush presented in ancient times, and the understanding of plate tectonics, which appreciates the subcontinent as a plate unto itself. Afghanistan was dropped because it was more convenient to group it with the other 'stans', which generally group well together as a largely landlocked central Asian cluster (the Caspian Sea doesn't really go anywhere). There's also the term Greater Middle East, which today is like the old Middle East, still retaining the other parts that increasingly minimal Middle East definitions have dropped. Iskandar323 (talk) 06:52, 15 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I see, makes sense. If plate tectonics were taken into consideration, and Iran is on a separate plate from the Arabian plate, why’s it included to this day? Also, do you know what the cause was for the Near and Middle East terms merging (besides the fall of the Ottoman Empire)? WikiAmerican1 (talk) 13:05, 15 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I mean, there are some good reasons for considering Iran and the Arab world separately due to the influence of the Zagros mountains in helping keeping the cultures relatively distinct, but the distinction is simply not the case in the common definitions of the Middle East. The why is not really very important. Iskandar323 (talk) 15:08, 15 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Iran is also on the Eurasian plate and iranian plateau, which is separate from the Arabian plate as well so that could be another reason to exclude it too.
 * Could it just be because the government of Iran itself doesn’t want to be excluded from the definition since they want to hold more power in the Middle East? WikiAmerican1 (talk) 17:14, 15 July 2023 (UTC)
 * It's not dictated by plate tectonics - don't get the wrong end of the stick - it's just one factor that has differentiated geographies historically. The more significant factor is the type of physical barriers plate boundaries result in, such as the Hindu Kush and Himalayan Mountains, both of which rather effectively geographically isolate the Indian subcontinent. But again, it's not about feelings on the matter, my first post was just me mulling over it (at your behest); it is actually about usage in reliable sources. Iskandar323 (talk) 17:22, 15 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Yup, understood. Now that part of the old definition of Middle East and all of the near Near East have fused together to just become Middle East, does that mean countries east of Iran are now considered the Far East? WikiAmerican1 (talk) 18:28, 15 July 2023 (UTC)
 * The pretty much standard current definition of the Middle East can be seen on the map in the infobox. There's not really a lot of confusion regarding this. Iskandar323 (talk) 18:48, 15 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Hahah I guess I’ll stop talking. Appreciate the insight!
 * WikiAmerican1 (talk) 22:19, 16 July 2023 (UTC)

Include Afghanistan?
Many sources include Afghanistan as a Middle Eastern country, not just part of the Greater Middle East. I believe Afghanistan can be included at the bottom of the lede. WikiAmerican1 (talk) 01:42, 1 August 2023 (UTC)