ABSTRACT
Located at the tricontinental hub of Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Middle East is unique both historically and geopolitically. It is the cradle of civilization, birthplace of the three great monotheistic religions, crossroads of movement and trade, base of extensive empires, resource area for half of the world's petroleum, and the home to more than 350 million people in sixteen countries. Trade and travel routes have crossed region since earliest human migrations. Middle East holds half of world's petroleum reserves, hence of crucial world significance. Major developments in the region resonate worldwide, as did the disturbances associated with the 2011–2012 "Arab Spring", and no country can disregard them. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book considers historical highlights with a geographical analysis of patterns, particularly cultural patterns.
