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{{Not to be confused with|Middle East}}{{Short description|Subregion of the Asian continent}}{{pp|small=yes}}

factoids

{{sup>a}}List of continents by population#Regional and continental .28sub.29totals in 2016>9th)WORLD POPULATION PROSPECTS – POPULATION DIVISION>URL = HTTPS://POPULATION.UN.ORG/WPP/PUBLISHER = UNITED NATIONSARCHIVE-DATE = 5 FEBRUARY 2019FORMAT = XLSXPUBLISHER = UNITED NATIONS, 50.1abbr=on}}PUBLISHER=IMF, imf.org, Outlook Database, October 2020|GDP_PPP = $9.063 trillion (2019)|GDP_per_capita = $10,793 (2019; nominal)$28,918 (2019; PPP)|HDI = {{Increase}}0.699 (medium)Semitic languages>Semitic, Turkic peoples, Iranian peoples>Iranic, Armenians, North Caucasian languages>North Caucasian, Kartvelian languages, Greeks>Hellenic, Indo-Aryan, etc.Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Baháʼí Faith>Baháʼí, Druzism, Yarsanism, Yazidism, Zoroastrianism, Mandaeism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.|demonym = West AsianWestern Asian|countries = {{collapsible listList of sovereign states and dependent territories in Asia>20 recognizedArmenia}}Azerbaijan}} (except for a small portion of territory north of the Greater Caucasus)Bahrain}}Cyprus}} Egypt}} (only Sinai Peninsula)Georgia}} (except for a small portion of territory north of the Greater Caucasus)Iran}}Iraq}}Israel}}Jordan}}Kuwait}}Lebanon}}Oman}}Palestine}}Qatar}}Saudi Arabia}}Syria}} Turkey}} (except Turkish Thrace)United Arab Emirates}}Yemen}} (except Socotra)}}{{collapsible list| title = 3 unrecognized{{flag>Abkhazia}}{{flag>Northern Cyprus}}{{flag>South Ossetia}} {{flag|Akrotiri and Dhekelia}}|languages = {hide}collapsible list List of country calling codes>Zone 9 except Armenia, Cyprus (Zone 3) & Sinai (Zone 2)|cities = {hide}collapsible list }}|m49 = 145 – West Asia142 – Asia001 – World{{supSinai Peninsula>Sinai}}{{longitemb}} Among the top 100 urban areas of the world by population}}}}West Asia, also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenian highlands, the Levant, the island of Cyprus, the Sinai Peninsula and the South Caucasus.WEB, Land Use Dynamics and Institutional Changes in West Asia,www.fao.org/3/ag266e/ag266e.pdf, WEB, Western Asia.,www.loc.gov/item/2021668676/, 2024-04-14, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, WEB, World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions,www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/tdwg/TDWG_geo2.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20160125135239www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/tdwg/TDWG_geo2.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20160125135239www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/tdwg/TDWG_geo2.pdf, The region is separated from Africa by the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt, and separated from Europe by the waterways of the Turkish Straits and the watershed of the Greater Caucasus. Central Asia lies to its northeast, while South Asia lies to its east. Twelve seas surround the region (clockwise): the Aegean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba, the Gulf of Suez, and the Mediterranean Sea. West Asia contains the majority of the similarly defined Middle East. The Middle East is a political term that has changed many times depending on political and historical context while West Asia is a geographical term with more consistency. It excludes most of Egypt and the northwestern part of Turkey, and includes the southern part of the Caucasus.West Asia covers an area of {{convert|5994935|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, with a population of about 313 million. Of the 20 UN member countries fully or partly within the region, 13 are part of the Arab world. The most populous countries in West Asia are Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.In the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD), West Asia excludes the Arabian Peninsula and includes Afghanistan.BOOK, Brummitt, R. K., 2001, World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd, International Working Group on Taxonomic Databases For Plant Sciences (TDWG),raw.githubusercontent.com/tdwg/wgsrpd/master/109-488-1-ED/2nd%20Edition/TDWG_geo2.pdf, 2021-07-27,www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/tdwg/TDWG_geo2.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20160125135239www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/tdwg/TDWG_geo2.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20160125135239www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/tdwg/TDWG_geo2.pdf, 2016-01-25, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) excludes Egypt and includes Afghanistan.WEB, Chapter 21. West Asia,www.fao.org/3/Y1997e/y1997e0q.htm, 2023-07-17, www.fao.org, The United Nations Environment Programme excludes Cyprus, Israel, Turkey, and Iran from West Asia.WEB, Environment, U. N., 2023-04-12, West Asia,www.unep.org/ozonaction/networks/west-asia, 2023-12-12, Ozonaction, en,

Definition

The term West Asia is used pragmatically and has no “correct” or generally accepted definition. Its typical definitions overlap substantially, but not entirely, with definitions of the terms Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean, and Near East (which is historically familiar but widely deprecated today). The National Geographic Style Manual as well as Maddison’s (The World Economy: Historical Statistics) (2003) by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) include only Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Palestine (called West Bank and Gaza in the latter), Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, UAE, and Yemen as West Asian countries.WEB,sites.google.com/a/ngs.org/ngs-style-manual/home/W/west-asia, West Asia, Miller, David, National Geographic Style Manual, National Geographic Society, 2021-02-16, BOOK, Maddison, Angus, Angus Maddison, 2004, The World Economy: Historical Statistics, Development Centre Studies, Paris, France, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2003, 978-92-64-10412-9, 2004371607, 53465560, The World Economy: Historical Statistics, By contrast, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in its 2015 yearbook includes Armenia and Azerbaijan, and excludes Israel (as Other) and Turkey (as Europe).BOOK, United Nations Industrial Development Organization Vienna (UNIDO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization, 2005, International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics 2015,books.google.com/books?id=FAKMBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA14, Cheltenham, UK, Edward Elgar Publishing, 14, 9781784715502, Unlike the UNIDO, the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) excludes Iran from West Asia and includes Turkey, Georgia, and Cyprus in the region.WEB,unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49.htm, Standard Country or Area Codes for Statistical Use, Millenniumindicators.un.org, The UNSD notes that the “assignment of countries or areas to specific groupings is merely for statistical convenience and does not imply any assumption regarding political or other affiliation of countries or territories.”, 2012-08-25, In the United Nations geopolitical Eastern European Group, Armenia and Georgia are included in Eastern Europe, whereas Cyprus and East Thracian Turkey are in Southern Europe. These three nations are listed in the European category of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).National members of West Asian sports governing bodies are limited to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.WEB,www.wabsf.net/en/information.php, WABSF Member Countries, 2017-03-31, 2017-12-01,www.wabsf.net/en/information.php," title="web.archive.org/web/20171201035427www.wabsf.net/en/information.php,">web.archive.org/web/20171201035427www.wabsf.net/en/information.php, dead, WEB,www.topendsports.com/events/games/asian-games/west-asian/index.htm, The West Asian Games, Topend Sports, WEB,www.the-waff.com/en/championships/29.html, WAFF Member Associations, The-Waff.com, 2017-03-31, 2018-08-01,www.the-waff.com/en/championships/29.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20180801232057www.the-waff.com/en/championships/29.html,">web.archive.org/web/20180801232057www.the-waff.com/en/championships/29.html, dead, The Olympic Council of Asia’s multi-sport event West Asian Games are contested by athletes representing these 13 countries. Among the region’s sports organisations are the West Asia Basketball Association, West Asian Billiards and Snooker Federation, West Asian Football Federation, and the West Asian Tennis Federation.

History

{{See also|History of the Middle East|Ancient Near East|History of the Ottoman Empire|Treaty of Gulistan|Treaty of Turkmenchay|Partitioning of the Ottoman Empire}}“Western Asia” was in use as a geographical term in the early 19th century, before “Near East” became current as a geopolitical concept.e.g. James Rennell, A treatise on the comparative geography of western Asia, 1831. In the context of the history of classical antiquity, “Western Asia” could mean the part of Asia known in classical antiquity, as opposed to the reaches of “interior Asia”, i.e. Scythia, and “Eastern Asia” the easternmost reaches of geographical knowledge in classical authors, i.e. Transoxania and India.James Rennell, The Geographical System of Herodotus Examined and Explained, 1800, p. 210.Hugh Murray, Historical Account of Discoveries and Travels in Asia (1820).Samuel Whelpley, A compend of history, from the earliest times, 1808, p. 9 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120055307books.google.ch/books?id=6jkNAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA9 |date=2022-11-20 }}. In the 20th century, “Western Asia” was used to denote a rough geographical era in the fields of archaeology and ancient history, especially as a shorthand for “the Fertile Crescent excluding Ancient Egypt” for the purposes of comparing the early civilizations of Egypt and the former.e.g. Petrus Van Der Meer, The Chronology of Ancient Western Asia and Egypt, 1955. Karl W. Butzer, Physical Conditions in Eastern Europe, Western Asia and Egypt Before the Period of Agricultural and Urban Settlement, 1965.Use of the term in the context of contemporary geopolitics or world economy appears to date from at least the mid-1960s.The Tobacco Industry of Western Asia, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, 1964.

Geography

{{See also|Geography of Asia}}The region is surrounded by eight major seas; the Aegean Sea, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.To the northwest and north, the region is delimited from Europe by the Turkish Straits and drainage divide of the Greater Caucasus, to the southwest, it is delimited from Africa by the Isthmus of Suez, while to the northeast and east, the region adjoins Central Asia and South Asia. The region is located east of Southern Europe and south of Eastern Europe.The Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut deserts in eastern Iran naturally delimit the region from Balochistan and South Asia.

Geology

Plate tectonics

Three major tectonic plates converge on West Asia, including the African, Eurasian, and Arabian plates. The boundaries between the tectonic plates make up the Azores-Gibraltar Ridge, extending across North Africa, the Red Sea, and into Iran.Beaumont (1988), p. 22{{better source needed|date=February 2021}} The Arabian Plate is moving northward into the Anatolian plate (Turkey) at the East Anatolian Fault,WEB,eol.jsc.nasa.gov/handbooks/arabianpages/mainframe.htm, The Arabian Plate, Muehlberger, Bill, NASA, Johnson Space Center, dead,eol.jsc.nasa.gov/handbooks/arabianpages/mainframe.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20070706103125eol.jsc.nasa.gov/handbooks/arabianpages/mainframe.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20070706103125eol.jsc.nasa.gov/handbooks/arabianpages/mainframe.htm, 2007-07-06, and the boundary between the Aegean and Anatolian plate in eastern Turkey is also seismically active.

Water resources

Several major aquifers provide water to large portions of West Asia. In Saudi Arabia, two large aquifers of Palaeozoic and Triassic origins are located beneath the Jabal Tuwayq mountains and areas west to the Red Sea.Beaumont (1988), p. 86{{better source needed|date=February 2021}} Cretaceous and Eocene-origin aquifers are located beneath large portions of central and eastern Saudi Arabia, including Wasia and Biyadh which contain amounts of both fresh water and saline water. Flood or furrow irrigation, as well as sprinkler methods, are extensively used for irrigation, covering nearly {{cvt|90,000|km2}} across West Asia for agriculture.WEB,www.fao.org/land-water/en/, Land & Water, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Also, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers contribute very well.

Climate

File:Cedars in Lebanon.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1|A Lebanese Cedar ForestCedar ForestFile:West Asia Köppen Map.png|right|thumb|upright=1.1|Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification{{See also|Climate of Asia}}West Asia is primarily arid and semi-arid, and can be subject to drought, but it also contains vast expanses of forest and fertile valleys. The region consists of grasslands, rangelands, deserts, and mountains. Water shortages are a problem in many parts of West Asia, with rapidly growing populations increasing demands for water, while salinization and pollution threaten water supplies.WEB,www.grida.no/publications/other/ipcc_sr/?src=/climate/ipcc/regional/index.htm, Chapter 7: Middle East and Arid Asia, IPCC Special Report on The Regional Impacts of Climate Change: An Assessment of Vulnerability, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2001, 2016-02-09,www.grida.no/publications/other/ipcc_sr/?src=%2Fclimate%2Fipcc%2Fregional%2Findex.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20160303201222www.grida.no/publications/other/ipcc_sr/?src=%2Fclimate%2Fipcc%2Fregional%2Findex.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20160303201222www.grida.no/publications/other/ipcc_sr/?src=%2Fclimate%2Fipcc%2Fregional%2Findex.htm, 2016-03-03, dead, Major rivers, including the Tigris and Euphrates, provide sources for irrigation water to support agriculture.There are two wind phenomena in West Asia: the sharqi and the shamal. The sharqi (or sharki) is a wind that comes from the south and southeast. It is seasonal, lasting from April to early June, and comes again between late September and November. The winds are dry and dusty, with occasional gusts up to 80 kilometres per hour (50 miles per hour) and often kick up violent sand and dust storms that can carry sand a few thousand meters high, and can close down airports for short periods of time. These winds can last for a full day at the beginning and end of the season, and for several days during the middle of the season. The shamal is a summer northwesterly wind blowing over Iraq and the Persian Gulf states (including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait), often strong during the day, but decreasing at night. This weather effect occurs anywhere from once to several times a year.BOOK, Encyclopaedia of the Muslim World, Taru, Bahl, M H Syed, Anmol Publications, New Delhi, 2003, 20, 978-81-261-1419-1,books.google.com/books?id=2x4jq4bXrq0C&q=%22Sharqi%22+wind&pg=PA20, 1 February 2009,

Topography

West Asia contains large areas of mountainous terrain. The Anatolian Plateau is sandwiched between the Pontus Mountains and Taurus Mountains in Turkey. Mount Ararat in Turkey rises to {{convert|5,137|meters|abbr=on}}. The Zagros Mountains are located in Iran, in areas along its border with Iraq. The Central Plateau of Iran is divided into two drainage basins. The northern basin is Dasht-e Kavir (Great Salt Desert), and Dasht-e-Lut is the southern basin.In Yemen, elevations exceed {{convert|3,700|meters|abbr=on}} in many areas, and highland areas extend north along the Red Sea coast and north into Lebanon. A fault zone also exists along the Red Sea, with continental rifting creating trough-like topography with areas located well below sea level.WEB,www.llnl.gov/tid/lof/documents/pdf/235042.pdf, Region #4 — Red Sea Continental Rift Zone, Preliminary Definition of Geophysical Regions for the Middle East and North Africa, Sweeney, Jerry J., William R., Walter, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, December 1, 1998, 8, March 1, 2009, November 27, 2007,www.llnl.gov/tid/lof/documents/pdf/235042.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20071127184404www.llnl.gov/tid/lof/documents/pdf/235042.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20071127184404www.llnl.gov/tid/lof/documents/pdf/235042.pdf, dead, The Dead Sea, located on the border between the West Bank, Israel, and Jordan, is situated at {{convert|418|meters|abbr=on}} below sea level, making it the lowest point on the surface of the Earth.WEB,asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery-detail.asp?name=deadsea,asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery-detail.asp?name=deadsea," title="web.archive.org/web/20060830064747asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery-detail.asp?name=deadsea,">web.archive.org/web/20060830064747asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery-detail.asp?name=deadsea, dead, 2006-08-30, ASTER Image Gallery: The Dead Sea, NASA, Rub’ al Khali, one of the world’s largest sand deserts, spans the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula in Saudi Arabia, parts of Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Jebel al Akhdar is a small range of mountains located in northeastern Oman, bordering the Gulf of Oman.

Demographics

{{Further|Demographics of the Middle East}}{{See also|Ethnic groups in the Middle East}}The population of West Asia was estimated at 272 million as of 2008, projected to reach 370 million by 2030 by Maddison (2007; the estimate excludes the Caucasus and Cyprus). This corresponds to an annual growth rate of 1.4% (or a doubling time of 50 years), well above the world average of 0.9% (doubling time 75 years).The population of West Asia is estimated at 4% of world population, up from about 39 million at the beginning of the 20th century, or about 2% of world population at the time.Data for “15 West Asian countries”, from Maddison (2003, 2007).Angus Maddison, 2003, (iarchive:worldeconomyhist0000madd|The World Economy: Historical Statistics), Vol. 2, OECD, Paris, {{ISBN|92-64-10412-7}}. Statistical Appendix (2007, ggdc.net) “The historical data were originally developed in three books: Monitoring the World Economy 1820–1992, OECD, Paris 1995; The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective, OECD Development Centre, Paris 2001; The World Economy: Historical Statistics, OECD Development Centre, Paris 2003. All these contain detailed source notes.“Estimates for 2008 by country (in millions):Turkey (71.9),Iran (70.2),Iraq (28.2),Saudi Arabia (28.1),Yemen (23.0),Syria (19.7),Israel (6.5),Jordan (6.2),Palestine (4.1),Lebanon (4.0),Oman (3.3),United Arab Emirates (2.7),Kuwait (2.6),Qatar (0.9),Bahrain (0.7).The most populous countries in the region are Turkey and Iran, each with around 79 million people, followed by Iraq and Saudi Arabia with around 33 million people each, and Yemen with around 29 million people.Numerically, West Asia is predominantly Arab, Persian, Turkish, and the dominating languages are correspondingly Arabic, Persian and Turkish, each with of the order of 70 million speakers, followed by smaller communities of Kurdish, Azerbaijani, Hebrew, Armenian and Neo-Aramaic. The dominance of Arabic and Turkish is the result of the medieval Arab and Turkic invasions beginning with the Islamic conquests of the 7th century AD, which displaced the formerly dominant Aramaic in the region of Syria, and Greek in Anatolia, although Hebrew became the dominant language in Israel in the second half of the 20th century, and Neo-Aramaic (spoken by modern Arameans, Assyrians, and Chaldeans) and Greek both remain present in their respective territories as minority languages.Significant native minorities include, in alphabetical order: Arameans, Assyrians,{{sfn|Laing-Marshall|2005|p=149–150}} Chaldeans,NEWS,news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7271828.stm, Who are the Chaldean Christians?, March 13, 2008, BBC News, March 26, 2010, Druze,BOOK, Middle East Patterns: Places, People, and Politics, Colbert, C. Held, 2008, 9780429962004, 109, Routledge, Worldwide, they number 1 million or so, with about 45 to 50 percent in Syria, 35 to 40 percent in Lebanon, and less than 10 percent in Israel. Recently there has been a growing Druze diaspora., Jews, Lurs, Mandeans, Maronites, Shabaks and Yezidis.

Religion

{{Pie chart|thumb = rightWEBSITE=WWW.PEWFORUM.ORGACCESS-DATE=2020-10-18ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20191221014350/HTTPS://WWW.PEWFORUM.ORG/2015/04/02/RELIGIOUS-PROJECTION-TABLE/2020/PERCENT/ALL/, dead, |label1 = Islam|value1 = 92.59|color1 = Green|label2 = Christianity|value2 = 3.87|color2 = DodgerBlue|label3 = Judaism|value3 = 2.02|color3 = DarkBlueIrreligion>No religion|value4 = 1.16|color4 = Grey|label5 = Hinduism|value5 = 0.32|color5 = Darkorange|label6 = Other religions|value6 = 0.25|color6 = Chartreuse|label7 = Buddhism|value7 = 0.15|color7 = Gold|label8 = Folk religions|value8 = 0.06|color8 = Red}}Four major religious groups (i.e. the two largest religions in the world: Christianity and Islam, plus Judaism and Druze faith) originated in West Asia.ENCYCLOPEDIA, Middle East (region, Asia),www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/381192/Middle-East, Britannica, 9 April 2012, BOOK, An Introduction to Middle East Politics: Continuity, Change, Conflict and Co-operation, Benjamin, MacQueen, 2013, 9781446289761, 5, SAGE, The Middle East is the cradle of the three monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam., BOOK, The Modern World: Civilizations of Africa, Civilizations of Europe, Civilizations of the Americas, Civilizations of the Middle East and Southwest Asia, Civilizations of Asia and the Pacific, Sarolta, Takacs, 2015, 9781317455721, 552, Routledge, Islam is the largest religion in West Asia, but other faiths that originated there, such as Judaism and Christianity,BOOK, The Rowman & Littlefield Handbook of Christianity in the Middle East, Philip, Jenkins, 2020, 9781538124185, XLVIII, Rowman & Littlefield, The Middle East still stands at the heart of the Christian world. After all, it is the birthplace, and the death place, of Christ, and the cradle of the Christian tradition., are also well represented.In Armenia and Georgia, Oriental Orthodoxy and Eastern Orthodoxy respectively are the predominant religions, and there are still different ancient communities of Eastern Christians in Azerbaijan. There are still large ancient communities of Eastern Christians (such as Assyrians, Middle Eastern Christians and Arab Christians) in Lebanon,WEB,assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2011/12/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf, Global Christianity – A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Christian Population, Pew Research Center, Iraq, Iran,WEB, Price, Massoume, December 2002, History of Christians and Christianity in Iran,www.farsinet.com/iranbibl/christians_in_iran_history.html, 1 December 2009, Christianity in Iran, FarsiNet Inc., Turkey,WEB, Christianity in Turkey,www.allaboutturkey.com/hristiyan.htm, 13 March 2015, Syria, Jordan, Israel and Palestine numbering more than 3 million in West Asia. There are also large populations of expatriate workers which include sizeable Christian communities living in the Arabian Peninsula numbering more than 3 million.NEWS, BBC News – Guide: Christians in the Middle East,www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-15239529, 13 March 2015, BBC News, 11 October 2011, Christian communities have played a vital role in West Asia.BOOK, Jews, Antisemitism, and the Middle East, Michael, Curtis, 2017, 9781351510721, 173, Routledge, Judaism is the predominant religion in Israel, and there are small ancient Jewish communities in West Asia such as in Turkey (14,300),WEB,www.jpr.org.uk/countries/how-many-jews-in-turkey, How many Jews live in Turkey?, 10 May 2022, Institute for Jewish Policy Research, 14 November 2023, The Druze Faith or Druzism originated in West Asia. It is a monotheistic religion based on the teachings of figures like Hamza ibn-’Ali ibn-Ahmad and Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah and Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. The number of Druze people worldwide is around one million, with about 45% to 50% living in Syria, 35% to 40% living in Lebanon, and less than 10% living in Israel; recently there has been a growing Druze diaspora.BOOK, Middle East Patterns: Places, People, and Politics, Colbert, C. Held, 2008, 9780429962004, 109, Routledge, Worldwide, they number 1 million or so, with about 45 to 50 percent in Syria, 35 to 40 percent in Lebanon, and less than 10 percent in Israel. Recently there has been a growing Druze diaspora., There are also important minority religions like the Baháʼí Faith, Yarsanism, Yazidism,BOOK, Nelida, Fuccaro, The Other Kurds: Yazidis in Colonial Iraq, 1999, I. B. Tauris, London & New York, 1860641709, 9, Zoroastrianism, Mandaeism, and Shabakism.File:Kaaba mirror edit jj.jpg|Pilgrims in the annual Hajj at the Kaaba in Mecca.File:Qozhaya01072003.jpg|Monastery of Saint Anthony of Qozhaya in Lebanon.File:Saint Elijah Maronite Cathedral, Aleppo (4).jpg|Cathedral of Saint Elijah, Aleppo.File:Western Wall, Jerusalem, (16037897867).jpg|Jews praying at the Western Wall.Image:Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - Nebi Shueib Festival.jpg|Druze dignitaries celebrating the Ziyarat al-Nabi Shu’ayb festival at the tomb of the prophet in HittinFile:Pilgrims and festival at Lalish on the day of the Yezidi New Year in 2017 06 (cropped).jpg|Yazidi pilgrims celebrating the Yazidi new year festival at the ancient holy temple of Lalish, Iraq

Economy

{{See also|Economy of the Middle East}}The economy of West Asia is diverse and the region experiences high economic growth. Turkey has the largest economy in the region, followed by Saudi Arabia and Iran. Petroleum is the major industry in the regional economy, as more than half of the world’s oil reserves and around 40 percent of the world’s natural gas reserves are located in the region.

Statistical data{|class“wikitable sortable” style@font-size:90%;width:100%;”

style="background:#ececec;“! Country, with flag! Area(km2)! Population{{UN_Population|ref}}({{UN_Population|Year}})! Density(per km2)! Capital! Nominal GDPWEB, GDP,www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2014/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=93&pr.y=3&sy=2012&ey=2012&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=512%2C668%2C914%2C672%2C612%2C946%2C614%2C137%2C311%2C962%2C213%2C674%2C911%2C676%2C193%2C548%2C122%2C556%2C912%2C678%2C313%2C181%2C419%2C867%2C513%2C682%2C316%2C684%2C913%2C273%2C124%2C868%2C339%2C921%2C638%2C948%2C514%2C943%2C218%2C686%2C963%2C688%2C616%2C518%2C223%2C728%2C516%2C558%2C918%2C138%2C748%2C196%2C618%2C278%2C624%2C692%2C522%2C694%2C622%2C142%2C156%2C449%2C626%2C564%2C628%2C565%2C228%2C283%2C924%2C853%2C233%2C288%2C632%2C293%2C636%2C566%2C634%2C964%2C238%2C182%2C662%2C453%2C960%2C968%2C423%2C922%2C935%2C714%2C128%2C862%2C611%2C135%2C321%2C716%2C243%2C456%2C248%2C722%2C469%2C942%2C253%2C718%2C642%2C724%2C643%2C576%2C939%2C936%2C644%2C961%2C819%2C813%2C172%2C199%2C132%2C733%2C646%2C184%2C648%2C524%2C915%2C361%2C134%2C362%2C652%2C364%2C174%2C732%2C328%2C366%2C258%2C734%2C656%2C144%2C654%2C146%2C336%2C463%2C263%2C528%2C268%2C923%2C532%2C738%2C944%2C578%2C176%2C537%2C534%2C742%2C536%2C866%2C429%2C369%2C433%2C744%2C178%2C186%2C436%2C925%2C136%2C869%2C343%2C746%2C158%2C926%2C439%2C466%2C916%2C112%2C664%2C111%2C826%2C298%2C542%2C927%2C967%2C846%2C443%2C299%2C917%2C582%2C544%2C474%2C941%2C754%2C446%2C698%2C666&s=NGDP_R&grp=0&a=, International Monetary Fund, IMF, 2014-04-16, (2012)! Per capitaWEB, GDP per capita,www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2014/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=28&pr.y=10&sy=2012&ey=2012&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=512%2C668%2C914%2C672%2C612%2C946%2C614%2C137%2C311%2C962%2C213%2C674%2C911%2C676%2C193%2C548%2C122%2C556%2C912%2C678%2C313%2C181%2C419%2C867%2C513%2C682%2C316%2C684%2C913%2C273%2C124%2C868%2C339%2C921%2C638%2C948%2C514%2C943%2C218%2C686%2C963%2C688%2C616%2C518%2C223%2C728%2C516%2C558%2C918%2C138%2C748%2C196%2C618%2C278%2C624%2C692%2C522%2C694%2C622%2C142%2C156%2C449%2C626%2C564%2C628%2C565%2C228%2C283%2C924%2C853%2C233%2C288%2C632%2C293%2C636%2C566%2C634%2C964%2C238%2C182%2C662%2C453%2C960%2C968%2C423%2C922%2C935%2C714%2C128%2C862%2C611%2C135%2C321%2C716%2C243%2C456%2C248%2C722%2C469%2C942%2C253%2C718%2C642%2C724%2C643%2C576%2C939%2C936%2C644%2C961%2C819%2C813%2C172%2C199%2C132%2C733%2C646%2C184%2C648%2C524%2C915%2C361%2C134%2C362%2C652%2C364%2C174%2C732%2C328%2C366%2C258%2C734%2C656%2C144%2C654%2C146%2C336%2C463%2C263%2C528%2C268%2C923%2C532%2C738%2C944%2C578%2C176%2C537%2C534%2C742%2C536%2C866%2C429%2C369%2C433%2C744%2C178%2C186%2C436%2C925%2C136%2C869%2C343%2C746%2C158%2C926%2C439%2C466%2C916%2C112%2C664%2C111%2C826%2C298%2C542%2C927%2C967%2C846%2C443%2C299%2C917%2C582%2C544%2C474%2C941%2C754%2C446%2C698%2C666&s=NGDPDPC&grp=0&a=, International Monetary Fund, IMF, 2014-04-16, (2012)! Currency! Government! Official languagesAnatolia:Turkey}}{{Notetag|The figures for Turkey includes East Thrace, which is not a part of Anatolia.}} 783,562 {{UN_Population|Turkey}} 94.1| Ankara| $788.042 billion| $10,523| Turkish lira| Presidential republicTurkish language>TurkishArabian Peninsula:Bahrain}} 780 {{UN_Population|Bahrain}} 1,646.1| Manama| $30.355 billion| $26,368| Bahraini dinar| Constitutional monarchyArabic language>ArabicKuwait}} 17,820 {{UN_Population|Kuwait}} 167.5| Kuwait City| $184.540 billion| $48,761| Kuwaiti dinar| Constitutional monarchyArabic language>ArabicOman}} 212,460 {{UN_Population|Oman}} 9.2Muscat, Oman>Muscat| $78.290 billion| $25,356| Omani rial| Absolute monarchyArabic language>ArabicQatar}} 11,437 {{UN_Population|Qatar}} 123.2| Doha| $192.402 billion| $104,756| Qatari riyal| Absolute monarchyArabic language>ArabicSaudi Arabia}} 2,149,690 {{UN_Population|Saudi Arabia}} 12| Riyadh| $733.956 billion| $25,139| Saudi riyal| Absolute monarchyArabic language>ArabicUnited Arab Emirates}} 82,880 {{UN_Population|United Arab Emirates}} 97| Abu Dhabi| $383.799 billion| $43,774| UAE dirhamFederation>Federal constitutional monarchyArabic language>ArabicYemen}} 527,970 {{UN_Population|Yemen}} 44.7Sana’a (Houthis>Houthi-led Yemeni Civil War (2015–present))Aden (Temporary capital>Seat of government)| $35.05 billion| $1,354| Yemeni rialProvisional government>Provisional presidential republicArabic language>ArabicSouth Caucasus:Abkhazia}} (unrecognized) 8,660 242,862 28| Sukhumi| $500 million| N/A| Georgian lariSemi-presidential system>Semi-presidential republicAbkhaz language>AbkhazRussianArmenia}} 29,800 {{UN_Population|Armenia}} 108.4| Yerevan| $9.950 billion| $3,033| Armenian dramSemi-presidential system>Semi-presidential republicArmenian language>ArmenianAzerbaijan}} 86,600 {{UN_Population|Azerbaijan}} 105.8| Baku| $68.700 billion| $7,439| Azerbaijani manat| Presidential republicAzerbaijani language>AzerbaijaniGeorgia}} 69,700 {{UN_Population|Georgia}} 68.1| Tbilisi| $15.847 billion| $3,523| Georgian lariSemi-presidential system>Semi-presidential republicGeorgian language>GeorgianSouth Ossetia}} (unrecognized) 3,900 53,532 13| Tskhinvali| $500 million| N/A| Georgian lariSemi-presidential system>Semi-presidential republicOssetian language>OssetianRussianFertile Crescent:Iraq}} 438,317 {{UN_Population|Iraq}} 73.5| Baghdad| $216.044 billion| $6,410| Iraqi dinar| Parliamentary republicArabic language>ArabicKurdishIsrael}} 20,770 {{UN_Population|Israel}} 365.3Positions on Jerusalem>Jerusalem1| $353.65 billion| $39,106| Israeli new shekel| Parliamentary republicHebrew language>HebrewJordan}} 92,300 {{UN_Population|Jordan}} 68.4| Amman| $30.98 billion| $4,843| Jordanian dinar| Constitutional monarchyArabic language>ArabicLebanon}} 10,452 {{UN_Population|Lebanon}} 404| Beirut| $42.519 billion| $10,425| Lebanese pound| Parliamentary republicArabic language>ArabicPalestine}}{{Notetag|UN observer state.}} 6,220 {{UN_Population|State of Palestine}} 667| Ramallah2| $6.6 billion| $1,600| Egyptian pound, Jordanian dinar, Israeli new shekelSemi-presidential system>Semi-presidential republicArabic language>ArabicSyria}} 185,180 {{UN_Population|Syrian Arab Republic}} 118.3| Damascus| N/A| N/A| Syrian pound| Presidential republicArabic language>ArabicIranian Plateau:Iran}} 1,648,195 {{UN_Population|Iran (Islamic Republic of)}} 45| Tehran| $548.590 billion| $7,207| Iranian rial| Islamic republicPersian language>PersianMediterranean Sea:Akrotiri and Dhekelia}}3 254 15,700 N/AEpiskopi Cantonment>Episkopi| N/A| N/A| Eurostratocracy>Stratocratic dependency under a constitutional monarchyEnglish language>EnglishCyprus}} 9,250 {{UN_Population|Cyprus}} 117| Nicosia| $22.995 billion| $26,377| Euro| Presidential republicGreek language>GreekTurkishNorthern Cyprus}} (unrecognized) 3,355 313,626 93| North Nicosia| $4.032 billion| $15,109| Turkish lira| Semi-presidential republicTurkish language>TurkishSinai Peninsula:Egypt}}{{Notetag|The area and population figures for Egypt only include the Sinai Peninsula.}} 60,000 {{UN_Population|Egypt}} 82| Cairo| $262.26 billion| $3,179| Egyptian pound| Presidential republic| ArabicNotes:1 Ramallah is the actual location of the government, whereas the proclaimed capital of Palestine is Jerusalem, which is disputed.{{refn|name=Jerusalem|group=note|Jerusalem is Israel’s de jure capital under Israeli law, as well as its de facto capital by the location of the presidential residence, government offices, supreme court and parliament (Knesset). Jerusalem is the State of Palestine’s de jure capital under its WEB, BasicLawPal-T1A3,www.palestinianbasiclaw.org/basic-law/2003-amended-basic-law, 2003 Amended Basic Law, 17 February 2008, none, , but not its de facto capital as its government branches are based in Ramallah. The UN and most sovereign states do not recognize Jerusalem as either state’s de jure capital under the position that Jerusalem’s status is pending future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In practice, therefore, most maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv and its suburbs, or else in suburbs such as Mevaseret Zion outside Jerusalem proper. See CIA Factbook, WEB,www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/israel.pdf, Map of Israel, none, and Status of Jerusalem for more information.}}2 Jerusalem is the proclaimed capital of Israel and the actual location of the Knesset, Israeli Supreme Court, etc. Due to its disputed status, most embassies are in Tel Aviv.{{refn|group=note|name=Jerusalem}}{{sup|3}} British Overseas Territory

Sports

• The West Asian Tennis Federation regulates the championships and leagues in the region.
• The West Asian Billiards & Snooker Federation regulates the championships related to billiards and snooker, amongst which an annual tournament.
• The West Asian Games have been held in 1997, 2002 and 2005.
• The West Asian Football Federation was founded in 2001 and is one of the regional federations of the Asian Football Federation. They organize the WAFF Championship.
• The West Asia Basketball Association organizes the WABA Championship since 1999.

Map

{{center|{{West Asia}}}}

See also

{hide}columns-list|

• Middle East
• Cinema of West Asia
• List of World Heritage Sites in Western Asia
• West Asian Games
• West Asian Basketball League
• West Asia Basketball Association
• West Asian Billiards & Snooker Federation
• West Asian Tennis Federation
• West Asian Football Federation

{edih}

References

Notes

{{Reflist|group=note}}

Citations

{{Reflist}}

Sources

• BOOK, Laing-Marshall, Andrea, Assyrians, Encyclopedia of the World’s Minorities, 2005, 1, New York-London, Routledge, 149–150, 978-1-135-19388-1,books.google.com/books?id=yXYKAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA149,

Further reading

{{Sister project links|voy=Western Asia}}{{Asia topics}}{{Regions of Asia}}{{Authority control}}