The Middle East
On the way to the Far East, a region divided by foreigners drawing lines on a map with heavy hands β disregarding sovereignty and the people who lived there.
How We Say It
thuh midΒ·Ιl eest
Where It Comes From
Coined by American naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan in 1902 to describe the region between the Near East and Far East. The British colonial administration adopted the term in World War I. The boundaries have shifted with geopolitical interest β defined by foreign perception more than internal geography.
How It's Been Used
Now generally covers the Arab world, Iran, Turkey, and Israel β though scholars and inhabitants often prefer 'Southwest Asia' or 'MENA' (Middle East and North Africa). The Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 between Britain and France carved much of the modern map. Borders, conflicts, and identities continue to be shaped by colonial-era decisions made far from the region.