|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Description
|
|
Algeria |
31,133,486
|
919,595
|
34
|
3%
|
99%
|
At one
time, Algeria was part of France, but the Algerians asked the French to
leave. |
|
Saudi Arabia |
21,504,613
|
865,000
|
25
|
1%
|
100%
|
Saudi
Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the Saud family. It has the largest oil
reserves in the world. |
|
Libya |
4,992,838
|
678,400
|
7
|
2%
|
97%
|
Libya
has been controlled by Muammar al-Qaddaffi since 1967. It is a strict
Muslim nation where gambling and eating pork are forbidden. |
|
Iran |
65,179,752
|
632,457
|
103
|
8%
|
99%
|
Iran
has been ruled by Muslim clerics since 1980. Iranians are Muslims, but
they are not Arabs. Iranians speak Farsi. |
|
Egypt |
67,273,906
|
385,229
|
175
|
3%
|
94%
|
Almost
all of Egypt’s population is concentrated in the Nile River Valley |
|
Turkey |
65,599,206
|
300,948
|
218
|
30%
|
100%
|
Most
of Turkey is in Asia, but the western tip of the nation is in Europe.
The European section of Turkey includes Istanbul, Europe’s second most
populated city after Moscow. |
|
Afghanistan |
25,824,882
|
251,825
|
103
|
12%
|
100%
|
Travel
is very difficult through this very mountainous nation. |
|
Yemen |
16,942,230
|
205,356
|
83
|
6%
|
95%
|
Military
officers control Yemen. It’s most famous export is rich-tasting coffee
called mocha. |
|
Morocco |
29,661,636
|
177,117
|
167
|
18%
|
99%
|
One-third
of the people of Morocco are Berbers. The Berbers lived in North Africa
before the Arab invasion have their own language and customs. |
|
Iraq |
22,427,150
|
167,975
|
134
|
12%
|
97%
|
Iraq
is ruled by Saddam Hussein, who used his oil wealth to build a huge army,
but was soundly defeated by a coalition of nation in a 1990 war. Iraq
includes the land once known as Mesopotamia |
|
Oman |
2,446,645
|
118,150
|
21
|
5%
|
75%
|
Oil
has made this sultanate a rich nation. |
|
Syria |
17,213,871
|
71,498
|
241
|
28%
|
90%
|
Syria
has the best farmland of the region. When irrigated, the land produces
crops of cotton, wheat, and various vegetables. Syria is a dictatorship
led by Hafez al-Assad |
|
Tunisia |
9,513,603
|
63,378
|
150
|
20%
|
98%
|
Tunisia
was once home to the ancient civilization of Carthage, an advanced sea-faring
city. The Romans defeated Carthage, burned the city and poured salt over
the land so that it would no longer be arable and the people would be
forced to leave. |
|
Jordan |
4,561,147
|
34,342
|
133
|
4%
|
92%
|
Jordan
is an Arab and Muslim nation, but Jordan’s King Hussein signed a peace
agreement with Israel in 1994. |
|
United Arab Emirates |
2,344,402
|
32,280
|
73
|
0%
|
96%
|
Seven
small emirates, or Arab kingdoms, combined to form this small nation in
1971 |
|
Israel |
5,749,760
|
7,876
|
730
|
17%
|
14%
|
Israel
is a homeland to Jewish people who have lived as minorities in other lands
until 1948. |
|
Kuwait |
1,991,115
|
6,880
|
289
|
0%
|
85%
|
The
United States declared war on Iraq after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein
attempted to “annex” or take over Kuwait |
|
Qatar |
723,542
|
4,412
|
164
|
0%
|
95%
|
Qatar
is a tiny nation that has used its oil wealth to create a diversified
economy. It is a center of banking in the Arab world. |
|
Lebanon |
3,562,699
|
3,950
|
902
|
21%
|
70%
|
Clashes
between Christians and Muslims have made Lebanon an unstable nation. |
|
Bahrain |
629,090
|
268
|
2347
|
2%
|
100%
|
Bahrain
was one of the first Persian Gulf nations to produce oil, but the 1970s
largely used up its reserves. |
The Middle East and North Africa
Africa
