Originally Posted By: Cybjorg
Originally Posted By: taym
Well, Mauritania, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Sudan, Western Sahar, Egypt, Morocco are far from the Middle East region.

It is interesting how they can easily be perceived as Middle East, I suppose because they are culturally "non western" in many ways.


I always find it fascinating when Turkey is lumped into the Middle East, especially in guide books and atlases. They're not Arab, nor do they speak Arabic, and aside from the fact that they are predominantly Muslim, there is little in common between Turkey and the Arab world.


"Middle East" is geographic-related, so Turkey is correctly listed among Middle Eastern Countries.
Arabic countries are such because of their language (and, by extension, culture), so you may have Arabic countries outside Middle East (Egypt) as well as non-arabic Countries within Middle East (like Turkey, as you correctly mentioned). "Muslim" of course refers to religion, so you may have predominantly Muslim Countries anywhere in the World (there are many in Africa, others in Far East).

Of course, Most middle eastern countries speak Arabic language and are of Arabic culture, and they practive Muslim religion mostly.
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