Near East

Near East is a geographical term used for a region in the eastern Mediterranean area. It commonly includes countries such as Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and parts of the Arabian Peninsula, and sometimes Egypt. The term has no single fixed boundary; its meaning varies across scholarly communities, government bodies, and research institutions.

The term originated from a European perspective. European diplomats and geographers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries divided the eastern world into three parts: the Near East (closest to Europe), the Middle East, and the Far East. Consequently, the term is based on Europe's geographical position rather than on a natural division arising from the peoples of the region itself.

Shift in meaning

Initially, the Near East generally referred to territories under Ottoman imperial rule in the Balkans and Asia Minor. After the Ottoman Empire collapsed following World War I, the term's boundaries shifted. During and after World War II, the term "Middle East" came into widespread use in politics and media, while "Near East" remained established in ancient history, archaeology, and linguistics.

Use in ancient historical study

Ancient history scholars use "Ancient Near East" for the region where the earliest civilizations with writing and cities emerged: Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), the Levant, Anatolia, and ancient Persia. However, many universities and institutions use "Middle East" even when referring to that same region, leading to occasional interchangeability of the two terms.

Boundary variation

Different institutions define the boundaries differently. Some include all of Egypt, others only Sinai. Some include Turkey, while others view it as part of Europe-Asia. Similarly, North African countries like Libya and the Maghreb are sometimes excluded, though French and Italian definitions (Proche-Orient, Vicino Oriente) set different boundaries than the English version.