Cultural Characteristics of the Middle East

1. Cultural Characteristics of the Middle East

2. Background • Arab peoples make up almost the entire populations of Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and other states of Southwest Asia. • Arab culture has a long history and rich traditions. • Many other cultures also live in the region.

3. Background • Christianity and Judaism are major religions practiced in Southwest Asia. • Most people there are Muslims. • This means that they practice the religion of Islam. • Ninety percent of people in the region are Muslims.

4. Arab • Arabs comprise most of the population of Southwest Asia. • However, many Arabs also live in Northern Africa, Canada, Europe, and the United States. • Most Arabs practice Islam and speak Arabic. • Small numbers of Arabs practice other religions.

5. Arab • Islam consists mostly of two different groups. • The majority of Muslims practice Sunni Islam. • Most others practice Shi’a Islam. • Sunnis and Shi’a disagree about who is in charge of the Muslim world.

6. Jewish • Israel is home for much of the Jewish population in the Southwest Asia. • Many of the people who live in Israel today were born there. • However, the ancestors of these people moved to Israel from many other countries, often from other Southwest Asian countries. • Much of this migration happened during the 20th century, after the formation of Israel in the late 1940s.

7. Jewish • Jewish people differ in their religious beliefs, though most practice some form of Judaism. • For example, some Jews believe that Jewish people who convert to another religion should not be considered Jewish any more. • The Law of Return in Israel says that a Jew from any other country can automatically have citizenship in Israel. • Sometimes Jews who no longer practice Judaism have been denied the Law of Return.

8. Berber • Another minority group in the region are the Berbers. • Most Berbers live in North Africa and were the first group to settle that region. • They still live a traditional way of life today. • Berbers have their own languages.

9. Berber • Many Berber tribes live in the mountains and deserts. • Most Berbers living in mountainous areas are farmers. • Berbers who live in the desert tend to live near an oasis. • Berbers that do not farm are nomadic.

10. Berber • The majority of Berber tribes are Muslim. • Some Berbers practice other religions, too. • Traditional Berber cuisine has stayed the same for hundreds of years.

11. Bedouin • The Bedouin are another ethnic group. • They speak Arabic. • Many Bedouin used to be nomadic. • Their most important animal is the camel. • Now, the Bedouin live mostly in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq.

12. Bedouin • Most Bedouin now live in cities and are not nomadic. • Bedouin tribes are ruled by tribal leaders called sheikhs. Most Bedouins practice Islam. • The Bedouin are well known for their dress and music, which is mostly sung. • Music is used to perform traditional Bedouin ceremonies.

13. Kurdish • Southwest Asia is also home to the Kurdish people. • The Kurds live in several countries throughout the region. • These include Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Almost one-fifth of the population of Turkey is Kurdish. • Kurdish religion used to be made up of a mixture of several different religions.

14. Kurdish • Most Kurds today are Muslims. • Kurdish Muslims are usually less strict about certain Islamic practices. • There are fewer laws for how Kurdish women should dress than there are for Iranian and Arab women. • Kurds share many aspects of their culture with Iranians.

15. Turkish • The Turks are an ethnic group based on language—Turkish. • They live mostly in Turkey and Iran. • Most of the people who live in Turkey are of Turkish descent. • Most Turks practice some form of Islam. • Like Kurds, Turkish people are rarely strict about some Islamic practices.

16. Turkish • However, Kurds and Turks in Turkey often fight over issues not related to religion. • For example, education is a controversial issue between these two groups. • The Turkish people are well known for their architecture. • Mosques in Turkey are a good example of Turkish architecture.

17. Persian • The Persians are an ethnic group that lived in Iran before the arrival of Islam in the 7th century. • Persians make up about half of Iran’s current population. • They have their own language called Persian or Farsi. • Most Persians in Iran today practice Shi’a Islam, but some are Sunni and other religions.

18. Persian • Persian women have faced many challenges as a result of strict cultural and religious practices. • Through struggle, Persian women have increased their personal freedoms over the past forty years. • Persian art and architecture is also well known. • Many people consider Persian rugs to be among the finest in the world.

19. Literacy and Development • Education is free in many countries in the Southwest Asia. • Many students are required to attend school through high school. • Fighting often keeps students from showing up at school. • Many students also live so far from the schools that getting to school is difficult. • The literacy rates for people over fifteen years of age are: 77% in Syria; 79% in Iran; 95% in Israel; and 79% in Saudi Arabia.

20. Literacy and Development • The literacy rates in Israel are higher than in other Southwest Asian countries. • In all of these countries, more men tend to be able to read and write than women. • This is especially true in Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. • Overall in some countries women’s education is not valued as much as men’s education.

21. Literacy and Development • Women receive a different education than men in some areas. • Literacy has a large impact on a country’s development. • For example, an increase in the literacy rate often leads to an increase in individual rights. • Literacy rates also have an impact on a country’s economy.

22. Summary • Describe the different ethnic groups that make up the Middle East. • How does literacy and education affect the Middle East?