The State of the Middle East: An Atlas of Conflict and Resolution » (Revised)

Dan Smith is Secretary-General of
International Alert and former Director of the
International Peace Research
Institute, Oslo. He is author of The State of the World Atlas and The Atlas of War and Peace.

Praise for Dan Smith's other atlases:

"The State of the World Atlas is something else—an occasion of wit and an act of subversion. These are the bad dreams of the modern world, given color and shape and submitted to a grid that can be grasped instantaneously."—New York Times

"A compact, versatile and politically imaginative work of reference."—New Statesman

Library Journal

This atlas by Smith (secretary-general, International Alert; The State of the World Atlas) successfully educates the reader about the Middle East region and the conflicts, both historical and modern, that have led to the current situation in this part of the world. In his introduction, Smith delves into the controversies surrounding even the definition of the region and the selection of countries it should include. The book, which contains 60 maps, five tables, and seven color illustrations, is divided into three sections. Part 1 examines the historical background of the Middle East, Part 2 focuses on the issues causing conflict, and Part 3 is a demographic comparison of the countries involved that addresses religion, health, government, and education. A brief index and simple glossary round out the book, which, although concise, fit the needs of the average user. Bottom Line The readable yet informed language of the text, combined with the multitude of visual aids, make this work accessible to the average reader while providing accurate and detailed information. This work should be considered for reference and undergraduate collections and would also be suitable in format and price for the circulating collections of most public libraries.-Lynne Minnick, Fort Vancouver Regional Lib., WA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Glossary 13

Pt. 1 The Shaping of the Middle East 14

The Ottoman Empire 16

European Colonialism 20

The New Middle East after World War I 24

Decolonization 28

Arab Nationalism 32

The Formation of the State of Israel 36

Oil 42

The US Presence 46

Pt. 2 Arenas of Conflict 50

Arab-Israeli Warfare 52

Israel and Palestine 56

Lebanon 62

Syria 66

Libya 70

Egypt 72

Algeria 76

Iran 80

The Iran-Iraq War 84

Iraq 86

The Kurds 90

The Gulf Wars 94

Saudi Arabia 102

Danger and Opportunity 106

Pt. 3 The State of the Nations 112

Ethnicity and Language 114

Religion 116

Life Expectancy and Health 118

Population and Urbanization 120

Water and Sanitation 122

Education and Literacy 124

Government and Economy 126

Military Spending 128

Energy and Transportation 130

Water Resources 132

Labour and Migration 134

Refugees 136

Gender Equality 138

Human Rights 140

Sources 142

Index 146