The Middle East

Here are links about the politics and culture of the region commonly known as the Middle East. Teachers are advised to preview these Web pages before using them in the classroom, and to help students understand how information on different countries' Web sites reflect that particular government's point of view.

Quick Links: Geography | Government & Politics | Culture | Values & Beliefs (Religion) | News Sites | Middle East Portals | Helping Children Cope During Times of War and Crisis

Geography

The U.S. State Department Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs defines the Middle East as including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. This site provides information on U.S. foreign policy, as well as maps and information about the countries.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's World Fact Book furnishes information about the geography, people, government, and economy of each country of the world.

Country at a Glance, from the United Nations CyberSchoolbus, provides basic information on the economy, environment, health, and technology of UN member countries. A sister site, Infonation can be used to compare countries across a category.

BBC News, from the British Broadcasting Service, provides Country Profiles covering history, politics, and economic background for 20 middle east nations. Profiles also include audio and video clips from the BBC archives and other features such as timelines.

National Geographic Map Machine features maps and a section called "Flags and Facts," which presents brief information about each country.

Government & Politics

America at a Crossroads from PBS explore issues surrounding the the war on terrorism, the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and global perspectives on America's role overseas. The site includes an interactive timeline, video clips and discussion questions.

Crisis with Iraq provides divergent policy alternatives designed to help students learn to consider the different underlying values, pros and cons, and risks and tradeoffs. The Choices education program from Watson Institute for International Studies supplies this activity with discussion questions and background information.

Yale Law School's Avalon Project presents a collection of important documents in The Middle East 1916 - 2001: A Documentary Record. Entries include the Declaration of Israel's Independence (1948), the Palestinian National Charter (1968), and the Hamas Covenant (1988).

Question of Palestine on the United Nations Web page provides an overview of the status of Palestine and the UN's role. The site includes many maps.

The European Union's Mediterranean and Middle East Policy is explored here.

Egypt's State Information Service provides information about Egyptian history, politics and culture.

The Islamic Republic News Agency, the official news agency of Iran, presents news articles and photographs from the Iranian point of view.

Information about the Israeli government and legal system is available at the Knesset Web site. The official Web site of Israel's parliament also features multimedia biographies of Menahem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin, as well as an archive of documents pertaining to the peace process between Israel and surrounding countries since 1947.

The Israeli Government's Official Web site from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes news items, information about the country and its government, and a guide to the peace process.

King Abdullah of Jordan's official Web site provides information about the country's history, government and geography.

Kuwait-info.com supplies information on the history of Kuwait, its government, economy, the Gulf War, and more.

Learn about Lebanon through the CIA's World Factbook Web site. This website includes information on the country and it's symbols, presidents and people.

The Negotiations Affairs Department of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) features maps, treaties, and other information about the Israeli - Palestinian peace negotiations from the Palestinian point of view.

Palestine-Net is a private (non-governmental) site that presents information about Palestine from the Palestian perspective. It contains sections on the land, people, history, politics, economy, education, culture, and more.

Quatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides information on the nation's government, economy, people and history, including many photograhs.

The Saudi Arabian Information Resource, a Saudi Ministry of Information website, contains more than 2,000 pages of information on every aspect of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its government, history and culture, the Arabic language and the religion of Islam. It also features a photo gallery.

The Sudan Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides concise information about the country in the "Facts about Sudan" section of its Web site.

Culture

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Web site Global Connections: The Middle East was designed to help teachers, students, and the general public understand the historical and current significance of the region. Students may explore the site via the themes-religion, culture, economics, geography, or politics; by using a timeline; or through several connecting questions that are posed. The site features photographs, video clips, interactive maps, and educator resources.

Save the Children Personal Stories features stories and photographs by young Palestinians who live in refugee camps in Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank.

Facts about Israel from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes basic information on the government, culture, economy, and religion of Israel. Welcome to Israel from the Israeli Embassy is designed to teach children some basic facts about the country.

Culture Goggles, from the National Geographic Xpeditions site, demonstrates how culture affects our perceptions by illustrating how the city of Jerusalem appears through the eyes of people from three faiths: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim. The site includes lesson plans for grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

Gaza is a National Geographic feature that explores the area using photographs, text, maps, and video.

Israel in 3D provides panoramic photographs of religious and tourist sites around the country.

The University of Texas at Austin's Cairo: Living Past, Living Future lets students explore either ancient or modern Cairo to learn about its history and culture.

Life on the Nile is a virtual tour, through photographs and descriptions, of a village in Sudan. It was created by a Texas teacher who was born in Sudan.

Understanding Afghanistan: A Land in Crisis provides maps, news reports and other information from National Geographic on this country which is closely tied to Middle Eastern issues.

Values & Beliefs (Religion)

Three Religions, One God, from the PBS Global Connections site, provides a brief guide to three religions that originate and predominate in the Middle East.

The BBC World Service presents Your Guide to the Religions of the World. Written in simple terms, the site covers Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism.

Exploring Religion, from the Religious Studies program at the University of Wyoming, offers a well-organized look at Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.

The BBC World Service presents Your Guide to the Religions of the World. Written in simple terms, the site covers Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism.

Religious Resources, from the University of Virginia's Electronic Text Center, includes the Bible, the Koran, and the Concise Dictionary of Religion. The site's Religious Movements Page provides a searchable database with brief descriptions of religions.

The different varieties of Orthodox Judaism are outlined here by a professor at the University of Calgary.

Religous Freedom in Israel from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes photographs of famous holy sites for different religions in Israel.

Christian Sanctuaries of the Holy Land gives detailed, illustrated descriptions of many important places in the Middle East. The site is from the Catholic Franciscans of the Holy Land and Malta.

Teaching About Religion, from the Council on Islamic Education, provides a clear introduction to the religion. Designed for K-12 teachers, the site includes other resources such as a glossary of terms and information about Muslim holidays for students and teachers.

The PBS Web site Islam: Empire of Faith provides a brief cultural history of Islam. An interactive timeline and lesson plans for grades 6-12 are included.

The Institute of Islamic Information and Education provides this primer on Islamic Beliefs and Practices.

The Spirit of Islam is a National Public Radio program exploring different aspects of the Islamic faith through interviews with two American Muslims. Music, poetry, and personal reminisces help offer a window into Islam for those who don't have much prior knowledge.

News Sites

PBS has created Focus on Iraq to present users with analysis of and perspective on the war in Iraq.

Scholastic News presents Rebuilding Iraq, which includes recent news as well as some background information and lesson plans.

This is the site for BBC News Middle East. BBC News In-Depth provides more concentrated coverage on topics such as the conflict with Iraq or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Frontline gives teachers and students searchable access to programs in this PBS news series that has covered many Middle Eastern topics.

PBS Newshour's Extra for teens offers access to news stories, opportunities to comment on world news or chat with teens from other countries, information about how government works, listening guides for political speeches, and more.

New York Times: Middle East gives access to the paper's reporting on events in the Middle East and U.S. Middle East policy. Free registration is required to view articles.

Middle East Portals

These sites contain links to other middle eastern resources.
War and Peace: Resources on Iraq from the Librarian's Index to the Internet.
Middle East and Jewish Studies from the WWW Virtual Library.

Helping Children Cope During Times of War and Crisis

Talking with Kids About News from PBS.
Coping in Unsettling Times from the National Association of School Psychologists.
Talking to Kids about Terrorism or Acts of War from the New York University Child Study Center.
Helping our Children Deal with War from the National Mental Health Association.
Understanding World Events from Educators for Social Responsibility.

Created 10/2005
Last updated 4/27/2011