Greater Middle East - Essay Example

Geography has a powerful role in determining the way in which a given region develops. This can be seen in many places around the globe as distinct geographies result in racial, linguistic, cultural, or economic differences that would otherwise not be present if the unique geographic facets of a region did not push these factors to exist in a certain way. Perhaps one of the most obvious regions in the world where geography has had a profound impact upon the development of culture and economics is with respect to the area that is collectively known as the Middle East; comprising the Fertile Crescent, parts of the Mediterranean coast, the Arabian peninsula, and parts of North Africa.

This unique geography is one that has caused the regions of Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria to have a direct linkage to trade. Due to the fact that this region serves as a conduit between Asia, Africa, and Europe, the level and amount of trade that has historically flowed through this region is profound and has affected the cultural and economic development of these regions to a high degree. By means of contrast, the desert areas of the Arabian Peninsula have historically not held a great level of importance; however, with the discovery of vast oil resources within these areas, the economic power of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States has grown astronomically.

By means of comparison and measurement, the region of Egypt has historically held a profoundly powerful dynamic in the region not only as a result of the water resource of the Nile that it controls but also the powerful conduit between Africa, Asia, and Eurasia (Taguem, 2010). By much the same level of measurement, the sustenance and developmental power that the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have been able to provide the area known as the Fertile Crescent has allowed the region that is defined by the modern day state of Iraq to develop in a manner that other Middle Eastern states were envious of over the past several hundred, and even thousands, of years (Mahmood, 2013).

At the time that European powers came to colonize parts of the Middle East, they were surprised by the level of development and military strength that the Arabs living within the Fertile Crescent were able to engage. This was no doubt the result of the fact that geography had played a powerful role in providing this particular region with the much needed resource of water; subsequently allowing this particular area to develop to an extent that other areas throughout the Middle East could only dream of at that time.

What can be seen from each of these cases is a situation in which the raw material and resources that a particular region has is not the sole determinant of its overall success or development. Rather, the fact of the matter is that regions throughout the Middle East have been able to become extraordinarily wealthy based upon serving as intermediaries for trade and conduits of commerce. Mahmood, T. (2013) Iraqs Forgotten Importance in the Middle East. Stratfor Geopolitical Diary, 11.Taguem Fah, G. L. (2010).

Dealing with Africom: The Political Economy of Egypt. Journal Of Pan African Studies, 3(6), 81-93.