Individual #Middle_East__Near_East  the area around the eastern Mediterranean; from Turkey to North Africa and eastward to Iran; the site of such ancient civilizations as Phoenicia and Babylon and Egypt and the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity and Islam; "the Middle East is the cradle of Western civilization"
  instance of:  geographical_area
  part:  Operation_Desert_Storm  the US and its allies defeated Iraq in a ground war that lasted 100 hours (1991)
  part:  Six_Day_War__Arab-Israeli_War  tension between Arabs and Israeli erupted into a brief war in June 1967; Israel emerged as a major power in the Middle East
  part:  Arab-Israeli_War__Yom_Kippur_War  Egypt and Syria attacked Israel in October 1973 (on Yom Kippur); Israel counterattacked and drove the Syrians back and crossed the Suez Canal into Egypt
  part:  Fertile_Crescent  a geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from Israel to the Nile Valley and including the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
  part:  Israel  an ancient kingdom of the Hebrew tribes at the southeastern end of the Mediterranean Sea; founded by Saul around 1025 BC and destroyed by the Assyrians in 721 BC
  part:  State_of_Israel__Israel__Yisrael__Zion__Sion  Jewish republic in southwestern Asia at eastern end of Mediterranean; formerly part of Palestine
     part:  Akko__Acre__Akka__Accho  a town and port in northwestern Israel in the eastern Mediterranean
     part:  West_Bank  an area between Israel and Jordan on the west bank of the Jordan river; populated largely by Palestinians
     part:  Galilee  an area of northern Israel; formerly the northern part of Palestine and the ancient kingdom of Israel; the scene of Jesus's ministry
     part:  Gaza_Strip  a coastal region at the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean bordering Israel and Egypt
     part:  Golan_Heights  a fortified hilly area between southern Lebanon and southern Syria; "artillery on the Golan Heights can dominate a large area of Israel"
     part:  Jerusalem__capital_of_Israel  capital and largest city of the modern state of Israel; a holy city for Jews and Christians and Moslems; was the capital of an ancient kingdom
        part:  Calvary__Golgotha  a hill near Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified
        part:  Zion__Sion  originally a stronghold captured by David (the 2nd king of the Israelites); above it was built a temple and later the name extended to the whole hill; finally it became a synonym for the city of Jerusalem; "the inhabitants of Jerusalem are personified as `the daughter of Zion'"
        part:  Wailing_Wall  a wall in Jerusalem; sacred to Jews as a place of prayer and lamentation; its stones are believed to have formed part of the Temple of Solomon
     part:  Bethlehem  a small town near Jerusalem on the west bank of the Jordan River where Jesus was born
     part:  Sodom  (Old Testament) an ancient city near the Dead Sea that (along with Gomorrah) was destroyed by God for the wickedness of its inhabitants
     part:  Gomorrah__Gomorrha  (Old Testament) an ancient city near the Dead Sea that (along with Sodom) was destroyed by God for the vice and depravity of its inhabitants
     part:  Tel_Aviv-Jaffa__Tel_Aviv  the largest city and financial center of Israel; located in western Israel on the Mediterranean
        part:  Jaffa__Joppa__Yafo  a port in western Israel on the Mediterranean; incorporated into Tel Aviv in 1950
     part:  Haifa  a port in northwestern Israel on the Bay of Acre
     part:  Jordan_River__Jordan  a river in Palestine that empties into the Dead Sea; John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan
     part:  Negev_Desert__Negev  a desert in southern Israel
     part:  Dead_Sea  a saltwater lake on the border between Israel and Jordan; its surface in 1292 feet below sea level
  part:  Egypt__Arab_Republic_of_Egypt__United_Arab_Republic  a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BC
     part:  Aswan_High_Dam__Aswan_Dam__High_Dam  one of the world's largest dams on the Nile River in southern Egypt
     part:  Sinai_Peninsula__Sinai  a peninsula in northeastern Egypt; at north end of Red Sea
        part:  Sinai_Desert__Sinai  a desert on the Sinai Peninsula in northeastern Egypt
        part:  Mount_Sinai__Sinai  a mountain peak in the southern Sinai Peninsula (7,500 feet high); it is believed to be the peak on which Moses received the Ten Commandments
     part:  El_Iskandriyah__Alexandria  the chief port of Egypt; located on the western edge of the Nile delta on the Mediterranean Sea; founded by Alexander the Great; the capital of ancient Egypt
     part:  Aswan__Assuan__Assouan  an ancient city on the Nile in Egypt; site of the Aswan High Dam
     part:  Cairo__El_Qahira__Egyptian_capital__capital_of_Egypt  the capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa; a major port just south of the Nile Delta; formerly the home of the Pharaohs
     part:  El_Alamein  a village west of Alexandria on the north coast of Egypt; the scene of a decisive Allied victory over the Germans in 1942
     part:  Giza__El_Giza  an ancient Egyptian city on the west bank of the Nile opposite Cairo; site of three Great Pyramids and the Sphinx
     part:  Memphis.Egypt__memphi  an ancient city of Egypt (S of Cairo)
     part:  Luxor  a city in central Egypt on the east bank of the Nile; site of the Temple of Luxor
     part:  Saqqara__Saqqarah__Sakkara  a town in northern Egypt; site of the oldest Egyptian pyramids (the Step Pyramid)
     part:  Suez  a city in northeastern Egypt at the head of the Gulf of Suez and at the southern end of the Suez Canal
     part:  Suez_Canal  a ship canal in northeastern Egypt linking the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea
     part:  Lake_Nasser__Nasser  lake in Egypt formed by dams built on the Nile River at Aswan
     part:  Nile_River__Nile  world's longest river (4187 miles); flows northern through Africa into the Mediterranean; the Nile River valley in Egypt was the site of the world's first great civilization
  part:  Iran__Islamic_Republic_of_Iran__Persia  a theocratic republic in the Middle East in western Asia; Iran was the core of the ancient Persian Empire and was known as Persia until 1935; rich in oil
     part:  Teheran__Tehran__capital_of_Iran__Iranian_capital  the capital and largest city of Iran; located in northern Iran
     part:  Abadan  a port city in southwestern Iran
     part:  Mashhad__Meshed  the holy city of Shiite Muslims; located in northeastern Iran
     part:  Isfahan__Esfahan__Aspadana  city in central Iran; former capital of Persia
     part:  Shiraz  a city in central southwestern Iran; ruins of ancient Persepolis are nearby
     part:  Tabriz  an ancient city in northwestern Iran; known for hot springs
     part:  Qum  a city in northwestern Iran; a place of pilgrimage for Shiite Muslims
     part:  Persepolis  an ancient city that was the capital of the ancient Persian Empire; now in ruins
     part:  Demavend  an active volcano in northern Iran
     part:  Caspian_Sea__Caspian  a large saltwater lake between Iran and Russia fed by the Volga River; the largest inland body of water in the world
  part:  Iraq__Republic_of_Iraq__Al-Iraq__Irak  a republic in the Middle East in western Asia; the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia was in the area now known as Iraq
     part:  Baghdad__Bagdad__capital_of_Iraq  capital and largest city of Iraq; located on the Tigris River; "Baghdad is one of the great cities of the Moslem world"
     part:  Basra__Basia  an oil port in southern Iraq
     part:  Mosul  a city in northern Iraq on the River Tigris across from the ruins of Nineveh
     part:  Mesopotamia  the land between the Tigris and Euphrates; site of several ancient civilizations; part of what is now known as Iraq
        part:  Babylon  the chief city of ancient Mesopotamia and capitol of the ancient kingdom of Babylonia
           part:  Hanging_Gardens_of_Babylon  terraced garden at Babylon watered by pumps from the Euphrates; construction attributed to Nebuchadnezzar around 600 BC; one of the seven wonders of the ancient world
           part:  Tower_of_Babel__Babel  (Genesis 11:1-11) a tower built by Noah's descendants (probably in Babylon) who intended it to reach up to heaven; God foiled them by confusing their language so they could no longer understand one another
        part:  Babylonia  an ancient kingdom in southern Mesopotamia; Babylonia conquered Israel in the 6th century BC and exiled the Jews to Babylon (where the Prophet Daniel became a counselor to the king)
           part:  battle_of_Cunaxa__Cunaxa  battle in 401 BC when the Persian King Artaxerxes II defeated his younger brother who tried to usurp the throne
           part:  Sumer  an area in the southern region of Babylonia in present-day Iraq; site of the Sumerian civilization of city-states that flowered during the third millennium BC
              part:  Ur  an ancient city of Sumer located on a former channel of the Euphrates River
        part:  Assyria  an ancient kingdom in northern Mesopotamia which is in present-day Iraq
           part:  Assur__Asur__Ashur  an ancient Assyrian city on the River Tigris and traditional capital of Assyria; just south of the modern city of Mosul in Iraq
           part:  Nineveh  an ancient Assyrian city on the River Tigris across from the modern city of Mosul in the northern part of what is now known a Iraq
     part:  Babylonia  an ancient kingdom in southern Mesopotamia; Babylonia conquered Israel in the 6th century BC and exiled the Jews to Babylon (where the Prophet Daniel became a counselor to the king)
     part:  Sumer  an area in the southern region of Babylonia in present-day Iraq; site of the Sumerian civilization of city-states that flowered during the third millennium BC
     part:  Assyria  an ancient kingdom in northern Mesopotamia which is in present-day Iraq
     part:  Assur__Asur__Ashur  an ancient Assyrian city on the River Tigris and traditional capital of Assyria; just south of the modern city of Mosul in Iraq
     part:  Nineveh  an ancient Assyrian city on the River Tigris across from the modern city of Mosul in the northern part of what is now known a Iraq
     part:  Euphrates_River__Euphrates  a river in southwestern Asia; flows into the Persian Gulf; was important in the development of several great civilizations in ancient Mesopotamia
     part:  Tigris_River__Tigris  an Asian river; a tributary of the Euphrates River
  part:  Jordan__Hashemite_Kingdom_of_Jordan  an Arab kingdom in southwestern Asia on the Red Sea
     part:  Jordan_River__Jordan  a river in Palestine that empties into the Dead Sea; John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan
     part:  Amman__capital_of_Jordan  the capital and largest city of Jordan
     part:  Aqaba__Akaba  Jordan's port; located in southwestern Jordan on the Gulf of Aqaba
     part:  Jericho  a village in Jordan near the north end of the Dead Sea; in the Old Testament it was the first place taken by the Israelites under Joshua as the entered the Promised Land
     part:  Zarqa__Az_Zarqa  city in northwestern Jordan
     part:  Dead_Sea  a saltwater lake on the border between Israel and Jordan; its surface in 1292 feet below sea level
  part:  Kuwait__State_of_Kuwait__Koweit  an Arab kingdom in Asia on the northwestern coast of the Persian Gulf; a major source of petroleum
     part:  Kuwait_City__capital_of_Kuwait__Kuwait__Koweit  a seaport on the Persian Gulf and capital of Kuwait
  part:  Lebanon__Lebanese_Republic  an Asian republic at east end of Mediterranean
     part:  Beirut__capital_of_Lebanon  capital and largest city of Lebanon; located in western Lebanon on the Mediterranean
     part:  Tarabulus__Tripoli  a port in northern Lebanon on the Mediterranean Sea
     part:  Saida__Sidon  the main city of ancient Phoenicia
     part:  Sur__Tyre  a port in southern Lebanon on the Mediterranean Sea; formerly a major Phoenician seaport famous for silks
  part:  Saudi_Arabia__Kingdom_of_Saudi_Arabia  a kingdom occupying most of the Arabian Peninsula in southwest Asia; vast oil reserves dominate the economy
     part:  Riyadh__capital_of_Saudi_Arabia  joint capital (with Mecca) of Saudi Arabia located in the central oasis; largest city in Saudi Arabia
     part:  Mecca  joint capital (with Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia; located in western Saudi Arabia; as the birthplace of Mohammed it is the holiest city of Islam
     part:  Medina__Al_Madinah  a city in western Saudi Arabia; site of the tomb of Mohammed; the second most holy city of Islam
     part:  Jiddah__Jidda  port city in western Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea
  part:  Syria__Syrian_Arab_Republic  an Asian republic in the Middle East at the east end of the Mediterranean; site of some of the world's most ancient centers of civilization
     part:  Damascus__capital_of_Syria  an ancient city (widely regarded as the world's oldest) and present capital and largest city of Syria; according to the New Testament, the Apostle Paul (then known as Saul) underwent a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus
     part:  Aleppo__Alep  a city in northwestern Syria
     part:  Euphrates_River__Euphrates  a river in southwestern Asia; flows into the Persian Gulf; was important in the development of several great civilizations in ancient Mesopotamia
     part:  Tigris_River__Tigris  an Asian river; a tributary of the Euphrates River
  part:  Turkey__Republic_of_Turkey  a Eurasian republic in Asia Minor and the Balkans; achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1923
     part:  Dardanelles_campaign__Dardanelles  the unsuccessful campaign in World War I (1915) by the English and French to open a passage for aid to Russia; defeated by the Turks
     part:  Edirne__Adrianople__Adrianopolis  a city in northwestern Turkey; a Thracian town that was rebuilt and renamed by the Roman emperor Hadrian
     part:  Abydos  an ancient Greek colony on the Asiatic side of the Dardanelles; scene of the legend of Hero and Leander
     part:  Adana__Seyhan  a city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River
     part:  Ankara__Turkish_capital__capital_of_Turkey  the capital of Turkey; located in west-central Turkey; formerly known as Angora and is the home of Angora goats
     part:  Antalya__Adalia  a port city in southwestern Turkey on the Gulf of Antalya
     part:  Antioch__Antakya__Antakiya  a town in southern Turkey; ancient commercial center and capital of Syria; an early center of Christianity
     part:  Dardanelles__Hellespont  the strait between the Aegean and the Sea of Marmara that separates European from Asian Turkey
     part:  Istanbul__Stambul__Stamboul__Constantinople  the largest city and former capital of Turkey; rebuilt on the site of ancient Byzantium by Constantine I in the fourth century; renamed Constantinople by Constantine who made it the capital of the Byzantine Empire; now the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church
        part:  Bosporus_Bridge  a suspension bridge across the Bosporus at Istanbul
     part:  Bursa__Brusa  a city in northwestern Turkey
     part:  Izmir__Smyrna  a port city in western Turkey
     part:  Aegospotamos__Aegospotami  a creek emptying into the Hellespont in present-day Turkey; at its mouth in 405 BC the Spartan fleet under Lysander defeated the Athenians and ended the Peloponnesian War
     part:  Mount_Ararat__Ararat__Mt._Ararat  the mountain peak that Noah's ark landed on as the waters of the great flood receded
     part:  Aras__Araxes  a river that rises in northeastern Turkey (near the source of the Euphrates) and flows generally eastward through Armenia to the Caspian Sea; ancient name was Araxes
     part:  Bosporus  a strait connecting the Mediterranean and the Black Sea; separates the European and Asian parts of Turkey; an important shipping route
     part:  Euphrates_River__Euphrates  a river in southwestern Asia; flows into the Persian Gulf; was important in the development of several great civilizations in ancient Mesopotamia
     part:  Seyhan_River__Seyhan  a Turkish river flowing south southwest into the Mediterranean
     part:  Tigris_River__Tigris  an Asian river; a tributary of the Euphrates River

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