The Middle East is a rich, spicy, cultural stew of peoples of all different kinds of backgrounds. Let us take a closer look at this region of the world. The Middle East consists of the modern countries of Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey but other countries, including some from North Africa and the Gulf States are often included as well. Some sources list at the very least twenty countries as part of the Middle East, including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
Shifting borders and conflicts, however, are apt to change this current incarnation of an area whose history spans thousands of years. Because it is so old, the Middle East is an eclectic blend of modern society that also retains much of its traditional customs and thinking. Modern cultures in the Middle East are heterogeneous, they are not alike, nor do they all practice the same customs or think the same way. Middle Eastern cultures include Semitic peoples (people who speak Semitic languages such as Arabs and Hebrews), Persian, Armenian, Egyptian, Syrian, and Greek.
