The history of the Middle East is long and complex. In the MAJOR MUSLIM NATIONS series, the term "Middle East" refers to the region encompassing 23 countries?Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.This book provides an overview of the history of the Middle Eastern countries, along with information about the region's geography, central religious beliefs, governments and economies of the various states, cultural groups, and important communities.