The 'Middle East' term was coined by American naval historian Alfred Thayer Mahan in 1902. The Middle East is a transcontinental region primarily located in Western Asia, extending into North Africa (Egypt) and partially into Europe (Turkey). Three continents meet to form the Middle East: Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Iran to the east, and the Arabian Peninsula to the south. Core countries and regions include Western Asia (the Levant and Mesopotamia): Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Turkey; Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Kuwait; North Africa: Egypt; and frequently Iran is also included.
The Middle East holds several critical maritime choke points, which are narrow channels crucial for global energy and trade, particularly oil and liquified natural gas (LNG). The primary choke points include the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Suez Canal, all of which are essential for transit between the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
International Relations MCQs on Middle East Countries Borders, Capitals, Chokepoints, Stateless Nations, and More
1. Mediterranean Sea is a border of which of the following countries?
1. Jordan
2. Iraq
3. Lebanon
4. Syria
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 3 and 4 only
Answer: c) 3 and 4 only
Explanation: The Mediterranean Sea is bordered by 21 countries. These are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.
2. The area known as 'Golan Heights' often appears in the news is related to:
a. Centra Asia
b. Middle East
c. South-East Asia
d. Central Africa
Answer: b. Middle East
Explanation: The Golan Heights is a strategic, 1,200-sq-km rocky plateau located in the Middle East is a geopolitically significant region in southwestern Syria, bordering Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan. It was captured by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981.
3. Turkey is located between:
a) Black Sea and Caspian Sea
b) Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea
c) Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea
d) Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea
Answer: b) Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea
Explanation: Turkey is located between the Black Sea to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. As a transcontinental country, Turkey acts as a bridge between Europe and Asia.
4. Israel has common borders with:
a) Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt
b) Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Jordan
c) Cyprus, Turkey, Jordan, and Egypt
d) Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen
Answer: a) Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt
Explanation: Israel bordering countries are Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt in the southwest. Israel also shares maritime borders with Cyprus.
5. Cairo is the capital of:
a) Israel
b) Turkey
c) Egypt
d) Saudi Arabia
Answer: c) Egypt
Explanation: Cairo is the capital of Egypt. Located on the Nile river, Cairo is the largest city in Egypt.
6. Strait of Hormuz is located between:
a) Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara
b) Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman
c) Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea
d) None of the above
Answer: b) Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman
Explanation: The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway that links the Persian Gulf (to its west) with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea (to its southeast). Geographically, it separates the northern coast of Iran from the southern coasts of Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
7. Bab-el-Mandeb Strait connects which water bodies?
a) Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman
b) Black and Sea and Sea of Azov
c) Baffin Bay and Labrador Sea
d) Red Sea and Gulf of Eden
Answer: d) Red Sea and Gulf of Eden
8. Look at the following pairs of maritime routes and the water bodies:
i. Strait of Hormuz: Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman
ii. Strait of Malacca: Indian Ocean and South China Sea
iii. Bab-el-Mandeb: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
Which of the following pairs of maritime routes and the water bodies are correctly matched?
a) i only
b) ii only
c) All three
d) None
Answer: c) All three
Explanation: The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf (also known as the Arabian Gulf) to the Gulf of Oman. The Strait of Malacca connects the Indian Ocean (specifically the Andaman Sea) to the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean). The Bab-el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
9. What is the capital of Qatar?
a) Jeddah
b) Abu Dhabi
c) Manama
d) Doha
Answer: d) Doha
Explanation: Doha is the capital of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast, it is the country's largest city. Doha was officially declared the capital in 1971.
10. What is the largest stateless ethnic group in the world?
a) Rohingya
b) Kurds
c) Palestinians
d) Roma
Answer: b) Kurds
Explanation: The Kurds are widely recognised as the largest stateless ethnic group in the world, with a population estimated between 20 million and 35 million people, spread across Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran.
Also read: Which Middle Eastern Countries Have an Absolute Monarchy?
