Why is it called the Middle East?

Question

In the news, the countries around Israel, Iran, etc are referred to as the Middle East. In the ancient history departments and archeology books, they're referred to as the Near East. So which is it and why?

If Japan is the Far east then surely the Middle East would be countries around India. Countries around Saudi Arabia are too far west to be called Middle Eastern.

Answer 1

Eastern countries are found in central Europe. Middle East countries are located between the Mediterranean Sea and the India-Mongolia region. The Far East is east of India and western Mongolia.

These regions came about due to political and cultural factors more than their actual location. East Africa and India are not usually included because they do not share the same culture with any of the "eastern" countries.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

The term "Middle East" was popularized around 1900 in Britain, and has been criticized for its loose definition.
The term "Middle East" may have originated in the 1850s in the British India Office,[1] and became more widely known when American naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan used the term.[2] During this time the British and Russian Empires were vying for influence in Central Asia, a rivalry which would become known as The Great Game. Mahan realized not only the strategic importance of the region, but also of its center, the Persian Gulf.[3][4] He labeled the area surrounding the Persian Gulf as the Middle East, and said that after the Suez Canal, it was the most important passage for Britain to control in order to keep the Russians from advancing towards India.[5] Mahan first used the term in his article "The Persian Gulf and International Relations," published in September 1902 in the National Review, a British journal.

Many have criticized the term Middle East for what they see as Eurocentrism,[11][12] because it was originally used by Europeans (although Mahan was American) and reflects the geographical position of the region from a European perspective. It is also criticized due to the fact that the term today is often used to only refer to the Arab world, making the situation more confused.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_east

Answer 4

My guess is that Eastern Europe is considered 'near East', and so the countries you mention, being East of Eastern Europe but West of the far East, are considered the Middle East.

lol your question made me hunt for a decent map of the world.

This was the best I could find...

http://atlas.freshlogicstudios.com/

Answer 5

Since, however , The Earth had been coordinates and fouly managed at the Victoriania Times, so as it is to re spoken abou the planeery, as far as the Copyright () as the matter of fact, and so therefore, or else should they be called in as the Maghribian,instead. Yer Runner ?
Where there've been 'East where the seed of Live were and the 'West were the generation of neo Bule where to.

Answer 6

The point of reference is Europe as the center hence "Near East" for areas beyond Italy and before Asia which is pretty small land area considering. "East" I suppose refers to east of Europe. "Far East" refers to Asia and that includes the Indian continent.
To the ancient Chinese mind however, China is the center - the "Middle Kingdom" around which the world revolves. Anything west of its borders is the barbaric West.
Japan however refers to itself as the "Land of the Rising Sun" - another point of referencee - where the day begins.
It's all just a matter of perspective.

Answer 7

Near East is places like Barking, Dagenham, Felixstowe.

Answer 8

Because

Answer 9

because The Europeans think they are the middle of the world

Answer 10

because its in the middle to th east??