Iran
Biggest Shiite
country; oil; big;
US enemy;
nuclear program
Turkey
Big; US ally;
secular; strategic
location
Egypt
Biggest Arab country;
Suez Canal; peace with
Israel
Ethnicity/
Religion
Persian; Shiite
Turkish; Sunni
(secular)
Arab; Sunni; 10%
Christian
Resources/
Economy
Ancient Empire
Oil
No oil; diverse,
modern economy
Ottoman
Little oil; Nile River
Current Govt.
Type
1st Modern
Leader & Goals
Theocracy
Republic (rather
democratic)
The Shah;
Mustafa Ataturk;
modern, Western, modern, Western,
and secular
and secular
Republic (not very
democratic)
Gamal Abdel Nasser;
modern, independent
from West, unite
Arabs (Pan-Arabism)
Other Modern
Leaders & Goals
Ayatollah
Khomeini;
traditional, antiWestern, Islamic
Recep Erdogan
(current); more
Islamic, more
dictatorial
Wars/ Conflict
Islamic
Revolution; US
Hostage Crisis;
Iran-Iraq War;
Nuclear and
missile programs
Nuclear deal with
US and other
countries
US Cold War ally
(member of
NATO)
Sadat- Camp David
Accords
(assassinated)
Mubarak- anti- Muslim
extremists, dictator for
30 years, in jail
Morsi- Muslim
Brotherhood, elected
after Arab Spring, in
jail
El-Sisi- gained power
after military coup,
becoming dictatorial
Suez Crisis- Nasser
NA
took Canal; Israel,
Brits, and France
invaded; Nasser kept
Canal
Why Important/
How Different
Current Events/
Trend
Want to visit?
Persian
Becoming more
Islamic; more
independent;
more powerful
No- they hate the Yes- great for
US and might lock tourists, but
you up
watch out for
Kurds, ISIS
attacks, and proIslamic president
Part of Ottoman
Saudi Arabia
Oil; big;
birthplace of
Islam (Mecca
and Medina);
Sunni leader
Arab; Sunni;
Wahhabism
(strict Islam)
Oil; Oil; Oil; not
diversified
NA
Monarchy
Abd-al-Aziz;
(first king)
become
powerful and
rich
All kings have
been Abd-alAziz’s sons
Arab Spring- Mubarak
kicked out
NA
Probably Not- Lots of
change in government
recently
No- Very strict
against
women, no
alcohol, no fun
EVER
UAE
Rich; diverse
economy;
tolerant
Arab; Sunni
Muslim (not
strict)
Oil; trade;
tourism
N/A
Iraq
Oil; diverse
population; 2 US
wars fought
Arab Shiites;
Arab Sunnis;
Kurds
Oil
Afghanistan
al Qaeda and
Taliban fighting
US
Various, Muslims
Part of Ottoman
N/A
Current Govt.
Type
Monarchy; 7
states w/ sheiks
(kings)
Republic- not
very successful bc
of corruption
1st Modern
Leader & Goals
N/A
Other Modern
Leaders & Goals
Wars/ Conflict
N/A
Republic- not
very successful bc
of Sunni-Shiite
conflict
Saddam Husseinmake Iraq leader
of the Middle East
N/A
N/A
Iran- Iraq War (In
Persepolis);
Persian Gulf War
(US kicked Iraq
out of Kuwait);
2003 US invasion
Current Events/
Trend
Getting richer
Want To Visit?
YES!!!! - Go to
Dubai; indoor
skiing and tallest
building in the
world; bring a lot
of money
ISIS took
territory; Sunni
Shiite conflict
Hell no- ISIS will
get you
Soviet InvasionUS helped
mujahedeen
rebels
US Invasion- to
get Osama bin
Laden and al
Qaeda
US fighting
Taliban there
Why Important/
How Different
Ethnicity/
Religion
Resources/
Economy
Ancient Empire
Very poor, opium
N/A
N/A
Hell no- Taliban
or al Qaeda will
get you