History of the Modern Middle East (Members Only)

The image shows the cityscape of Jerusalem with the Dome of the Rock’s golden dome in the foreground and various historic buildings, church towers, and cranes in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

History of the Modern Middle East

Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man drawing, depicting a nude male figure with arms and legs outstretched in two overlapping positions, inscribed within a circle and a square.

Experience the History of the Modern Middle East with WisdomMaps: The Future of the Past!

Perspective

Our digital history of the Middle East begins with the discovery of oil, first in Persia in 1908 and later in Saudi Arabia (in 1938) and the other Persian Gulf states and also in Libya and Algeria. The West came to depend on Middle Eastern oil and the decline of British influence led to a power vacuum that attracted American influence.

During the 1920s through the 1940s, Syria and Egypt moved towards independence. The British, the French, and the Soviet Union left the Middle East during and after World War II. The Arab-Israeli conflict in Palestine led to the United Nations’ plan to partition Palestine. Against this background of Cold War, the Middle East saw the rise of pan-Arabism. The departure of the European powers, the establishment of Israel, the out-sized importance of the oil industry all contributed to the making of the modern Middle East. In most countries, the growth of market economies was stifled by politics, corruption and cronyism, by squandering great sums on arms and showcase projects, and by near-complete dependence on oil revenues. The wealthiest states are the small oil-rich countries of the Persian Gulf: Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. 

The Middle East was rocked by the 1967 Six-Day War the 1970s energy crisis that began with the 1973 OPEC oil embargo in response to U.S. support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War. The Saudi-led popularization of Salafism/Wahhabism coincided with the 1978-79 Iranian Revolution to promote the increasing rise of Islamism. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 changed the focus from from the Cold War to a War on Terror. Starting in the early 2010s, the Arab Spring brought major protests, uprisings, and revolutions to several Middle Eastern and north African countries, some of which proved preliminary to the ISIS uprising.

That said, here’s our assortment… please enjoy! When you’re done perusing a map, click the ⇠ back arrow link in the upper left of your screen (not the < link), and you’ll be back here. Any problems, please get in touch at terrence@wisdommaps.info.

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Index

​Modern Middle East Index | Power: Ideology • Interaction • Political Development • Progression • Arab-Israeli Conflict • World War I | Afghanistan: Power | Algeria: Power | Egypt: Power • Muslim Brotherhood • Wafd Party • Nasser • Sadat | Iran: Power: Constitutional Revolution • Reza Khan • Mossadeq • Pahlavi • Islamic Revolution | Iraq: Saddam Hussein | Israel: Power | Jordan | Lebanon | Pakistan: Power | Saudi Arabia: Power • Economy | Syria | Turkey: Power: Governance • Abdul Hamid II • Young Turk Revolution • Tanzimat • Ataturk

Silhouette of a mosque with minarets at sunset, the sun glowing behind the building and trees visible in the foreground.

Modern Middle East

A person at a protest holds a bright green sign reading We Want DEMOCRACY and shouts, surrounded by others under a large metal canopy structure.

Power

A person holding a rifle stands in front of a large fire with smoke rising, surrounded by boxes, while another person walks away in the background.

Power: Ideology

Two men in suits stand and talk in front of Israeli and American flags. One man is gesturing with his hand while both smile.

Power: Interaction

A simple blue map showing the Middle East region with country borders outlined in white, but without any country names or labels.

Power: Political Development

Historical black-and-white photo of Indian soldiers in uniform and turbans standing together outdoors, some holding rifles, during what appears to be a wartime setting.

Power: Progression

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Two fists facing each other, one painted with the Palestinian flag and the other with the Israeli flag, set against a background of Hebrew script.

Power: Arab-Israeli Conflict

A black and white photo showing a group of soldiers in uniform and helmets marching in formation down a city street, with buildings and arched windows visible in the background.

Power: World War I

Afghanistan

A silhouette of a person standing on a raised surface at sunset, holding an object, with a rifle lying on the ground nearby and a tree framing the scene against the sky.

Afghanistan

Three men in formal attire sit closely together, engaged in a serious conversation. The man on the left gestures with his hand while speaking to the man in the center, who appears to listen intently.

Power

Algeria

A group of women dressed in white traditional garments walk up a narrow, steep alley with textured pinkish-brown walls and steps in an old town. The scene is calm and the architecture appears historic.

Algeria

A large crowd of protesters stands face-to-face with a line of police officers in blue helmets and riot gear, creating a tense standoff.

Power

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Egypt

A cityscape featuring the Cairo Tower rising above surrounding buildings in Cairo, Egypt, under a hazy sky. Various rooftops and high-rise structures are visible in the foreground.

Egypt

A crowd of people gathers around a large puppet depicting a man in a military uniform, raised hands and exaggerated facial features, likely during a protest or demonstration in an urban setting.

Power

A green circular emblem with two crossed swords at the bottom, an open red book above the swords with Arabic text on it, and additional Arabic text below the swords.

Power: Muslim Brotherhood

A group of men wearing suits and traditional caps stand closely together, engaging in conversation outdoors. One man in the center appears to be the focus of attention. The photo is in black and white.

Power: Wafd Party

A man in a suit waves to a large, cheering crowd; flags with stars are visible among the people in the background.

Power: Nasser

A man wearing a black suit, white shirt, and polka dot tie stands outdoors, looking serious. He has short, graying hair, a mustache, and is pictured against a blurred background.

Power: Sadat

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Iran

An elderly man wearing a striped sweater and hat stands beside a white donkey covered with patterned blankets on a cobblestone street in a village with brown adobe buildings.

Iran

Two women in black chadors walk past a mural depicting the Statue of Liberty with a skull face, set against a stylized American flag with a torn white shape on the right side.

Power

A sepia-toned historical photograph showing a large group of men, many holding rifles, dressed in traditional clothing and headwear, posing closely together for a formal group portrait.

Power: Constitutional Revolution

Black-and-white portrait of a man in a military uniform with medals and decorations, wearing a tall, ornate hat and sporting a mustache, looking slightly to the side.

Power: Reza Khan

A black-and-white photo of a man in a suit appears on the left, while the right shows the seal of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on a tiled floor in a modern building lobby.

Power: Mossadeq

A man in a decorated white military uniform stands beside a woman wearing an ornate dress, sash, and tiara, both posing formally in front of a curtain backdrop.

Power: Pahlavi

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Large crowd of people march in a street protest, many holding large portraits of a bearded man in a turban. Some men in military uniforms are visible among the crowd in this black and white photo.

Power: Islamist Revolution

Iraq

People walk and gather in front of an ornate arched entrance decorated with intricate blue and gold tilework, with geometric and floral patterns. A palm tree and a sunny courtyard are visible through the archway.

Iraq

A cartoon shows a large soldier sitting on a smaller, crying soldier’s back. A yellow sign with Arabic text points to Kuwait while the smaller soldier complains in Arabic speech bubbles.

Saddam Hussein

Israel

A view of Jerusalem’s Western Wall plaza with crowds of people gathered, the golden Dome of the Rock and a tall minaret visible in the background at dusk.

Israel

Two men in suits stand together in front of American and Israeli flags, appearing to have a serious conversation or prepare to speak at an official event.

Power

Jordan

Buildings of various heights and styles are built on a hillside, with stone walls, balconies, and arches. Palm trees and street signs are in the foreground under a cloudy sky.

Jordan

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Lebanon

A coastal cityscape with ancient stone ruins by the water, modern buildings in the background, palm trees, and a small green area near the shore under an overcast sky.

Lebanon

Pakistan

The image shows the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, featuring grand red sandstone walls, three large white domes, and four tall minarets under a clear blue sky. A few people are visible in the courtyard.

Pakistan

A man stands on a stage addressing a massive crowd at night. The area is brightly lit, and people fill the space, listening intently. A flag is draped over the podium in front of the speaker.

Power

Palestine

A man holds a Freedom for Palestine scarf above his head at a protest. Other demonstrators nearby hold signs, including ones calling to boycott Israel and stop alleged genocide. Trees and protest banners are visible in the background.

Palestine

A mural on a concrete wall depicts a mans face wearing a headscarf, with the words Free Palestine painted in bold letters beside him.

Power

Saudi Arabia

A large group of people in white robes gather around the Kaaba, a black cube-shaped building, in the brightly lit courtyard of the Grand Mosque in Mecca at night.

Saudi Arabia

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Several large oil tankers are docked at an offshore oil terminal, connected by piers and platforms over calm blue water, with more ships visible in the distance under a hazy sky.

Power

Close-up of Qatari riyal banknotes, with a prominent 100 riyal note featuring a traditional dhow boat and Arabic text, layered over other currency notes.

Economy

Syria

A busy indoor market with people walking and shopping. Sunlight streams through a high glass ceiling. There are shops along the sides and a large blue banner with Arabic text hanging overhead.

Syria

Turkey

A mosque with illuminated domes and minarets stands by the water at dusk; a small boat floats in the foreground, and a long suspension bridge stretches across the background.

Turkey

A large group of women, many wearing headscarves, wave and smile while holding Turkish flags. The background is filled with more flags and people, creating a festive and patriotic atmosphere.

Society

A man with a mustache appears angry, shouting with his mouth open and brow furrowed, while shaking his fist toward the camera. The background is dark and blurred.

Power

A large Turkish flag and a large banner with a portrait of a man in front of a Turkish flag hang from the side of a building, with people standing on the roof against a clear blue sky.

Power: Governance

Portrait of a bearded man wearing a red fez, a military uniform with gold epaulettes, a colorful sash, and several ornate medals and decorations on his chest, set against a dark background.

Power: Abdul Hamid II

Black and white illustration of a chaotic street scene, with people fighting and police clashing with protesters in front of a grand building with arched windows and decorative lights.

Power: Young Turk Revolution

A vintage illustration shows a red car driving in the desert, startling a camel. The sun is shining brightly in the sky, and there is text in Persian at the top of the image.

Power: Tanzimat

Bronze relief sculpture showing a group of people, including a man in uniform, children, and women, with a wagon wheel and stacked items in the background. The figures are depicted in traditional clothing.

Power: Ataturk

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Drawing of a nude male figure with arms and legs outstretched, overlaid with two superimposed positions, inside a circle and square. This is Leonardo da Vincis Vitruvian Man, symbolizing human proportions and anatomy.