The Middle East is firmly in the world consciousness not because it was the cradle of civilisation, or that the two most influential religions (Christianity and Islam) were born there, but because beneath the desert sands lies oil.
The Bedouin were leading their camels across the deserts, starving and poor for centuries before they found themselves amongst the richest nations in the world after the second world war. They took to their wealth with all the taste and finesse of children let loose in a sweet shop.
Not all the Middle East is blessed with oil though and the Arab countries of North Africa aren't nearly so well off. They speak Arabic are are Muslim to a man, though and so often prefer to think of themselves as Middle Eastern than African.
The Middle East Maps
Algeria Bahrain Egypt Gaza Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Mauritania Morocco Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Sudan Syria Tunisia UAE Yemen