Middle East Map
The Middle East is a transcontinental region centered on Western Asia, stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. This geopolitically significant region includes 14 countries with diverse landscapes ranging from vast deserts and arid plateaus to fertile river valleys and coastal plains. Learn to identify each country by its shape and position on the map.
Click a country to jump to its study card
Study the Countries
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
Borders: Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen
Area: 2,149,690 km² · Coastline: 2,640 km
Saudi Arabia occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by Jordan and Iraq to the north, Kuwait to the northeast, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman to the east, and Yemen to the south. The landscape is predominantly desert, including the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter), the largest contiguous sand desert in the world.
Shape: A massive country dominating the Arabian Peninsula, roughly rectangular with irregular borders, tapering to a point in the southeast.
Fun Facts
- Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East and the largest without a permanent river.
- The Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter) is the largest contiguous sand desert in the world.
- Saudi Arabia borders seven other countries, the most of any Middle Eastern nation.
Iran Iran
Borders: Turkey, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan
Area: 1,648,195 km² · Coastline: 2,440 km
Iran is located in the eastern part of the Middle East, bordered by Turkey and Iraq to the west, Turkmenistan to the northeast, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east, and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to the south. The country features a central plateau surrounded by mountain ranges, including the Zagros and Alborz chains.
Shape: A large, roughly diamond-shaped country east of Iraq, with coastlines along the Persian Gulf in the south and the Caspian Sea in the north.
Fun Facts
- Iran is bordered by seven countries and has coastlines on both the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea.
- The Zagros Mountains run along Iran's western border for over 1,500 km.
- Iran is the second-largest country in the Middle East by area after Saudi Arabia.
Iraq Iraq
Borders: Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria
Area: 438,317 km² · Coastline: 58 km
Iraq is located in the northern part of the Middle East, bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south, and Jordan and Syria to the west. The country is defined by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which flow through its center and join to form the Shatt al-Arab waterway near the Persian Gulf.
Shape: A roughly rectangular country between Iran and Syria, tapering to a narrow outlet at the Persian Gulf in the southeast.
Fun Facts
- Iraq has only 58 km of coastline on the Persian Gulf, making it nearly landlocked.
- The Tigris and Euphrates rivers both flow through Iraq, forming ancient Mesopotamia.
- Iraq borders six countries, making it one of the most connected nations in the Middle East.
Yemen Yemen
Borders: Saudi Arabia, Oman
Area: 527,968 km² · Coastline: 1,906 km
Yemen occupies the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the northeast. It has coastlines on both the Red Sea to the west and the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea to the south. The terrain ranges from a narrow coastal plain to western highlands reaching over 3,600 meters.
Shape: Located at the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, with a roughly triangular shape bordered by sea on two sides.
Fun Facts
- Yemen controls the Bab el-Mandeb strait, one of the world's most important shipping chokepoints.
- The island of Socotra, off Yemen's coast, has been called the "Galapagos of the Indian Ocean."
- Yemen has the highest point on the Arabian Peninsula, Jabal an-Nabi Shu'ayb at 3,666 meters.
Oman Oman
Borders: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
Area: 309,500 km² · Coastline: 2,092 km
Oman occupies the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by the UAE to the north, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. It has a long coastline along the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and a small section of the Persian Gulf. The Musandam Peninsula, an exclave of Oman, juts into the Strait of Hormuz.
Shape: A large country on the southeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, wrapping around the corner with a detached piece (Musandam) at the Strait of Hormuz.
Fun Facts
- Oman has a detached exclave, the Musandam Peninsula, separated by UAE territory.
- The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital oil shipping routes, lies off Oman's Musandam coast.
- Oman has the longest coastline on the Arabian Peninsula at over 2,000 km.
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
Borders: Saudi Arabia, Oman
Area: 83,600 km² · Coastline: 1,318 km
The United Arab Emirates is located on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and west, and Oman to the east. It has coastlines on both the Persian Gulf to the north and the Gulf of Oman to the east. The country is mostly flat desert with sand dunes, gravel plains, and a few oases.
Shape: A relatively small country on the eastern Arabian Peninsula coast, shaped like a rough triangle pointing south, between Qatar and Oman.
Fun Facts
- The UAE is a federation of seven emirates, each with its own ruler.
- The country has coastlines on both the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
- Despite being mostly desert, the UAE has the highest point in the eastern Arabian Peninsula at Jebel Jais (1,934 m).
Kuwait Kuwait
Borders: Iraq, Saudi Arabia
Area: 17,818 km² · Coastline: 499 km
Kuwait is a small country at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, bordered by Iraq to the north and west, and Saudi Arabia to the south. The terrain is mostly flat to slightly undulating desert plain, sloping gently toward the coast. Kuwait Bay indents deeply into the coastline, providing a natural harbor.
Shape: A small, roughly rectangular country at the top of the Persian Gulf, wedged between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Fun Facts
- Kuwait is one of the smallest countries in the Middle East by area.
- Kuwait Bay is one of the largest natural harbors in the Persian Gulf.
- Kuwait shares its entire land border with only two countries: Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Qatar Qatar
Borders: Saudi Arabia
Area: 11,586 km² · Coastline: 563 km
Qatar is a small peninsula jutting northward into the Persian Gulf from the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and surrounded by water on three sides. The terrain is mostly flat, barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel.
Shape: A small, thumb-shaped peninsula projecting northward into the Persian Gulf from Saudi Arabia.
Fun Facts
- Qatar is a peninsula with only one land border, shared with Saudi Arabia.
- Qatar has the highest GDP per capita in the Middle East.
- The country is almost entirely flat, with its highest point being only 103 meters above sea level.
Bahrain Bahrain
Area: 786 km² · Coastline: 161 km
Bahrain is an island nation in the Persian Gulf, located between Qatar to the east and Saudi Arabia to the west. It consists of over 30 natural islands and numerous artificial islands. The King Fahd Causeway connects Bahrain to Saudi Arabia across 25 km of water.
Shape: A tiny cluster of islands in the Persian Gulf between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, barely visible on most maps.
Fun Facts
- Bahrain is the smallest country in the Middle East by area.
- The King Fahd Causeway connects Bahrain to Saudi Arabia across 25 km.
- Bahrain is an archipelago of over 30 islands in the Persian Gulf.
Jordan Jordan
Borders: Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Palestine
Area: 89,342 km² · Coastline: 26 km
Jordan is located in the northwestern part of the Middle East, bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south and southeast, and Israel and Palestine to the west. The Jordan Rift Valley runs along the western border, containing the Dead Sea at 430 meters below sea level, the lowest point on Earth's surface.
Shape: A compact country east of Israel with a distinctive pointed southern tip reaching to the Gulf of Aqaba, roughly boot-shaped.
Fun Facts
- Jordan has only 26 km of coastline, a tiny strip on the Gulf of Aqaba.
- The Dead Sea on Jordan's western border is the lowest point on Earth's surface at 430 meters below sea level.
- Jordan borders five countries and territories, sitting at a geographic crossroads.
Israel Israel
Borders: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine
Area: 22,145 km² · Coastline: 273 km
Israel is a narrow country on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Palestine to the east and southwest. The terrain varies from the Mediterranean coastal plain in the west to the Jordan Rift Valley in the east and the Negev Desert in the south.
Shape: A narrow, elongated country along the eastern Mediterranean coast, widening in the south into the triangular Negev Desert.
Fun Facts
- Israel is only about 470 km long and 135 km at its widest point.
- The Sea of Galilee in northern Israel is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth.
- Israel has coastline on both the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba).
Palestine Palestine
Borders: Israel, Jordan
Area: 6,020 km² · Coastline: 40 km
Palestine consists of two non-contiguous territories: the West Bank, bordered by Israel and Jordan, and the Gaza Strip on the Mediterranean coast bordering Israel. The West Bank features hilly terrain with the Jordan Valley along its eastern border, while the Gaza Strip is a narrow coastal plain.
Shape: Two separate territories: the larger West Bank east of central Israel, and the tiny Gaza Strip on the Mediterranean coast to the southwest.
Fun Facts
- Palestine consists of two geographically separate areas: the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
- The West Bank is named for its position on the western bank of the Jordan River.
- The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
Lebanon Lebanon
Borders: Syria, Israel
Area: 10,400 km² · Coastline: 225 km
Lebanon is a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south. Despite its small size, it has diverse terrain with a narrow coastal strip, the Lebanon mountain range running north-south through the center, and the fertile Beqaa Valley between two mountain chains.
Shape: A very small, narrow country on the Mediterranean coast, shaped like a vertical rectangle north of Israel.
Fun Facts
- Lebanon is one of the smallest countries in the Middle East but has significant topographic diversity.
- The Lebanon Mountains reach over 3,000 meters, receiving snowfall despite the Mediterranean climate.
- Lebanon's entire western border is the Mediterranean Sea coastline.
Cyprus Cyprus
Area: 9,251 km² · Coastline: 648 km
Cyprus is an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, located south of Turkey, west of Syria, and north of Egypt. It is the third-largest Mediterranean island after Sicily and Sardinia. The terrain features a central plain between two mountain ranges: the Troodos Mountains in the south-central region and the Kyrenia Range along the northern coast.
Shape: A distinctive island in the eastern Mediterranean with a pointed peninsula extending to the northeast, resembling a pan with a handle.
Fun Facts
- Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
- The island is geographically in Asia but politically and culturally linked to Europe.
- Cyprus has no land borders, being an island roughly 65 km south of Turkey.
Quick Reference
Test Your Knowledge
Can you identify these countries on the map?
About Middle East Geography
The Middle East spans the area between the eastern Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf, encompassing the Arabian Peninsula and the Fertile Crescent. The region's geography ranges from the vast Arabian Desert to the snow-capped mountains of Iran, and from fertile river valleys to rocky coastlines. Its strategic position at the crossroads of three continents has shaped world history for millennia.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many countries are in the Middle East?
The Middle East includes 14 countries in this lesson: Bahrain, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Which is the largest country in the Middle East?
Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East, covering approximately 2,149,690 km² and occupying most of the Arabian Peninsula.
Which Middle Eastern country is an island?
Cyprus is the only island nation in the Middle East, located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Bahrain is also an island archipelago in the Persian Gulf.