Peoples of the World: Middle East and North Africa

Druzes, Iraqis, Suni Moslems, Israelis, and many other peoples of the Middle East are described and analyzed in this book, which is intended for the use of younger readers. Organized primarily by ethnic or religious groups rather than political entity, Peoples of the World: the Middle East and North Africa aims to help young researchers differentiate between cultures and understand today’s Middle East and North Africa. These essays aim to provide historical insight into a people’s evolution, and the group’s contributions to the region and the world. Along with four early cultures and 18 summaries of the area’s countries, 32 contemporary ethnic and religious groups are profiled including the Azerbaijani, Druzes, Iraqis, Israeli Jews, Kurds and Palestinians. Alphabetically arranged by culture, entries are divided into sections for ease of use. The introduction covers population, pronunciation, location and language; the geographical setting presents overall geographic distribution and details about climate and terrain; the historical background traces the history of the people from early times to the present; and culture today discusses family structure, housing, typical foods, education and so on. Advice is given on sources for further information and a general subject index is provided.