Modern Political Division

In the Near and the Middle East the following states are situated:

• Republic of Turkey (the Asian part; total population about 75 mln people, estimates of 2005),
• Republic of Cyprus (practically divided into Greek and Turkish zones, the total population approximately amounts to 780,000 people, estimates of 2005).
• State of Israel (6 mln 276 thousand people, estimates of 2005),
• Islamic Republic of Iran (some 68 mln people, estimates of 2005),
• Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (some 30 mln people, estimates of 2005);
• The Arabian countries of Asia - Syrian Arab Republic (17 mln 600 thousand people, estimates of 2003),
• Republic of Lebanon (some 3 mln 830 thousand people, estimates of 2005),
• Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (5 mln 760 thousand people, estimates of 2005),
• Republic of Iraq (27 mln 150 thousand people, estimates of 2005),
• Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (26 mln 420 thousand people, estimates of 2005),
• Republic of Yemen (less than 20 mln people, estimates of 2005),
• Sultanate of Oman (some 1 mln 500 thousand people, estimates of 2005),
• United Arab Emirates (some 5 mln people, estimates of 2005),
• Emirate of Qatar (some 600 thousand people, estimates of 2006),
• Kingdom of Bahrain (some 600 thousand people, estimates of 2006),
• Emirate of Kuwait (885 thousand people, estimates of 2002).

In Northern Africa (Maghreb) the following Arab countries are situated:

• Arab Republic of Egypt (population exceeds 77 mln 500 thousand people, estimates of  2005, out of this number 300 thousand live in the Asian part of the country, on the Sinai Peninsula),
• Islamic Republic of the Sudan (some 20 mln people, estimates of 2005),
• Socialist Peoples' Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (5 mln 765 thousand people, estimates of 2005),
• Republic of Tunisia (10 mln 10 thousand people, estimates of 2004),
• Peoples Democratic Republic of Algeria (some 32 mln 530 thousand people, estimates of 2005) ,
• Kingdom of Morocco (some 19 mln 400 thousand people, estimates of 2004),
• Republic of Western Sahara (from 31 thousand people to 400 thousand people, estimates of 2006),
• Islamic Republic of Mauritania (some 2 mln 500 thousand people, estimates of 2006).

The riverhead of the Tigris.     Turkey. A.Pobedonostseva. 2006.		An oil pipeline in the Libyan Desert,    constructed with the help of Russian experts.     Libya. A. Matveev.