Middle East patterns : places, peoples, and politics / Colbert C. Held ; in collaboration with Mildred McDonald Held ; cartography by John V. Cotter.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 597-624) and index.

Physical and cultural geography -- Tricontinental junction : an introduction -- Middle East preview -- The Middle East : definition -- Regional unity of empires -- Aims and concepts : a glance -- The face of the earth -- Patterns of time : historical-geographical foundations -- Patterns of peoples, cultures, and settlements -- The desert and the sown : land use -- Riches beneath the earth -- Manufacturing and transportation -- The earth and the state : geopolitics -- Syria : Middle East heartland -- Lebanon and Cyprus : a mountain and an island -- Jordan : the land beyond and between -- Israel, "Palestine," and the disputed territories -- Iraq : modern Mesopotamia -- Saudi Arabia : development in the desert -- The Gulf and its oil states : an overview -- Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates -- Oman and Yemen : the southern fringe -- Egypt : a river and a people -- A view of Egypt -- Turkey : bridgeland in Anatolia between Europe and the Middle East -- Iran : complex republic on the plateau -- Young state, ancient land.

"Now in its fourth edition, Middle East Patterns continues to be the only comprehensive, authoritative geographical study of the region. Colbert Held, a U.S. geographer who experienced firsthand and studied every country during his years of service in the region, has revised and updated his classic work while retaining the basic, well-received framework of past editions. Held examines the Middle East from a topical and then a regional, country-by-country perspective. A thoughtful consideration of the physical environment lays the groundwork for emphasis on cultural-political and geopolitical patterns, which are the essence of the study. Middle East Patterns has been widely commended for its careful balance in analyzing the several geopolitical problems of the area, notably the disputes regarding Israel and Palestine. Richly illustrated with seventy clear maps - virtually all hand drawn exclusively for this book - as well as over one hundred photographs, Middle East Patterns now includes new, post-9/11 history and insight. Held addresses the ramifications of the Iraq war and includes a special new section specifically on terrorism. Students of the region will again welcome this fine resource for their coursework."--BOOK JACKET.