Middle East

Ancient Middle East A nice set of links to historical sites about the rich history of this region.	Hot Spot: Iraq - get maps, news articles, and information on Iraq and the Middle East, from National Geographic.
University of Chicago Photograph Archive: Middle East - collection of photos from Middle Eastern countries, arranged by topic.	Many Things in Common Learn about the Arab culture, deserts, bedouins, oil, Dead Sea, and Suez Canal.
Global Connections: The Middle East - scan a Middle Eastern history timeline from 1900 to the present, explore different themes, and look at the big picture by thinking about connecting questions.	Middle East - http://menic.utexas.edu/menic/ This site acts a virtual library of the middle East, very comprehensive in its content and links.
CNNfyi.com Middle East http://fyi.cnn.com/fyi/interactive/0108/mideast/ This site feature breaking news on the conflict, with details on history, geography and key players.	Middle East Countries http://www.yahooligans.com/ An excellent set of links from yahooligans to the various countries which make up the middle east, with facts and resources.
Arabic Calligraphy - http://arabiccalligraphy.com Learn about the history, structure, and art of the Arabic language, and view a gallery of beautiful Arabic calligraphy written by experts.	Arab Net http://www.arab.net/ A large English language and Arabic web protal with news, information, stories and resources on the Middle East and Arab Culture.
Encyclopedia of the Orient - http://i-cias.com/e.o/index.htm History, people, and country information from the Orient (Middle East).	Saudi Arabia - http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbok/ Get information on the people, geography, government, economy, and much more from the CIA World Factbook.
The World Fact book http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook This is the online version of the World Fact book, which includes information on every country in the world - from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Each individual country has a separate page with information about the geography, people, government, and more. This site also has a map collection.	Map Middle East Religion, Ethnic Groups, and Language Distribution http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections Map Middle East Topographic Map http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/
Geography: An Ancient and Modern Crossroads http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/ The Middle East is at the junction of trade routes connecting Europe and China, India and Africa, and all the cultures of the Mediterranean basin.	Economics: It's More Than Oil http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/ National economies throughout the Middle East struggled in the 19th and 20th centuries to develop their natural and human resources, to modernize their societies, and to raise their standards of living.
The Hajj http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/H/hajj/ http://lii.org?recs=020738 Hajj is "the Fifth Pillar of Islam and the annual pilgrimage to Mecca to be performed by able Muslims at least once in their lifetime." Its origins, rituals, meanings, and the preparations by pilgrims are explored by Great Britain's Channel 4 Television through video, audio, and photographs. Includes a glossary, maps, prayers, links to related sites, and suggested reading.	Nation-States http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/ How were the modern nation-states of the Middle East created?