mena

What does MENA stand for?

Middle East and North Africa.

Where is MENA located?

The "crossroads" where Africa, Asia, and Europe meet.

What is the Maghreb?

The western part of North Africa, including countries like Morocco and Algeria.

What is the Levant?

The eastern Mediterranean area, including Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

What is the Suez Canal?

A shortcut in Egypt that lets ships go from Europe to Asia without sailing around Africa.

What is the Strait of Hormuz?

A tiny water passage near Iran where most of the world’s oil is shipped.

What are the 3 "Abrahamic" religions?

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (all started in this region).

Who are the Sunnis and Shias?

The two main groups of Islam who originally disagreed on who should lead after the Prophet Muhammad.

What was the Ottoman Empire?

A massive Turkish empire that ruled the region for hundreds of years until after World War I.

Why is Jerusalem important?

It is a holy city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims at the same time.

What is the main war in 2026?

A major conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran and its allies.

What happened to Iran's leadership in 2026?

The Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei) was killed in a strike, causing a power struggle in the country.

Who are the "Houthis"?

A group in Yemen that has been attacking trade ships in the Red Sea.

What is a "Proxy War"?

When big countries (like the U.S. or Iran) support local groups to do the fighting for them.

Why are oil and gas prices rising?

Because the war is happening near the main routes where the world gets its oil.

What happened in Syria in 2024/2025?

The old regime (Assad) fell, and a new government is currently trying to keep control.

How does geography affect where people live?

Most people live near the coast or big rivers (like the Nile) because most of the region is desert.