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TURKEY

Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a contiguous transcontinental country, located mostly on Anatolia in Western Asia and on East Thrace in Southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean Sea is to the south; the Aegean Sea is to the west; and the Black Sea is to the north. The Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles (which together form the Turkish Straits) demarcate the boundary between Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia. Turkey's location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia makes it a country of significant geostrategic importance.

The area now called Turkey has been inhabited since the Paleolithic, including various Ancient Anatolian civilizations and Thracian peoples. After Alexander the Great's conquest, the area was Hellenized, which continued with the Roman rule and the transition into the Byzantine Empire. The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century, starting the process of Turkification, which was greatly accelerated by the Seljuk victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243, upon which it disintegrated into several small Turkish beyliks. Starting from the late 13th century, the Ottoman beylik united Anatolia and created an empire encompassing much of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. After the Ottoman Empire collapsed following its defeat in World War I, parts of it were occupied by the victorious Allies. The Turkish War of Independence, initiated by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

and his colleagues, resulted in the establishment of the modern Republic of Turkey in 1923, with Atatürk as its first president.

President Abdullah Gül

Politics of Turkey takes place in a framework of a strictly secular parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Turkey is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. The President of Turkey is the head of state who holds a largely ceremonial role but with substantial reserve powers. Abdullah Gül, is the 11th and current President of

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Turkey, serving in that office since 28 August 2007. He previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002 to 2003, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2007. The current prime minister of Turkey is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He leads a cabinet of the Justice and Development Party.The prime minister has the power to dissolve the parliament and thus force a new election, which he is obliged to do within four years of the previous elections. Turkey’s political will and motto is strong. It states that "Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the Nation."

The rate of population increase in Turkey dropped from 13.5 per thousand in 2011 to 12 per thousand in 2012, according to the latest figures announced by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat) on Monday.

The population of the

country increased by

903,115 in 2012

compared to the previous

year and was 75,627,384

as of Dec. 31, 2012. Men

outnumbered women as

50.2 percent of the

population comprised

males (37,956,168) while

the female population

stood at 49.8 percent

(37,671,216), according to

the latest statistics

Contemporary Turkish artwork on

a plate

The culture of Turkey combines a heavily diverse and heterogeneous set of elements that have been derived from the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, European, Middle Eastern and Central Asian traditions. Turkey's former status as a multiethnic empire which, de facto until the loss of Libya to the Kingdom of Italy in 1912 (and de jure until the official loss of Egypt and Sudan to the British Empire in 1914, as a consequence of the Ottoman government's decision to join the First World War on the side of the Central Powers) spanned three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa.

The present-day Republic of Turkey, which succeeded the Ottoman state in 1923, is still a transcontinental country that spans Europe and Asia.

The nation was modernized primarily by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk starting from 1923. As he transformed a religion-driven former Ottoman Empire into a modernnation-state with a strong separation of state and religion, a corresponding increase in the methods of artistic expression arose. During the first years of the republic, the government invested a large amount of resources into fine arts such as paintings, sculpture and architecture. This was done as both a process of modernization and of creating a cultural identity. Because of the different historical factors defining the Turkish identity, the culture of Turkey combines clear efforts to be "modern" and Western, with a desire to maintain traditional religious and historical values.

Aside from its booming economy and being recognized as one of the

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world’s newest industrialized country, Turkey exports coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), and clay among other natural resources. Also because of their rich floral, fauna and rich differentiation, foodstuff, and wine are also exported. Turkey Imports steel, aircraft parts, ship parts, and clothing.

IRAQ

The president of Iraq is

Jalal Talabani and its

Prime Minister is Nouri al-

Maliki. They have a

Federal Parliamentary

type of government. Iraq

has an estimated

population of 31,129,225

as of 2012.

Traditions and Customs

Religion

The majority of Iraqis are Muslims regardless of ethnicity. Its position in Iraq went through a transition during Saddam Hussein’s regime as the state moved from a secular one to one needing Islam to prop up their actions. At this stage the words “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest) was added to the flag. During Saddam’s regime only Sunnis held real power. 

With the overthrow of Saddam’s regime the Shia majority now hold more power and influence than in the past. As well as the power shift people have also been able to express their religious identities a lot more freely. 

The Shia and Sunnis are similar in over 95% of ways. The differences are not as acute as one would think. Essentially the split occurred to the political question of who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad as the leader of the community. Major differences between the

two occur in jurisprudence (i.e. how to pray, how to marry, inheritance) and minor elements of faith. Regardless of orientation Islam prescribes a way of life and it governs political, legal, and social behaviour. It organises one’s daily life and provides moral guidance for both society and the individual. The rules of Islam come from the Quran and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (known as “hadith”). 

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki

Hospitality

Hospitality is an Arab and Muslim tradition deeply engrained in the culture. Visitors are treated as kings and must always be fed and looked after. A tradition within Islam actually stipulates someone is allowed to stay in your home for 3 days before you can question why they are staying and when they will leave, Invitations to a

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home must be seen as a great honour and never turned down. 

Family and Honour

Iraqis consider family and honour to be of paramount importance. The extended family or tribe is both a political and social force. Families hold their members responsible for their conduct, since any wrongdoing brings shame to the entire family. Loyalty to the family comes before other social relationships, even business. 

President Jalal Talabani

Nepotism is not viewed negatively; in such a culture is naturally makes more sense to offer jobs to family as they are trusted. 

It is common for large extended families to live in the same house, compound, or village. In urban areas, families do not necessarily live in the same house, although

they generally live in the same street or suburb at least.

Etiquette and CustomsMeeting People

The most common greeting is the handshake coupled with eye contact and a smile.

The standard Arabic/Islamic greeting is "asalaamu alaikum" ("peace be with you"), to which the response is "wa alaikum salaam" ("and peace be unto you").

Good friends of the same sex may greet each other with a handshake and a kiss on each cheek, starting with the right.

Expect to be introduced to each person individually at a small social function. At a large function, you may introduce yourself.

Gift Giving Etiquette

If you are invited to an Iraqi’s home, bring a box of cookies, pastries or a box of chocolates. A fruit basket is also appreciated.

Flowers are being given more and more but only to a hostess.

If a man must give a gift to a woman, he should say that it is from his wife, mother, sister, or some other female relation.

A small gift for the children is always a good touch.

Gifts are given with two hands.

Gifts are generally not opened when received.

Dining Etiquette

The culture of hospitality means Iraqis like to invite people to their homes. If you are invited to a home:

Check to see if you should remove shoes.

Dress conservatively and smartly.

Do not discuss business.

Iraqi table manners are relatively formal.

If the meal is on the floor, sit cross-legged or kneel on one knee. Never let your feet touch the food mat.

Use the right hand for eating and drinking.

It is considered polite to leave some food on your plate when you have finished eating.

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The Products of Iraq are wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, cotton, cattle, sheep, and poultry.

SYRIA

Syria officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest. A country of fertile plains, high mountains and deserts, it is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Arab Alawites, Arab Sunnis, Arab Christians, Armenians, Assyrians, Druze, Kurds and Turks. Arab Sunnis make up the majority of the population.

In English, the name "Syria" was formerly synonymous with

the Levant (known in Arabic as al-Sham) while the modern state encompasses the sites of several ancient kingdoms and empires, including the Eblan civilization of the third millennium BC. In the Islamic era, its capital city ,Damascus, among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, was the seat of the Umayyad Caliphate, and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt.

The modern Syrian state was established after the First World War as a French mandate, and represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman-ruled Arab Levant. It gained independence in April 1946, as a parliamentary republic. The post-independence period was tumultuous, and a large number of military coups and coup attempts shook the country in the period 1949–1971. Between 1958 and 1961, Syria entered a brief union with Egypt, which was terminated by a military coup. Syria was under Emergency Law from 1963 to 2011, effectively suspending most

constitutional protections for citizens, and its system of government is considered to be non-democratic. Bashar al-Assad has been president since 2000 and was preceded by his father Hafez al-Assad, who was in office from 1970 to 2000.

Syria is a member of one international organization other than the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement; it is currently suspended from the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and self-suspended from the Union for the Mediterranean. Since March 2011, Syria has been embroiled in civil war in the wake of uprisings (considered an extension of the Arab Spring, the mass movement of revolutions and protests in the Arab world) against Assad and the neo-Ba'athist government. An alternative government was formed by the opposition umbrella group, the Syrian National Coalition, in March 2012. Representatives of this government were subsequently invited to

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take up Syria's seat at theArab League.

Bashar Hafez al-Assad is the President of Syria, General Secretary of the Ba'ath Party and Regional Secretary of the party's branch in Syria. He has served as President since 2000, when he succeeded his father, Hafez al-Assad, who led Syria for 30 years until his death.

Al-Assad graduated from the medical school of Damascus University in 1988, and started to work as a physician in the army. Four years later, he attended postgraduate studies at the Western Eye Hospital, in London, specializing in ophthalmology. In 1994, after his elder brother Bassel was killed in a car crash, Bashar was

recalled to Syria to take over Bassel's role as heir apparent. He entered the military academy, taking charge of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon in 1998. In December 2000, Assad married Asma Assad, née Akhras. Al-Assad was reconfirmed by the national electorate as President of Syria in 2000 and 2007, after the People's Council of Syria had voted to propose the incumbent each time.

Initially seen by the domestic and international community as a potential reformer, this expectation ceased when he ordered a mass crackdown and military sieges on pro-rebel protesters amid recent civil war, described by some commentators as related to the wider "Arab Spring" movement. The domestic Syrian opposition, the United States, Canada, the European Union states and the members of the Arab League have subsequently called for al-Assad's resignation from the presidency. His government has been described as secular.

Government type

In theory: It is presidential republic, all executive powers rests with the president. The president can serve seven-year terms. Syria recently has just passed a new constitution that allows a term limit for the president to only be reelected once. In reality: However, Syria is a Saddam Hussein-style sectarian presidential dictatorship. Opposition parties are banned and the parliament serves only as rubber-stamp for the president's policies.

POPULATION in Syria

Population: 22,530,746 (July 2012 est.) note: approximately 18,700 Israeli settlers live in the Golan Heights (2011)

Definition: This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the

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country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

CULTURE IN SYRIA

(Literature)

Syrians have contributed to Arabic literature and have a proud tradition of oral and written poetry. Syrian writers, many of whom immigrated to Egypt, played a crucial role in the nahda or Arab literary and cultural revival of the 19th century. Prominent contemporary Syrian writers include, among others, Adonis, Muhammad Maghout, Haidar Haidar, Ghada al-Samman, Nizar Qabbani and Zakariyya Tamer.

From 1918 to 1926, while Syria was under French rule, French Romantic influences inspired Syrian authors, many of whom turned away from the traditional models of Arabic poetry.

In 1948, the partitioning of neighbouring Palestine and the establishment of Israel brought about a new turning point in Syrian writing. Adab al-Iltizam, the "literature of political commitment", deeply marked by social realism, mostly replaced the romantic trend of the previous decades. Hanna Mina, rejecting art for art's

sake and confronting the social and political issues of his time, was arguably the most prominent Syrian novelist of this era. Following the Six-Day War in 1967, Adab al-Naksa, the "literature of defeat", grappled with the causes of the Arab defeat.

Ba'ath Party rule, since the 1966 coup, has brought about renewed censorship. In this context, the genre of the historical novel, spearheaded by Nabil Sulayman, Fawwaz Haddad, Khyri al-Dhahabi and Nihad Siris, is sometimes used as a means of expressing dissent, critiquing the present through a depiction of the past. Syrian folk narrative, as a subgenre of historical fiction, is imbued with magical realism, and is also used as a means of veiled criticism of the present. Salim Barakat, a Syrian émigré living in Sweden, is one of the leading figures of the genre. Contemporary Syrian literature also encompasses science fiction and futuristic utopiae (Nuhad Sharif, Talib Umran),

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which may also serve as media of dissent.

Music

Asmahan born in As-

Suwayda and emigrated

to Egypt. One of few

female voices in Arab

music to rival that of Umm

Kulthum.

Syria's capital, Damascus, has long been one of the Arab world's centers for cultural and artistic innovation, especially in the field of classical Arab music. Syria has also produced several pan-Arab stars, including Asmahan, Farid al-Atrash and singer Lena Chamamyan. The city

of Aleppo is known for its muwashshah, a form of Andalous sung poetry popularized by Sabri Moudallal, as well as popular stars like Sabah Fakhri.

Also, Syria was one of the earliest centers of Christian hymnody, in a repertory known as Syrian chant, which continues to be the liturgical music of some of the various Syrian Christians.

There was formerly a distinctive tradition of Syrian Jewish religious music, which still flourishes in the Syrian-Jewish community of New York: see The Weekly Maqam, Baqashot and Pizmonim.

Architecture

Traditional Houses of the Old Cities in Damascus, Aleppo and the other Syrian cities are preserved and traditionally the living quarters are arranged around one or more courtyards, typically with a fountain in the middle supplied by spring water, and decorated with citrus trees, grape vines, and flowers.

Outside of larger city areas such as Damascus, Aleppo or Homs, residential areas are often clustered in smaller villages. The buildings themselves are often quite old (perhaps a few hundred years old), passed down to family members over several generations. Residential construction of rough concrete and blockwork is usually unpainted, and the palette of a Syrian village is therefore simple tones of grays and browns.

Media

Television in Syria was formed in 1960, when Syria and Egypt (which adopted television that same year) were part of the United Arab Republic. It broadcast in black and white until 1976. The Arab League officially asked the satellite operators Arabsat and Nilesat to stop broadcasting Syrian media in June 2012.

There was a private sector presence in the Syrian cinema industry until the end of the 1970s, but private investment has since preferred the more lucrative television serial

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business. Syrian soap operas, in a variety of styles (all melodramatic, however), have considerable market penetration throughout the eastern Arab world.

Nearly all of Syria’s radio and television outlets are state owned, and the Ba'ath Party controls nearly all newspapers. The authorities operate several intelligence agencies among themShu'bat al-Mukhabarat al-'Askariyya, employing a large number of operatives.

Cuisine

Fattoush, an example of

Syrian cuisine

The Syrian cuisine is rich and varied in its ingredients and is linked to the region of Syria where a specific dish has originated. Syrian food

mostly consists of Southern Mediterranean, Greek, and Southwest Asian dishes. Some Syrian dishes also evolved from Turkish and French cooking. Dishes like shish kebab, stuffed zucchini, yabra' (stuffed grape leaves, the word yapra' derıves from the Turkish word 'yaprak' meaning leaf).

The main dishes that form Syrian cuisine are kibbeh, hummus, tabbouleh, fattoush, labneh, shawarma, mujaddara, shanklish, pastırma, sujuk andbaklava. Baklava is made of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in honey. Syrians often serve selections of appetizers, known as meze, before the main course. za'atar, minced beef, and cheese manakish are popular hors d'œuvres. The Arabic flatbread khubz is always eaten together with meze.

Syrians are also well known for their cheese. The very popular string cheese jibbneh mashallale is made of curd cheese and is pulled and twisted together. Syrians also make cookies to usually accompany their cheese

called ka'ak. These are made of farina and other ingredients, rolled out, shaped into rings and baked. Another form of a similar cookie is to fill with crushed dates mixed with butter to accompany their jibbneh mashallale.

Drinks in Syria vary depending on the time of the day and the occasion. Arabic coffee, also known as Turkish coffee is the most well-known hot drink usually prepared in the morning at breakfast or in the evening. It is usually served for guests or after food. Arak, an alcoholic drink, is also a well-known beverage served mostly on special occasions. More examples of Syrian beverages include Ayran, Jallab, White coffee, and a locally manufactured beer called Al Shark.

Sports

Aleppo International Stadium

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The most popular sports in Syria are football, basketball, swimming, and tennis. Damascus was home to the fifth and seventh Pan Arab Games. Many popular football teams are based in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Latakia, etc.

The Abbasiyyin Stadium in Damascus is home to the Syrian national football team. The team enjoyed some success, having qualified for four Asian Cup competitions. The team's first international was on 20 November 1949, losing to Turkey 7–0. The team was ranked 115th in the world by FIFA as of November 2011.

PRODUCT of Syria

Agriculture

Olive groves in Western-Syria, Homs Governorate.

Agriculture is a high priority in Syria's economic development plans, as the government seeks to achieve food self-sufficiency, increase export earnings, and halt rural out-migration. Thanks to sustained capital

investment, infrastructure development, subsidies of inputs, and price supports, Syria has gone from a net importer of many agricultural products to an exporter of cotton, fruits, vegetables, and other foodstuffs. One of the prime reasons for this turnaround has been the government's investment in huge irrigation systems in northern and northeastern Syria. The agriculture sector, as of 2009, employs about 17 percent of the labor force and generates about 21 percent of the gross domestic product, of which livestock accounted for 16 percent and fruit and grains for more than 40 percent.

Most land is privately owned, a crucial factor behind the sector's success. Of Syria's 72,000 square miles (186,000 km²),[ about 28 percent of it is cultivated, and 21 percent of that total is irrigated. Most irrigated land is designated "strategic", meaning that it encounters significant state intervention in terms of pricing, subsidies, and marketing controls. "Strategic" products such as wheat, barley, and

sugar beets, must be sold to state marketing boards at fixed prices, often above world prices in order to support farmers, but at a significant cost to the state budget. The most widely grown arable crop is wheat, but the most important cash crop is cotton; cotton was the largest single export before the development of the oil sector. Nevertheless, the total area planted with cotton has declined because of an increasing problem of water shortage coupled with old and inefficient irrigation techniques. The output of grains like wheat is often underutilized because of poor storage facilities.

Water and energy are among the most pervasive issues facing the agriculture sector. Another difficulty the agricultural sector suffered from is the government's decision to liberalize the prices of fertilizers, which have increased between 100% and 400%. Drought was an alarming problem in 2008; however, the drought situation slightly improved in 2009. Wheat and barley production about doubled in 2009

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compared to 2008. In spite of that, the livelihoods of up to 1 million agricultural workers have been threatened. In response, the UN launched an emergency appeal for $20.2 million. Wheat has been one of the crops most affected, and for the first time in 2 decades Syria has moved from being a net exporter of wheat to a net importer. During the civil war which began in 2011, the Syrian government was forced to put out a tender for 100,000 metric tonnes of wheat, one of the few trade products not subject to economic sanctions.

Less than 3 percent of Syria's land area is forested, and only a portion of that is commercially useful. Limited forestry activity is centered in the higher elevations of the mountains just inland from the coast, where rainfall is more abundant.

JORDAN

President of Jordan

Abdullah was born in Amman to King Hussein during his marriage to British-born Princess Muna al-Hussein (born Antoinette Avril Gardiner). He was the king's eldest son and as such he was heir apparent to the throne of Jordan under the 1952 constitution. However, due to unstable times in the 1960s, King Hussein decided to appoint his brother, Prince Hassan bin Talal, as his heir.

King Abdullah II

King Abdullah II attended St Edmund's School, Hindhead, Surrey,

before moving on to Eaglebrook School and Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts. He joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1980, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, and served as a troop commander in the 13th/18th Royal Hussars. In 1982, King Abdullah II attended Pembroke College at Oxford University where he completed a one-year Special Studies course in Middle Eastern Affairs. In 1987, he attended the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Abdullah would later serve in the Jordanian forces and became Major General in May 1998.

Abdullah became king on 7 February 1999, upon the death of his father King Hussein. Hussein had recently named him crown princeon 24 January, changing the constitutions and replacing Hussein's brother Hassan, who had served many years in the position (nearly 34 years,

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from 1965 to 1999). It is claimed that he is the 43rd-generation direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad. He is the namesake of King Abdullah I, his great grandfather who founded modern Jordan.

Geography

Jordan lies between latitudes 29° and 34° N, and longitudes 35° and 40° E (a small area lies west of 35°). It consists of an arid plateau in the east, irrigated by oasis and seasonal water streams, with highland area in the west of arable land and Mediterranean evergreen forestry.

The Jordan Rift Valley of the Jordan River separates Jordan from Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The highest point in the country is Jabal Umm al Dami, at 1,854 m (6,083 ft) above sea level, its top is also covered with snow, while the lowest is the Dead Sea −420 m (−1,378 ft). Jordan is part of a region considered to be "the cradle of civilization", the Levantregion of

the Fertile Crescent. Major cities include the capital Amman and as-Salt in the west, Irbid, Jerash and Zarqa, in the northwest and Madaba, Karak and Aqaba in the southwest. Major towns in the eastern part of the country are the oasis town of Azraq andRuwaished.

Climate

Jordan is semi-dry in summer with average temperature in the mid 30 °C (86 °F) and is relatively cool in winter averaging around 13 °C (55 °F). The western part of the country receives greater precipitation during the winter season from November to March and snowfall in Amman (756 m (2,480 ft) ~ 1,280 m (4,199 ft) above sea-level) and Western Heights of 500 m (1,640 ft). Excluding the rift valley the rest of the country is entirely above 300 m (984 ft) (SL).[41] The weather is humid from November to March and semi dry for the rest of the year. With hot, dry summers and cool winters during which practically all of the precipitation occurs,

the country has a Mediterranean-style climate. In general, the farther inland from the Mediterranean a given part of the country lies, the greater are the seasonal contrasts in temperature and the less rainfall.

Products

Phosphate mines in the south have made Jordan one of the largest producers and exporters of this mineral in the world.

Phosphate mines in Jordan

Four nuclear power plants are planned with the first one to be operational in 2019.

Since the beginning of 2010, the government of Jordan has been seeking approval from the US for producing nuclear fuel from Jordan's uranium for use in nuclear power plants that Jordan plans to

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build. According to Haaretz, Jordan learned that the US position is essentially the Israeli position, and the US has rejected Jordan's request for approval

Natural gas was discovered in Jordan in 1987, and the estimated size of the reserve discovered was about 230 billion cubic feet, and quantities are very modest compared with its neighbours.

BAHRAIN

The leader of Bahrain is Shiekh Hamad Ben Isa. The form of government they practice is constitutional monarchy. The population in 2010 stood at 1,234,571, including 666,172 non-nationals traditions and customs: The culture of Bahrain is predominantly Arab as well as being Islamic.

Thus, Bahrain's culture is similar to that of its Arab

neighbours in the Persian Gulf region.

Shiekh Hamad Ben Isa

In the past two centuries, Bahrain had become largely cosmopolitan, hosting people from a variety of places such as India, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Malaysia and others.

Though the state religion is Islam, the country is tolerant towards other religions; Catholic and Orthodox churches, Hindu temples as well as a (now-disused) Jewish synagogue are present on the island.

People & Heritage

Just around half of the population are Arabs, and most are native-born Bahrainis, but only minority of them is Omanis, or Saudis. Foreign-born inhabitants,

comprising more than half of the population, are mostly from Iran, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Britain, and the United States. About three-fifths of the largely Asian labor force is foreign.

The population is mostly Muslim and includes both the Sunni and Shia sects. Bahrain is also the only Arab state in the Persian Gulf with an active Jewish population,[citation needed] and has the largest Christian minority within the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. Roughly 1,000 Christians hold Bahraini citizenship, with the closest country, Kuwait, only having approximately 200. Arabic is the official language of Bahrain,and the G.C.C but English is widely used. Southern Persian (Bushehr) dialect is widely spoken by Bahrainis of Persian descent ajam and others. Many Bahrainis have a working knowledge not only of English but Hindi and Urdu as well.

In spite of its rapid economic development, Bahrain remains, in many respects, essentially Arab in its culture.

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Football (soccer) is the most popular modern sport, while traditional pastimes such as falconry, horse riding, and gazelle and hare hunting are still practiced by wealthier Bahrainis.

Horse and camel racing are popular public entertainments.

Traditional handicraft industries enjoy state and popular support.

The Bahrain National Museum in Manama contains local artifacts dating from antiquity, such as ivory figurines, pottery, copper articles, and gold rings, many of which reflect various cultural influences from outside Bahrain.

There is also a small but flourishing avant-garde art community.

Traditional dresses

The typical Bahraini woman dresses conservatively, usually the abaya, a long loose-fitting black gown, is worn. However, there is no formal dress code in Bahrain, and foreigners as well as local women are

seen wearing modern (but modest) outfits as well.

Bahraini men usually wear the Thobe (ثوب) and the traditional headdress which includes the Keffiyeh, Ghutra and Agal.

The Thobe, or 'Dishdasha' in Kuwaiti, is a loose, long-sleeved, ankle-length garment. Summer Thobes are white and made of cotton and winter Thobes can be darker and made of wool.

The Ghutra is a square scarf, made of cotton, and is folded in a triangle and worn over the Keffiyeh. In Bahrain, it is usually red and white checked or all white. There is no significance placed on which kind the man wears.

The Keffiyeh is a white knitted skull cap worn under the Ghutra.

The Agal is a thick, double, black cord that is worn on the top of the Ghutra to hold it in place.

Bisht

In some occasions, Bahrainis wear a Bisht, which is a cloak made of wool, over the thobe. Unlike the thobe, the Bisht is soft, and it is usually black, brown, or grey.

Traditional arts, music and dances

Arts include readings of the Quran, ceremonial dances accompanied by flat drums, and storytelling. The poets of Bahrain are famous for their poetic verses and carry on established traditions while also exploring new themes. Births and marriages call for wide-scale celebrations in Bahrain, which often are a pleasure to take part in. Apart from this, the people of Bahrain are also known for their artistic skills, the boats used for fishing and

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pearling, being an example of this craftsmanship. The traditional jewelry also speaks volumes about the intricate designs that the people of Bahrain can come up with.

Khaleeji is a style of Arabian folk music from the Persian Gulf area, played in Bahrain with polyrhythms. The style is strongly influenced by the music of Africa. The Bahraini male-only pearl diving tradition is known for the songs called Fidjeri. Fidjeri is a musical repertoire performed traditionally by male pearl divers of Bahrain. It involves singing, clapping, drums and dances with earthen water jars. Liwa is a type of music and dance performed mainly in communities which contain descendants of East Africans, such as Muharraq and Hidd.

Bahrain’s National Museum

The music of Bahrain follows the traditional Arabic mode. It is elaborate and repetitive. It is played on the oud (an ancestor of the lute) and the Rebaba (a one-stringed instrument). Bahrain also has a folk dance tradition. The Ardha is a men's sword dance, which is accompanied by traditional drummers and a poet, who sings the lyrics.

A small number of films have been made in the country.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The current President is Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Nahyan became president on 3 November 2004, following the death of his father, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Tradition and Custom: The culture of the United Arab Emirates has a diverse, cosmopolitan and multicultural society. The country's historical population as a small, diverse pearling community was changed with the arrival of other nationals first by the Iranians in the early 1900s, and later by Indians and Pakistanis in the 1960s. Dubai has been criticized for perpetuating a class-based society, where migrant workersare in the lower classes. Despite the diversity of the population, only minor and infrequent episodes of ethnic tensions, primarily between expatriates, have been reported in the city. Major

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holidays in Dubai include Eid ul-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and National Day (2 December), which marks the formation of the United Arab Emirates. Being a highly cosmopolitan society, the UAE has a diverse and vibrant culture. The influence of Islamic and Arab culture on its architecture, music, attire, cuisine, and lifestyle are very prominent as well. Five times every day, Muslims are called to prayer from theminarets of mosques, which are scattered around the country. The weekend begins on Friday due to Friday being the holiest day for Muslims. Most Muslim countries have a Friday-Saturday or Thursday-Friday weekend.

This unique socioeconomic development in the Persian Gulf has meant that the UAE is generally more liberal than its neighbors. Emiratis have been known for their religious tolerance, and churches, Hindu temples, Sikh Gurdwara can be found alongside mosques.

However, there are no Jewish synagogue in the United Arab Emirates. A cosmopolitan atmosphere is gradually growing. As a result there are a variety of foreign-influenced schools, cultural centers, and themed restaurants.

People of UAE

EMERATI PEOPLE

The Emirati people are the native people that dominated the land for centuries. Arab descendants of the Bani Yas clans, Al Nahyan and Al Maktoum royal families in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively, represent the leadership of Emiratis. Al Qawasim as well have played a vital role in the history of the United Arab Emirates. Many Emiratis are ethnic Persians who originate from Iran. The majority of local Emiratis in Dubai are ethnic Persians.

Due to growth in trade, many expatriates from Arab countries, the Indian

subcontinent, and Europe came to the UAE seeking better lives and higher-income jobs.The population as a whole is estimated by the U.S. State Department to be at 4.4 million people, with only 15–20% of these being citizens. The population growth rate is 4% per year. The primary religion in the United Arab Emirates is Islam, with the population estimated to be 96% Muslim. Hinduism and Christianity are minorities as stated by the United States State Department. The official language is Arabic. Other languages such as English, Persian, Hindi and Urdu are spoken among the different peoples. The U.S. State Department estimates the people of the UAE to have an average life expectancy of seventy-seven years.

MUSEUM AND ART GALLERIES

Many emirates have established museums of regional repute; most famously Sharjah with its Heritage District containing 17 museums, which in 1998 was the Cultural Capital of the Arab World. Abu Dhabi's cultural foundation is also

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an important place for the presentation of indigenous and foreign art. In Dubai, the area of Al Quoz has attracted a number of art galleries. Abu Dhabi has embarked on the path to become an art center of international caliber, through the creation of a culture district on Saadiyat Island. There, six grand projects are planned: the Sheikh Zayed National Museum by Foster + Partners, the modern art museum Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to be built by Frank Gehry, the classical museumLouvre Abu Dhabi by Jean Nouvel, a maritime museum by Tadao Ando, a Performing Arts Center by Zaha Hadid, and a Biennale Park with 16 pavilions. Dubai also plans to construct a Kunsthal museum and a district for galleries and artists.

Kunsthal museum

ARCHITECHTURE

The United Arab Emirates's architecture is largely inspired by Islamic architecture. It reflects the traditional lifestyles and customs of the people. Building materials are simple, but well-adapted to local living and climatic circumstances. Portable tents traditionally provided shelter during tribal wanderings in the winter season. Inland more permanent houses were built of stone guss and were roofed with palm trees leaves. Fossilized coral, cut in blocks, bonded with sarooj, or a lime mixture derived from seashells, and plastered with chalk and water paste, was used extensively in coastal regions. Privacy and ventilation were important influences in the layout of the houses.

DRESS

Many of the older Emirati men prefer wearing the traditional Emirati clothes, such as thethawb, an ankle-length white shirt woven from wool or cotton while many local women wear an abaya, a black over-garment covering

most parts of the body. On an average a UAE male national would have up to 50 kanduras as they keep changing their clothing to ensure the dress being kept clean. This attire is particularly well-suited for the UAE's hot and dry climate. Western-style clothing is also fairly popular, especially among the Emirati youth.Etiquette is an important aspect of UAE culture and tradition, and whilst in the UAE, visitors are expected to show appropriate manners and etiquette. There have been several recent cases of expatriates not respecting the laws and being arrested. For example, there have been instances of expats for not wearing enough clothing at beaches, and some even being completely nude. Before the discovery of oil, pearling formed a crucial part of UAE's economy. Pearl fishery, known as ghaus, suffered decline after the advent of Japanese pearl farming. However, the UAE pearl industry laid the foundation of its rich maritime history. Dhows, large wooden ships made from teak wood imported from India, became an indistinct part of the

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countries maritime fleet and dhow building is still practiced in this Persian Gulf state and perform an important role of trade between countries like Iran, India, and Eastern Africa.

Locals and tourists inside the

Kunsthal Museum

LITERATURE AND POETRY

The main themes in Emirati poetry for Arab poets range from satire, chivalry, self-praise, patriotism, religion, family, and love, and could range from descriptive to narrative.Poetry in the United Arab Emirates has a great influence on culture, being an Arab country in the Persian Gulf where poetry has been part of since the dawn of time. The style and form of ancient poetry in the UAE was strongly influenced by the 8th-century Arab scholar,Al Khalil bin Ahmed. This form underwent slight

modification (Al Muwashahat) during the period of Islamic civilization in Andalucia (Spain), where "the line or bait adhered to the two hemistitches form, each with an equal number of feet, all the second hemistitches ending in the same rhyming letter and sound throughout the poem". The indigenous Arabic poetry form, however, was not spared from western influence; sometime in the 20th century, prose poetry started to make their way into the local literary scene.Ibn Majid, who was born between 1432 and 1437 in Ras Al Khaimah was an iconic poet. Coming from a family of successful sailors, Ibn Majid has a total of 40 surviving compositions, 39 of which are verses.The greatest luminaries in the UAE literary realm during the 20th century, particularly for Classical Arabic poetry, were Mubarak Al Oqaili (1880–1954), Salem bin Ali al Owais (1887–1959), and Ahmed bin Sulayem (1905–1976). Three other poets from Sharjah, known as the Hirah group, also

thrived during the 20th century including Khalfan Musabah (1923–1946), Sheikh Saqr Al Qasimi (1925–1993), an ex-ruler of Sharjah, and Sultan bin Ali al Owais (1925–2000). The Hirah group's works are observed to have been heavily influenced by the Apollo and romantic poets.

MUSIC AND DANCE

The United Arab Emirates is a part of the Arab khaleeji tradition, and is also known forBedouin folk music. Yowla is a type of music and dance performed mainly in communities of Bantu peoples from the African Great Lakes region. During celebrations singing and dancing also took place and many of the songs and dances, handed down from generation to generation, have survived to the present time. Young girls would dance by swinging their long black hair and swaying their bodies in time to the strong beat of the music. Men would re-enact battles fought or successful hunting expeditions, often symbolically using sticks, swords,

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or rifles. Hollywood andBollywood movies are popular in Dubai. The UAE has an active music scene, with musicians Amr Diab, Diana Haddad, Tarkan, Aerosmith, Santana, Mark Knopfler, Elton John, Pink, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd, Shakira, Celine Dion, Coldplay, and Phil Collinshaving performed in the country. Kylie Minogue was paid 4.4 million dollars to perform at the opening of the Atlantis resort on November 20, 2008. Dubai International Jazz Festival has been held annually since 2003. TheDubai Desert Rock Festival (2004-2009) was another major festival, consisting of heavy metal and rock artists.

SPORTS

Football is the most popular sport in the UAE. Emirati football clubs Al-Ain, Al-Wasl, Al-Shabbab ACD, Al-Sharjah, Al-Wahda, and Al-Ahli are the most popular teams and enjoy the reputation of long-time regional champions. The great rivalries keep the streets of the UAE energized as people fill the streets when

their favorite team wins. The United Arab Emirates Football Association was first established in 1971, and since then has dedicated its time and effort to promoting the game, organizing youth competitions and improving the abilities of not only its players, but of the officials and coaches involved with its regional teams. The UAE national football team qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 1990 with Egypt. It was the third consecutive World Cup with two Arab nations qualifying, after Kuwait and Algeria in 1982, andIraq and Algeria again in 1986. The UAE also recently won the Gulf Cup of Nations held inAbu Dhabi in January 2007. Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the UAE, largely due to the expatriate population from the Indian subcontinent. The Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium in Sharjah has hosted four international test cricket matches so far. Sheikh Zayed Stadium and Al Jazira Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi also hosted international

cricket. Dubai has two cricket stadiums (Dubai Cricket Ground No.1 and No.2) with a third, S3 currently under construction as part of Dubai Sports City. Dubai is also home to the International Cricket Council. The UAE national cricket team qualified for the 1996 Cricket World Cup and narrowly missed out on qualification for the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Other popular sports include camel racing, falconry, endurance riding, and tennis.

PRODUCTS

Tourism is one of the main sources of revenue in the United Arab Emirates. Although the UAE is less dependent on natural resources as a source of revenue, petroleum and natural gas exports still play an important role in the economy, especially in Abu Dhabi.

CYPRUS

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Nicos Anastasiades (2013)Type of Government: Unitary state, Presidential system, Constitutional republicPopulation: 872,000 – 2012Population growth rate: 1.571% (2012 est.)Birth rate: 11.44 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)Death rate: 6.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)Net migration rate: 10.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)Urbanization: 70% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Cyprus Culture

We thought it would be interesting to write some of the traditions and customs that one may come across amongst the Cypriot people. Some of these are traditional only to Cyprus, but the majority stem from

Greek culture, and have been adopted and sometimes adapted over the years by Cypriots.

President Nicos Anastasiades

One of the first aspects of the Cyprus culture experienced by foreigners to Cyprus is the warm welcome. Cypriots are known worldwide for the genuine and sincere hospitality and friendliness. The words 'Kalosorisate' (Welcome!) and 'Kopiaste' (Come join us!) are frequently called to locals and foreigners alike.

Plate smashing

The smashing of plates is an old time Greek tradition which spread around many of the Greek islands including Cyprus. Demonstrated at weddings, and other parties and celebrations, plates would be thrown to the floor and smashed whilst singing and dancing. Previous to the plates, knives were thrown, in particular towards the feet of performing artists on

stage, with the thrower shouting "Opa!" to signify respect to the artist and enjoyment of their performance. This practice soon died out due to many mis-haps and injuries, and soon the throwing of plates took over. It is said this custom is an expression of 'Kefi', which roughly translated means 'the spirit of joy, passion, enthusiasm, high spirits, or frenzy'. Plate smashing can still be found in some parts of Cyprus, and in Greece, however this tradition has also now mostly been replaced, in this instance with the throwing of flowers, due to the obvious 'safety' problems associated with many plates being smashed. In many bouzoukia or other modern establishments, girls with baskets or plates with flowers will go around the tables and sell them to the customers, who then throw them to the performers on stage.

Worry Beads

The kompoloi, or string of beads, is a familiar sight in the hands of many Greek and Cypriot men. It became a popular form of plaything amongst men in Greece and many of the

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Greek islands. The word komboloi incorporates the word kombos, meaning the knot. The fascination and magic derived from these knots running through ones fingers may well have come from the thoughts conjured up from playing with the string of beads, which are always made with an uneven number of beads. The kompoloi is said to be more than just a means of passing time, it reflects a way of life. They are certainly relaxing, with the sound of the beads clocking together combined with the feel of the smooth beads between once fingers. The beads can be bought in many weights, sizes, colours, and materials and can make a nice cost effective gift, or a very expensive one.

Kompoloi or string of beads

Tuesday 13th

Unlike the western belief, in Cyprus the unlucky day is Tuesday the 13th, and not Friday the 13th.

Evil Eye

Some Cypriots believe that someone can catch the evil eye, or 'matiasma', from someone else’s jealous compliment or envy. After a person has caught the evil eye, they usually feel bad physically and psychologically. To avoid the matiasma, those who believe in it will often wear a charm; a little blue marble glass with an eye painted on it or a blue bracelet. Blue is believed to be the color that wards off evil eye, however, it is also believed that people with blue eyes are the givers of the matiasma.

Kallikantzaroi are supposed goblin-like creatures that live in the center of the earth, and find their way into people’s homes via the chimney. Cypriots believe that they make all kinds of mischief such as dousing the fire, riding on people’s backs, braiding the tails of horses and making the milk sour. It is believed that they visit only at Christmas time.

In order to keep the Kallikantzaroi away, the hearth is kept burning day and night throughout the twelve days of Christmas. As well as this, a family member will go around the house every day during these twelve days and bless the house, whilst sprinkling holy water around, for protection.

Name Day

You will notice that Birthdays are not such a celebrated event in Cyprus as they are in the UK, however Name Days are very much celebrated. Children are typically named after the Patron Saint of their region, with the eldest son often being named after his paternal grandfather, and the eldest daughter after her paternal grandmother. Because of this tradition, you will often find cousins with the same name. The Name Day is the feast day of the saint after which a child was named. Some Saint's Name Days actually get celebrated more than one time per year. The tradition is for a party to be thrown on the person's Name Day. A barbeque and buffet at the house is usually prepared and there is lots of singing, dancing

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and drinking. Invites are not usualy given to join the celebrations of a Name Day - friends, family and neighbours are just expected to visit. Some may only stay a short time, as they will have other friends or family with the same name to visit. It is customary to take a small gift to the person celebrating their name day, usually this would be flowers or a small plant. Each Greek Orthodox Church is also named after a saint, therefore there are also community celebrations for its Name Day, known as 'Panigiria', which include food, fireworks, and fairs. On the eve of the saint's day, villagers and street-vendors may gather in the grounds of the patron saint's church to sell local delicacies.

Orthodox Easter

Unlike the Christian Easter, Orthodox Easter is the first Sunday after the full moon of the vernal equinox, so the date varies each year. Cyprus Easter 2013 is from Friday 3rd May (Good Friday) to Tuesday 7th May (Easter Tuesday), and in 2014 both Orthodox and Christian Easters will

coincide on the same dates, Friday 18th April (Good Friday) to Tuesday 22nd April . Orthodox Easter follows a period of 50 days of lent, during which fasting takes place. Easter in Cyprus generally last for 5 days, from Good Friday, through to the following Tuesday. Most major shops and businesses will close for much of the Easter period. On Easter saturday, everybody heads for the churches for the midnight sermon.

Kallikantzaroi - Christmas Goblins

Upon exit from the church, they can be heard greeting each other with the words "Christos anesti", which means 'Christ has arisen', and others may reply "Alithos anesti" , which means 'indeed he has arisen'. Candles and bonfires are lit, and fire crackers are let off all around the island. This is the end of fasting, and most people go home to

eat traditional easter soup Cypriot Easter Soup(mayeritsa)and flaounes, which are traditional easter cheese pastries.

Easter Sunday is a day of rejoice, feasting, drinking, singing and cracking red dyed eggs. The idea of the eggs is to tap your egg hard against your opponents egg, and the person who holds the last uncracked egg will be lucky. It is mostly children who play the eggs, but many adults do too.

Barbeques will be lit up all around the island as spring lambs are roasted on the spit, and the wine flows freely.

Industrial Products

Exports of industrial products are of vital importance to the Cyprus economy because of the small size of the domestic market. The Island’s industrial sector offers a wide range of products of agricultural, mineral and manufacturing origin. The main exportable industrial products are photosensitive semiconductor devices, food, alcoholic and non-

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alcoholic beverages, confectionery, cigarettes, clothing, pharmaceuticals, aluminium products, furniture, paper products, automobile parts and accessories, cement and plastic products.

The modern technology employed ensures products of the highest quality and long shelf life. All production, packaging and storage procedures adhere strictly to European regulations and standards. Cypriot manufacturers are constantly following developments and technological advances in their field of activity.

The main export markets for Cypriot industrial products are the European Union countries taking up around 50% of total exports. They are followed by Middle East countries at 23% and other European countries at 12%

EGYPT

National name: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

President: Adli Mansour (interim; 2013)

Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces: Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi (2011)

Prime Minister: Hazem el-Beblawy (interim; 2013)

Government: Republic.

Geography

Egypt, at the northeast corner of Africa on the Mediterranean Sea, is bordered on the west by Libya, on the south by the Sudan, and on the east by the Red Sea and Israel. It is nearly one and one-half times the size of Texas. Egypt is divided into two unequal, extremely arid regions by the landscape's dominant feature, the northward-flowing Nile River. The Nile starts 100 mi (161 km) south of the Mediterranean and fans out to a sea front of 155 mi

between the cities of Alexandria and Port Said.

Population (2012 est.): 83,688,164 (growth rate: 1.92%); birth rate: 24.22/1000; infant mortality rate: 24.23/1000; life expectancy: 72.93; density per sq km: 82

Land area: 384,344 sq mi (995,451 sq km); 

total area: 386,662 sq mi (1,001,450 sq km)

Capital and largest city (2009 est.): Cairo, 10,902,000

President Adli Mansour

Other large cities: Alexandria, 4,387,000; Giza, 2,597,600 (part of Cairo metro. area); Shubra el Khema, 1,018,000 (part of Cairo metro. area); El Mahalla el Kubra, 462,300

Monetary unit: Egyptian pound

Religions: Islam (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, Christian 1%, other 6%

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Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classesEthnicity/race: Egyptian 98%, Berber, Nubian, Bedouin, and Beja 1%, Greek, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%National Holiday: Revolution Day, July 23

Economic summary: GDP/PPP $515.4 billion (2011 est.); per capita $6,500. 

Real growth rate: 1.2%. 

Inflation: 13.3%.

Unemployment: 12.2%. 

Arable land: 3%. 

Agriculture: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats. 

Labor force: 27.74 million (2011); agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.). 

Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures. 

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese,

limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc. 

Exports: $27.96 billion (2011 est.): crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals. 

Imports: $57.41 billion (2011 est.): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels. 

Major trading partners: Italy, U.S., Syria, Germany, Spain, France, China, UK, Saudi Arabia (2004).

Prime Minister: Hazem el-Beblawy

ECONOMY / PRODUCT

Egypt's economy depends mainly on agriculture, media, petroleum imports, natural gas, and tourism; there are also more than three million Egyptians working abroad, mainly in Saudi Arabia, the Persian Gulf and Europe. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the

Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population, limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress the economy.

The government has invested in communications and physical infrastructure. Egypt has received U.S. foreign aid (since 1979, an average of $2.2 billion per year) and is the third-largest recipient of such funds from the United States following the Iraq war. Egypt’s economy mainly relies on these sources of income: tourism, remittances from Egyptians working abroad and revenues from the Suez Canal.

Egypt has a developed energy market based on coal, oil, natural gas, and hydro power. Substantial coal deposits in the northeast Sinai are mined at the rate of about 600,000 metric tons (590,000 long tons; 660,000 short tons) per year. Oil and gas are produced in the western desert regions, the Gulf of Suez, and the Nile Delta. Egypt has huge reserves of gas, estimated at 1,940 cubic kilometers (470 cu mi), and LNG up to 2012 exported to many countries. In 2013, the Egyptian General Petroleum Co (EGPC)

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said the country will cut exports of natural gas and tell major industries to slow output this summer to avoid an energy crisis and stave off political unrest, Reuters has reported. Egypt is counting on top liquid natural gas (LNG) exporter Qatar to obtain additional gas volumes in summer, while encouraging factories to plan their annual maintenance for those months of peak demand, said EGPC chairman, Tarek El Barkatawy. Egypt produces its own energy, but has been a net oil importer since 2008 and is rapidly becoming a net importer of natural gas.

CULTURE

Egyptian Pyramids

Egypt is a recognized cultural trend-setter of the Arabic-speaking world, and contemporary Arab culture is heavily influenced by Egyptian literature, music, film and television. Egypt gained a regional leadership role during the 1950s and 1960s, giving a further enduring boost to the standing of Egyptian culture in the Arab world.

Egyptian identity evolved in the span of a long period of occupation to accommodate Islam, Christianity and Judaism; and a new language, Arabic, and its spoken descendant, Egyptian Arabic.

Great Sphinx

The work of early 19th-century scholar Rifa'a al-Tahtawi renewed interest in Egyptian antiquity and exposed Egyptian society to Enlightenment principles. Tahtawi co-founded with education reformer Ali Mubarak a native Egyptology school that looked for inspiration to medieval Egyptian scholars, such as Suyuti and Maqrizi, who themselves studied the history, language and antiquities of Egypt.

Egypt's renaissance peaked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through the work of people like Muhammad Abduh, Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed,Muhammad Loutfi Goumah, Tawfiq el-Hakim, Louis Awad, Qasim Amin, Salama Moussa, Taha

Hussein and Mahmoud Mokhtar. They forged a liberal path for Egypt expressed as a commitment to personal freedom, secularism and faith in science to bring progress.

CUISINE

Egyptian cuisine is notably conducive to vegetarian diets, as it relies heavily on vegetable dishes. Though food in Alexandria and the coast of Egypt tends to use a great deal of fish and other seafood, for the most part Egyptian cuisine is based on foods that grow out of the ground. Meat has been very expensive for most Egyptians throughout history, so a great number of vegetarian dishes have been developed.

Some consider koshari (a mixture of rice, lentils, and macaroni) to be the national dish. Fried onions can be also added to koshari. In addition, ful medames (mashed fava beans) is one of the most popular dishes. Fava bean is also used in making falafel (also known as "ta'meyya"), which may have originated in Egypt and spread to other parts of the Middle East. Garlic fried with coriander is added to mulukhiyya, a popular green soup made from finely chopped jute leaves, sometimes with chicken or rabbit.

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LEBANON

Michel Suleiman or Sleiman is the President of Lebanon, in office since 2008. Before becoming President, he served as Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces from 1998 to 2008. WikipediaBorn: November 21, 1948 (age 64), AmsheetSpouse: Wafaa Sleiman (m. 1973)Education: Lebanese UniversityOffice: President of Lebanon since 2008Presidential term: May 25, 2008 –Children: Charbel Sleiman, Rita Sleiman, Lara Sleiman

Lebanon, officially the Lebanese Republic, is a country in the East Mediterranean. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south.Government: Confessionalism, Unitary state, Parliamentary republic,RepublicCapital: Beirut

Dialing code: 961Currency: Lebanese poundPresident: Michel SuleimanOfficial language: Arabic Language

LEBANON - LANGUAGE, CULTURE, CUSTOMS AND ETIQUETTE

Facts and Statistics

Location: The Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria 

Capital: Beirut 

Borders: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km 

Population: 3,971,941 (July 2008 est.) 

Ethnic Makeup: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians

Michel Suleiman

Religions: Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze,

Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic,Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3% note: 17 religious sects recognised

Language in Lebanon

Article 11 of Lebanon's Constitution states that "Arabic is the official national language. A law determines the cases in which the French language may be used". The majority of Lebanese people speak Arabic and either French or English fluently. Moreover, Lebanese people of Armenian or Greek descent also speak Armenian or Greek fluently. Also in use is Kurdish spoken by some of the Kurdish minorities in Lebanon, and Syriac by the Syriac minorities. Other languages include Circassian, spoken by 50,000, Tigrinya (30,000), Sinhala (25,000), Turkish (10,000), Azerbaijani (13,000), Polish (5,000), Russian and Romanian (together 10,000 speakers), and Turkmen (8,000 speakers). 

Lebanese Society and Culture

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The People

There has deliberately not been a census in Lebanon since 1932, before its formation as an independent nation. This is due to the political consequences a major shift in the population dynamics an accurate census could have. The population is generally viewed in terms of religion. The predominant differences between people are those between Muslim and Christian sects. The proportion of each is politically sensitive so estimates from different sources vary widely. What is known is that approximately 90% of the population is urban rather than rural. 

Religion(s) 

Lebanon is a religious mish-mash and this has ultimately been the cause behind social tensions and the long, drawn out civil war. The government officially recognizes 18 religious sects of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Religious differences are built into government and politics. Christians are guaranteed 50% of the seats in parliament. The President is always a Christian and the Prime Minister and Speaker of the House are Muslims.

The Druze are awarded 8 seats in parliament. The government maintains that this system prevents one community from gaining an advantage over the others. Religion affects almost all areas of culture. Family laws such as divorce, separation, child custody, and inheritance are handled in religious courts and there is not a uniform system for all citizens. 

Loyalty to a Group

A person’s name and honour are their most cherished possessions. This extends also to the family and wider group. Therefore the behaviour of individual family members is viewed as the direct responsibility of the family. It is crucial for the Lebanese to maintain their dignity, honour, and reputation. The Lebanese strive to avoid causing another person public embarrassment. This can be seen when they agree to perform a favour for a friend to maintain that friend’s honour even if they know that they will not do what is asked. 

Hospitable People

The Lebanese are proud of their tradition of hospitality. This is a culture where it is considered an honour to

have a guest in your home. One should therefore not seen being invited quite quickly to someone’s home for something to eat as strange. Guests are generally served tea or coffee immediately. Good manners dictate that such offers are accepted; never reject such an offer as this may be viewed as an insult.

Lebanese Customs and

Etiquette

Greeting people

Greetings in Lebanon

are an interesting mix of

both the French and

Muslim/Arab cultures.

A warm and welcoming

smile accompanied by a

handshake while saying

“Marhaba” is a greeting

that can be given

without causing offense.

You will see the greeting

close friends with three

kisses on the cheek,

alternating cheeks in the

French style.

Take time when

greeting a person and

be sure to ask about

their family, health, etc.

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If man is greeting

Muslim women you may

find that some wish not

to shake hands; it is

best to see if a hand is

extended or not first.

Gift Giving Etiquette

Gifts are part and parcel

of the culture and are

not only for birthdays

and special occasions.

Gifts may be given to

someone who has

provided a favour, to

someone returning from

a trip overseas, or

simply out of want.

The cost of the gift is not

nearly as important as

what it represents –

friendship.

If you are invited to a

Lebanese home, it is

customary to bring

flowers. If invited for a

meal, you may bring

sweets or pastries.

If visiting a Muslim

family, it is a good idea

to say that the gift is for

the host rather than the

hostess.

Gifts of alcohol are

welcome in many

circles. Muslims though

generally do not drink

alcohol.

A small gift such a

sweet for the children is

always a nice touch.

Gifts may be given with

the right hand or both

hands. It is best not to

offer a gift with the left

hand.

Dining Etiquette

If you are invited to a Lebanese house for dinner:

Temple of Jupiter Ruins in Baalbek

Dress well.

Avoid sensitive topics of

conversation such as

politics, religion or the

civil war unless you

know the hosts are

comfortable talking

about it.

Greet elders first.

Lebanese table

manners are relatively

formal.

Wait to be told where to

sit.

Table manners are

Continental, i.e. the fork

is held in the left hand

and the knife in the right

while eating.

You will be expected to

try all foods at the table.

Expect to be urged to

take second or even

third helpings. It is best

to eat less on your first

helping so that a second

helping is possible. This

shows your host you are

enjoying the food and

are being taken care of.

Business Etiquette, Customs and Protocol

Meeting and Greeting

Lebanese can be

somewhat formal in their

business dealings. At

the same time, they will

strive to be hospitable

and will go out of their

way to be generous and

gracious hosts.

Greetings should not be

rushed. It is important to

take time to exchange

social pleasantries

during the greeting

process.

The most common

greeting in business is

the handshake with

direct eye contact.

The handshake may be

more prolonged that in

Western countries.

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Very religious Muslims

may not shake hands

across genders. In such

cases, the foreign

business people should

simply nod their heads

as a way of

acknowledging them.

If someone is introduced

with a title, use that title

when greeting them. If

the title is given in

Arabic, it is appended to

the first name. If the title

is in English or French,

it will be added to the

surname.

Business cards are

given without formal

ritual.

Having one side of your

card translated into

French or Arabic is a

nice touch but not

essential.

Present and receive

business cards with two

hands or the right hand.

Communication Styles

The Lebanese are very “touchy-feely”. Direct eye contact with a lot of physical contact is the cornerstones of Lebanese communication. If you are from a culture where eye contact is less direct and contact not so prevalent, this may feel uncomfortable. Try not to

break the eye contact as this conveys trust, sincerity and honesty. However, interestingly the situation is reversed when dealing with elders where prolonged direct eye contact is considered rude and challenging. Lebanese have an indirect and non-confrontational communication style, which relates to the need to maintain personal honour. They rely heavily on the context to explain the underlying meaning of their words. The listener is expected to know what they are trying to say or imply. Non-verbal cues and body language are crucial to learn so you can more fully understand the responses you are given. For the most part, Lebanese try not to lose their tempers publicly since such behaviour demonstrates a weakness of character. They strive to be courteous and expect similar behaviour from others. However, if they think that their honour has been impugned or that their personal honour has been challenged, they will raise their voice and employ sweeping hand gestures in their vociferous attempt to restore their honour. 

Business Meetings

The business culture in Lebanon is multi-faceted

and also rapidly changing. The country is eager for foreign investment and many companies have adopted a Western approach to business. At the same time, smaller companies may retain many Middle Eastern aspects to their business culture. Punctuality is generally expected for business meetings. Meetings generally begin with the offer of tea or coffee. While this is being sipped, it is important to engage in some chitchat. This is important in order to establish rapport and trust. Meetings are not necessarily private. The Lebanese tend to have an open-door policy, which means that people may walk in and out, telephone calls may be answered or the tea boy may come in to take drink orders. It is best to be prepared for frequent interruptions. Meetings are generally conducted in French, Arabic or English. It is generally a good idea to ask which language the meeting will be conducted in prior to arriving. You may wish to hire your own interpreter.

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ISRAEL

President: Shimon Peres (2013)Prime Minister: Benjamin NetanyahuType of Government: Unitary semi-presidentialparliamentary democracy

Geography

Population: 8,051,200(2013 est.)Density: 377/km2 (35th)Age structure:0-14 years 27.3%15-64 years 62.2%65-over 10.5%Growth rate: 1.87%Birth rate: 21.4 births/1,000 population (101st)

Death rate: 5.52 deaths/1,000 population (174th)

Life expectancy:81.17 years (18th)

• male 78.96 years• female 83.49 yearsFertility rate: 3.00 children born/woman (76th)

Infant mortality rate: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live birthsSex ratioTotal 1.01 male(s)/femaleAt birth1.05 male(s)/femaleUnder 15 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years 1.03 male(s)/female65-over 0.78 male(s)/femaleNationalityNationality IsraelisMajor ethnic Jews, ArabsMinor ethnic Druze, Maronites, ArmeniansAreaTotal 27,000 km2Water 430 km2Latitude 31°30' NLongitude 34°45'EBordersEgypt 277 kmJordan 335 kmLebanon 79 kmSyria 76 kmCoastlines 273 km'Melting pot' approach

President Shimon Pers

With the waves of Jewish aliyah in the 19th and 20th centuries, the existing culture was supplemented by the culture and traditions of the returning population. Zionism links the Jewish people to the Land of Israel, the homeland of the Jews between around 1200 BCE and 70 CE (end of the Second Temple era). However, modern Zionism evolved both politically and religiously. Though Zionist groups were first competing with other Jewish political movements, Zionism became an equivalent to political Judaism during and after the Holocaust.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

The first Israeli prime minister, David Ben Gurion, led a trend to blend the many immigrants who, in the first years of the state, had arrived from Europe, North Africa, and Asia, into one 'melting pot' that would not differentiate between the older residents of the country and the new immigrants. The original purpose was to unify the immigrants with the veteran Israelis for the creation of a common Hebrew culture, and to build a new nation in the country.

Two central tools employed for this purpose were the Israel Defense Forces, and the education system. The Israel Defense Forces, by means of its transformation to a national army, would constitute a common ground between all civilians of the country, wherever they are. The education system, having

been unified under Israeli law, enabled different students from different sectors to study together at the same schools. Gradually, Israeli society became more pluralistic, and the 'melting pot' declined over the years.

Some critics of the 'melting pot' consider it to have been a necessity in the first years of the state, in order to build a mutual society, but now claim that there is no longer a need for it. They instead see a need for Israeli society to enable people to express the differences and the exclusivity of every stream and sector. Others, mainly Mizrahi Jews and Holocaust survivors, have criticized the early 'melting pot' process. According to them, they were forced to give up or conceal their diaspora heritage and culture, which they brought from their diaspora countries, and to adopt a new "Sabra" culture.

Language

Hebrew ulpan in Dimona, 1955

While Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages

of the State of Israel, over 83 languages are spoken in the country.

As new immigrants arrived, Hebrew language instruction was important. Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, who founded the Hebrew Language Committee, coined thousands of new words and concepts based on Biblical, Talmudic and other sources, to cope with the needs and demands of life in the 20th century. Learning Hebrew became a national goal, employing the slogan "Yehudi, daber Ivrit" ("Jew - speak Hebrew"). Special schools for Hebrew language learning, ulpanim, were set up all over the country.

Literature

The first works of Hebrew literature in Israel were written by immigrant authors rooted in the world and traditions of European Jewry. Yosef Haim Brenner (1881–1921) and Shmuel Yosef Agnon (1888–1970), are considered by many to be the fathers of modern Hebrew literature. Brenner, torn between

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hope and despair, struggled with the reality of the Zionist enterprise in the Land of Israel. Agnon, Brenner's contemporary, fused his knowledge of Jewish heritage with the influence of 19th and early 20th century European literature. He produced fiction dealing with the disintegration of traditional ways of life, loss of faith, and the subsequent loss of identity. In 1966, Agnon was co-recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Native-born writers who published their work in the 1940s and 1950s, often called the "War of Independence generation," brought a sabra mentality and culture to their writing. S. Yizhar, Moshe Shamir, Hanoch Bartov and Benjamin Tammuz vacillated between individualism and commitment to society and state. In the early 1960s, A.B. Yehoshua, Amos Oz, and Yaakov Shabtai broke away from ideologies to focus on the world of the individual, experimenting with narrative forms and writing styles such as psychological realism, allegory, and symbolism.

Since the 1980s and early 1990s, Israeli literature has been widely translated, and several Israeli writers have achieved international recognition.

Visual arts

From the beginning of the 20th century, visual arts in Israel have shown a creative orientation, influenced both by the West and East, as well as by the land itself, its development, the character of the cities, and stylistic trends emanating from art centers abroad. In painting, sculpture, photography, and other art forms, the country's varied landscape is the protagonist: the hill terraces and ridges produce special dynamics of line and shape; the foothills of the Negev, the prevailing grayish-green vegetation, and the clear luminous light result in distinctive color effects; and the sea and sand affect surfaces. On the whole, local landscapes, concerns, and politics lie at the center of Israeli art, and ensure its uniqueness.

The earliest Israeli art movement was the Bezalel school of the Ottoman and early Mandate period, when artists portrayed both Biblical and Zionist subjects in a style influenced by the European Art Nouveau movement, symbolism, and traditional Persian, Jewish, and Syrian artistry.

Music

Classical music in Israel has been vibrant since the 1930s, when hundreds of music teachers and students, composers, instrumentalists and singers, as well as thousands of music lovers, streamed into the country, driven by the threat of Nazism in Europe. Israel is also home to several world-class classical music ensembles, such as the Israel Philharmonic and the New Israeli Opera. The founding of The Palestine Philharmonic Orchestra (today the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra) in 1936 marked the beginning of Israel's classical music scene. In the early 1980s, the New Israeli Opera began staging productions,

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reviving public enthusiasm for operatic works. Russian immigration in the 1990s boosted the classical music arena with new talents and music lovers.

The contemporary music scene in Israel is hugely varied, dynamic and eclectic. It spans the spectrum of musical genres, and often fuses many musical influences, ranging from Ethiopian, Middle-Eastern soul, rock, jazz, hip-hop, electronic, Arabic, pop and mainstream. Israeli music is versatile, and combines elements of both western and eastern music. It tends to be very eclectic, and contains a wide variety of influences from the Diaspora, as well as more modern cultural importations: Hassidic songs, Asian pop, Arab folk (especially by Yemenite singers), and Israeli hip hop or heavy metal. Also popular are various forms of electronic music, including trance, Hard trance, and Goa trance. Notable artists from Israel in this field are few, but include the psychedelic trance duo Infected Mushroom.

Dance

Traditional folk dances of Israel include the Hora and Yemenite dance. Israeli folk dancing today is choreographed for recreational and performance dance groups.

Modern dance in Israel has won international acclaim. Israeli choreographers, among them Ohad Naharin and Barak Marshall, are considered among the most versatile and original international creators working today. Notable Israeli dance companies include the Batsheva Dance Company and the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. People come from all over Israel and many other nations for the annual dance festival in Karmiel, held in July. First held in 1988, the Karmiel Dance Festival is the largest celebration of dance in Israel, featuring three or four days and nights of dancing, with 5,000 or more dancers and a quarter of a million

spectators in the capital of Galilee. Begun as an Israeli folk dance event, the festivities now include performances, workshops, and open dance sessions for a variety of dance forms and nationalities. Choreographer Yonatan Karmon created the Karmiel Dance Festival to continue the tradition of Gurit Kadman's Dalia Festival of Israeli dance, which ended in the 1960s.

Famous companies and choreographers from all over the world have come to Israel to perform and give master classes. In July 2010, Mikhail Baryshnikov came to perform in Israel.

PALESTINE

President: Mahmoud Abbas

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Type of Government: Parliamentary Democracy

Demographical Statistics

Population: West Bank: 3,092,555 Gaza Strip: 1,604,238

Population growth rate: West Bank: 2.097% Gaza Strip: 3.422%

Birth rate: West Bank: 24.56 births/1,000 population Gaza Strip: 39.45 births/1,000 population

Death rate: West Bank: 3.58 deaths/1,000 population Gaza Strip: 3.8 deaths/1,000 population

Climate: West Bank: temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Gaza Strip: temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Palestine Culture

The Culture of Palestine is closely related to those of the nearby Levantine countries such as Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, and the Arab World. Cultural contributions to the fields ofart, literature, music, costume and cuisine express

the Palestinian experience despite the geographical separation between Palestinian territories, Israel and the Diaspora. Al-Quds Capital of Arab Culture is an initiative undertaken by UNESCO under the Cultural Capitals Program to promote Arab culture and encourage cooperation in the Arab region. The opening event was launched in March 2009.

President Mahmoud Abbas

Folklore

Palestinian folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, and comprising the traditions (including oral traditions) of Palestinian culture. The folklorist revival among Palestinian intellectuals such as Nimr Sirhan, Musa Allush, Salim Mubayyid, and the PalestinianFolklore Society of the 1970s,

emphasized pre-Islamic (and pre-Hebraic) cultural roots, re-constructing Palestinian identity with a focus on Canaanite and Jebusite cultures. Such efforts seem to have borne fruit as evidenced in the organization of celebrations like the Qabatiya Canaanite festival and the annual Music Festival of Yabus by the Palestinian Ministry of Culture.

Costumes

Foreign travelers to Palestine in late 19th and early 20th centuries often commented on the rich variety of costumes among the Palestinian people, and particularly among the fellaheen or village women. Until the 1940s, a woman's economic status, whether married or single, and the town or area they were from could be deciphered by most Palestinian women by the type of cloth, colors, cut, and embroidery motifs, or lack thereof, used for the robe-like dress or "thoub" in Arabic.

New styles began to appear the 1960s. For example the "six-branched dress" named after the six wide bands of embroidery running down from the waist. These styles came from the refugee camps, particularly after 1967.

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Individual village styles were lost and replaced by an identifiable "Palestinian" style. The shawal, a style popular in the West Bank and Jordan before the First Intifada, probably evolved from one of the manywelfare embroidery projects in the refugee camps. It was a shorter and narrower fashion, with a western cut.

Dance

The Dabke dance is marked by synchronized jumping, stamping, and movement, similar to tap dancing. One version is performed by men, another by women.

Folk Tales

Traditional storytelling among Palestinians is prefaced with an invitation to the listeners to give blessings to God and the Prophet Mohammed or the Virgin Mary as the case may be, and includes the traditional opening: "There was, or there was not, in the oldness of time ..." Formulaic elements of the stories share much in common with the wider Arab world, though the rhyming scheme is distinct. There are a cast of supernatural characters: Jinss and Djinns who can cross the Seven Seas in an instant, giants, and

ghouls with eyes of ember and teeth of brass.

Music

Palestinian music is well known throughout the Arab world. After 1948, a new wave of performers emerged with distinctively Palestinian themes relating to dreams of statehood and burgeoning nationalist sentiments. In addition to zajal and ataaba, traditional Palestinian songs include: Bein Al-dawai, Al-Rozana, Zarif – Al-Toul, and Al-Maijana, Dal'ona, Sahja/Saamir, Zaghareet. Over three decades, the Palestinian National Music and Dance Troupe (El Funoun) and Mohsen Subhi have reinterpreted and rearranged traditional wedding songs such as Mish'al (1986), Marj Ibn 'Amer(1989) and Zaghareed (1997). Ataaba is a form of folk singing that consists of 4 verses, following a specific form and meter. The distinguishing feature of ataaba is that the first three verses end with the same word meaning three different things, and the fourth verse serves as a conclusion. It is usually followed by a dalouna.

Sports

The Palestinian Oympic committee is working with

the Israeli Olympic committee to train for the 2012 Olympic games, and participation in the2013 Mediterranean Games.

There is a West Bank Premier League, and Gaza Strip League. The Palestine national football team played Afghanistan in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The Beit Jala Lions is a West Bank Rugby Union team.

The Turmus Aya Equestrian Club, established in 2007, is a riding club dedicated to the mission of providing affordable access to horses for Palestinians. Ashraf Rabi, the founder, maintains that "this is part of the development of Palestine. Horses are a big part of our Arab culture and we must embrace it.

Modern Art

Similar to the structure of Palestinian society, the Palestinian field of arts extends over four main geographic centers: 1) the West Bank and Gaza Strip 2) Israel 3) the Palestinian diaspora in the Arab world, and 4) the Palestinian diaspora in Europe, the United States and elsewhere.

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Contemporary Palestinian art finds its roots in folk art and traditional Christian and Islamic painting. After the 1948 Palestinian exodus, nationalistic themes have predominated as Palestinian artists use diverse media to express and explore their connection to identity and land. In the 1990s Salam Dyab, Hisham Zreiq, Issa Dibe and others began to adopt modern styles and symbolism.

Contemporary Arts

Film

Palestinian cinema is relatively young compared to Arab cinema overall and many Palestinian movies are made with European and Israeli support. Palestinian films are not exclusively produced in Arabic; some are made in English, French or Hebrew. More than 800 films have been produced about Palestinians, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and other related topics, examples include Divine

Intervention and Paradise Now.

Literature

The long history of the Arabic language and its rich written and oral tradition form part of the Palestinian literary tradition as it has developed over the course of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Since 1967, most critics have theorized the existence of three "branches" of Palestinian literature, loosely divided by geographic location: 1) from inside Israel, 2) from the occupied territories, 3) from among the Palestinian diaspora throughout the Middle East.

YEMEN

 Yemen is an Arab country located in Western Asia,

occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea to the south, and Oman to the east.

Yemen is one of the oldest centers of civilization in the Near East. Its capital and largest city is Sana'a. Yemen's territory includes more than 200 islands, the largest of which is Socotra, about 354 km (220 mi) to the south of mainland Yemen. It is the only state in the Arabian Peninsula to have a purely republican form of government. Yemen was the first country in the Arabian peninsula to grant women the right to vote. Yemeni unification took place on 22 May 1990, when North Yemen was united with South Yemen, forming the Republic of Yemen.

The majority of Yemen's population is divided into tribal groups, especially in the northern areas of the country where 85% of local residents belong to various tribes There are also small groups of

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peoples of Turkish/Ottoman origin in urban areas. Yemen is a member of the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and Ali Abdullah Saleh was the first elected president of the reunified Yemen. Since the 1990s, the Houthis (an armed Zaydi group) has attempted to establish Zaydi Shia principles in the country

President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi

Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi is a Yemeni major general and politician who has been the President of Yemen since 27 February 2012. He was previously the Vice President from 1994 to 2012. Between 4 June and 23 September 2011, he was the acting President of Yemen while Ali Abdullah Saleh was undergoing medical treatment in Saudi

Arabia following an attack on the presidential palace during the 2011 Yemeni uprising. Then, on 23 November, Hadi became Acting President again, after Saleh moved into a non-active role pending thepresidential election "in return for immunity from prosecution." Hadi was "expected to form a national unity government and also call for early presidential elections within 90 days" while Saleh continued to serve as President in name only.

Government type

Government

Yemen is governed under the constitution of 1991 as amended. The president, who is head of state, is elected by popular vote for a seven-year term. The government is headed by the prime minister, who is appointed by the president. The bicameral legislature consists of the Shura Council, whose 111 members are appointed by the president, and the House of Representatives, whose 301 members are popularly elected to six-year terms. Administratively, the

country is divided into 19 governorates.

POPULATION in Yemen

Population: 24,771,809 (July 2012 est.)

Definition: This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,

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Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

CULTURE IN YEMEN

Literature

Music

The music of Yemen is primarily known abroad for a series of pan-Arab popular stars and the Yemenite Jews, who became musical stars in Israel during the 20th century. In the Arab World, Yemen has long been a cultural center.

Yemen's national anthem is "United Republic" written by Abdallah "al-Fadhool" Abdulwahab Noman.

UNESCO proclaimed the tradition of poetic songs in Sana'a, called al-Ghina al-San'ani, a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on November 7, 2003.

Religion

Religion in Yemen consists primarily of two

principal religious groups of Islam; Sunni and Shi'a. About 52% of the Muslim population is Sunni, and 46% is Shi'a. Sunnis are primarily Shafi'i, but also include significant groups of Malikis and Hanbalis. Shi'as are primarily Zaidis, and also have significant minorities of Twelver Shi'as and Musta'ali Western Isma'ili Shi'as (see: Shia Islam in Yemen).

The Sunnis are predominantly in the south and southeast. The Zaidis are predominantly in the north and northwest, while the Jafaris and Ismailis are mostly located in the main centers of Sana'a and Ma'rib. There are mixed communities in the larger cities.

Less than 1% of Yemenis are non-Muslim, adhering to Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Atheism. There are also approximately 3,000 Christians, 400 Jews, and an extreme minority of Hindus. Neither the constitution nor other laws protect or inhibit freedom of religion; however, government policies contributed to the

generally free practice of religion.

Cuisine

The Yemeni cuisine is entirely distinct from the more widely known Middle Eastern cuisines, and even differs slightly from region to region. Chicken and lamb are eaten more often than beef, which is expensive. Fish is also eaten, especially in the coastal areas.

Saltah: National Food

Cheese, butter, and other dairy products are less common in the Yemeni diet. Buttermilk, however, is enjoyed almost daily in some villages where it is most available. The most commonly used lipids are vegetable oil and ghee used in savory dishes, and semn (clarified butter) is the choice of fat used in pastries.

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Although each region has their own variation, Saltah is considered the national dish. The base is a brown meat stew called maraq, a dollop offenugreek froth, and sahawiq or sahowqa (a mixture of chillies, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs ground into a salsa). Rice, potatoes, scrambled eggs, and vegetables are common additions to saltah. It is eaten traditionally with Yemeni flat bread, which serves as a utensil to scoop up the food.

Shakshouka is a popular dish in Yemen. Shakshouka is made with eggs, meat, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices (often including cumin,turmeric, and chillies), and usually served with Yemeni flat bread or white bread as a utensil.

Other popular dishes include: aseed, fahsa, thareed, samak mofa, mandi, biryani, fattah, shafut, and fatoot.

Milk tea (after qat), black tea (with cardamom, clove, or mint), qishr (coffee

husks), qahwa (coffee), karkadin (an infusion of dried hibiscus flowers),Naqe'e Al Zabib (cold raisin drink), and diba'a (squash nectar) are popular drinks from all over Yemen. Mango and guava juice are also popular.

Malooga and laxoox are the most popular kinds of flat breads found in Yemen. Malooga is eaten with bean dishes, such as ful medames (it is similar to rice and beans). Laxoox is eaten with curry, stews, and Yemeni soups, as well as rice dishes.

Sport

Football is the most popular sport in Yemen. The Yemen national football team competes in the FIFA and AFC leagues. The country also hosts many football clubs, that compete in the national and international leagues.

Yemen's mountains provide many opportunities for outdoor sports, such as biking, rock climbing, hill climbing, hiking, skiing, mountain jumping, and more challenging mountain

climbing. Mountain climbing and hiking tours to the Sarawat Mountains and the Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb, including the 5,000 m peaks in the region, are seasonally organized by local and international alpine agencies.

Socotra Island

The coast of Yemen and Socotra also provide many opportunities for water sports, such as surfing, bodyboarding, sailing, swimming, and scuba diving. Socotra island is home to one of the best surfing destinations in the world.

PRODUCT of Yemen

Agriculture

Agriculture - products: grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock

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(sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish

QATAR

Emir of the State of Qatar (Head of State): Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Sheikh Hamad is credited with transforming Qatar from an underdeveloped, Bedouin nation into a bustling modern country. Under his reign, the country won the right to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Doha, the first event of its kind to occur in the Middle East. Under the patronage of Sheikh Hamad and his wife Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Misnad, several world-class academic institutions have opened campuses in Doha, including Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, Texas A&M University and Weill Cornell Medical College.

Government

Type: Constitutional monarchy. (a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the guidelines of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified, or blended constitution.)Independence: September 3, 1971.Constitution: Approved by popular vote 2003; came into force June 2005.Branches: Executive--Council of Ministers. Legislative--Advisory Council (currently appointed pending elections; has assumed only limited responsibility to date). Judicial--independent.Subdivisions: Fully centralized government; seven municipalities.Political parties: None.Suffrage: Universal over age 18, since 1999.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani

Population

First records about the demographics of Qatar dated back to 1892 which was prepared by Ottoman governors in the region. Based on this census, which only includes the residents in cities, total population of Qatar in 1892 is 9,830

The 2010 census recorded the total population at 1,699,435.[2] In January 2013, the Qatar Statistics Authority estimated the country's population at 1,903,447, of which 1,405,164 are males and 498,283 females.[1] At the time of the first census, held in 1970, the population was 111,133.[82]

The population has tripled in the decade to 2011, up from just over 600,000 people in 2001, leaving Qatari nationals as less than 15% of the total population.[83] The influx of male laborers has skewed the gender balance, and women are now just one-quarter of the population.[83]

The make up of ethnic groups is as follows: Qatari (Arab) 15%; other Arab 13%; Indian 24%; Nepali 16%; Filipino 11%; Sri Lankan 5%; Bangladesh: 5%; Pakistani 4%; other: 7%.[13] In 2010, there were 250,000

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Filipinos in Qatar, making them the third largest among expatriates.[84]

Projections released by Qatar Statistical Authourity indicate that the total population of Qatar could reach 2.8 million by 2020. Qatar’s National Development Strategy (2011–16) had estimated that the country’s population would reach 1.78m in 2013, 1.81m in 2014, 1.84m in 2015 and 1.86m in 2016 — the yearly growth rate being merely 2.1 percent. But the country’s population has soared to 1.83 million by the end of 2012, showing 7.5 percent growth over the previous year.

People

Nationality: Noun and adjective--Qatari(s).Population (May 2008 est.): 1,448,446; males 1,096,815 (75.7%); females 351,630 (24.3%).Population growth rate (May 2008 est.): 59.6%.Ethnic groups: Qatari (Arab) 20%; other Arab 20%; Indian 20%; Filipino 10%; Nepali 13%; Pakistani 7%; Sri Lankan 5%; other 5%.Religion: Islam (state religion, claimed by virtually all of the

indigenous population).Languages: Arabic (official); English (widely spoken).Education: Compulsory--ages 6-16. Attendance--98%. Literacy (2004 est.)--89% total population, 89.1% male, and 88.6% female.Health (2007 est.): Infant mortality rate--17.46/1,000 live births. Life expectancy--74.14 years.Work force (2006): 508,000. Private sector--61.2%; mixed sector--28.5%; government--5.6%.ear.

Traditions and Customs of Qatar

Pork is illegal in Qatar, and observant Muslims will not drink alcohol. The meat they eat must be Halal: the name of God must be uttered at the moment the animal is killed (normally by slitting its throat) and as much blood as possible should be drained out of the animals' body before it dies.

In Qatar, despite the hot weather, people do not wear revealing clothes (singlets and shorts) as it is a quranic requirement that Muslims, both male and female, dress and behave modestly, for non-Muslims, wearing revealing clothes will be offensive to the Qatari culture.

In general, the Qatari Inhabitants are of Arabic origin and the culture is very much based on Islamic tradition. Islam is the dominant influence on day-to-day life. This rich cultural tradition is present in what they wear, eat and drink. Qataris are known for their generosity and friendliness, thus making Qatar a very welcoming country.

Traditional dress is evident throughout Qatar with the men wearing a long flowing white garment called the dishdha or thobe with a headdress called the gutra. Women in public where the black Abaya, a long loose black robe which covers the clothes worn underneath. Some women wear a thin black veil over the face, while some a burka, which sometimes can cover the cheek, bones and leave only the eyes open.

Pork is outlawed in Qatar and cannot be found anywhere- it is also illegal to bring it into the country. Muslims are forbidden to eat any meat that is not slaughtered in accordance to the Islamic code; this is referred to as halaal. Consumption of alcohol is frowned upon by Qataris.

Indigenous groups

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A large portion of the population of the present day Qatar is, or originated from, Bedu tribes. The word Bedu itself means inhabitant of the desert. Some believed that being a Bedu was a matter of tribe, whereas others believed that once settled people can no longer be called Bedu. In Qatar there are no longer any Bedouin who are still travelling, although some of the older Qataris will have spent the early part of their life travelling by camel.Despite this, many Qatari Bedouin wish to retain a link with the desert, like some keep a permanent tent in the desert, along with herds of camels and hires someone to look after them.

Language

Arabic is the official language of Qatar.There are three distinct forms of Arabic. Classical or Qur’anical Arabic, Formal or Modern Standard Arabic and Spoken or Colloquial Arabic. Classical Arabic is the form of Arabic literally found in the Qur’an. It is used neither in conversation, nor in non-religious writing. As such,

Classical Arabic is primarily learned for reading and reciting Islamic religious texts.

Mode of education

The tentative beginnings of education in Qatar were in the first half of the twentieth century when boys and girls were taught in the traditional ‘katateeb’ schools. They were taught many subjects but without a formal system. Since those early days, education in Qatar has made great leaps and developed into a system of education reaching all the way to highest stages. Qatar follows a policy of compulsory and continuous education where all citizens receive free schooling reflecting the country’s identity and providing equal opportunities to all.

Qatar follows a policy of compulsory education until the end of the preparatory stage and free education to all citizens. Basic education consists of the following stages,

Elementary Stage: Six years 

Preparatory Stage: Three years 

Secondary Stage: Three years

The secondary stage was divided into two streams of specialization: scientific and literary. In 1962 religious and trade education were incorporated in the general education system.

The country has 113 elementary schools; 60 for boys and 53 for girls, 56 preparatory schools; 28 for boys and 28 for girls, and 41 secondary schools; 19 for boys and 22 for girls. Government schools provide free education for the children of non-Qatari residents who work for the public sector. Qatar also has private schools as well as schools for the different Arab communities like the Lebanese, Jordanian and Sudanese schools plus those for non-Arab communities like the Indian, American and other schools.

The curriculum of the Primary and intermediate cycles emphasize basic literacy and numeracy skills.The Secondary cycle focuses on preparing students for University, technical or vocational training, or for joining the workforce directly.

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Product:

Petroleum is the cornerstone of Qatar's economy and accounts for more than 70% of total government revenue, more than 60% of gross domestic product, and roughly 85% of export earnings. Proved oil reserves of 15 billion barrels (588,000,000 m³) should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP that ranks among the highest in the world. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7000 km³, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of off-shore petroleum and the diversification of the economy.

SAUDI ARABIA

The King of Saudi Arabia is Saudi Arabia's head of state and absolute monarch (i.e. head of government). He serves as the head of the Saudi monarchy — House of

Saud. The King is called the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The title, which signifies Saudi Arabia's jurisdiction over the mosques of Masjid al Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, replaced His Majesty in 1986.

KINGS OF SAUDI ARABIA (1932–PRESENT).

Ibn Saud26 November 1876 – 9 November 1953 (aged 76)22 September 1932 9 November 1953

Saud12 January 1902 – 23 February 1969 (aged 67)9 November 1953 2 November 1964(deposed)Son of Ibn Saud and Wadhah bint Muhammad bin 'Aqab

FaisalApril 1906 – 25 March 1975(aged 69)2 November 1964 25 March 1975(assassinated)Son of Ibn Saud and Tarfa bint Abduallah bin Abdulateef al Sheekh

Khalid13 February 1913 – 13 June 1982 (aged 69)25 March 1975 13 June 1982Son of Ibn Saud and Al Jawhara bint Musaed bin Jiluwi

Fahd

16 March 1921 – 1 August 2005 (aged 84)13 June 1982 1 August 2005Son of Ibn Saud and Hassa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi

Abdullah1 August 1924 (age 89)1 August 2005Incumbent Son of Ibn Saud and Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim

GOVERNMENT

Saudi Arabia is a monarchy based on Islam. The government is headed by the King, who is also the commander in chief of the military.

The King appoints a Crown Prince to help him with his duties. The Crown Prince is second in line to the throne.

The King governs with the help of the Council of Ministers, also called the Cabinet.

There are 22 government ministries that are part of the Cabinet. Each ministry specializes in a different part of the government, such as foreign affairs, education and finance.

The King is also advised by a legislative body called the Consultative Council

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(Majlis Al-Shura). The Council proposes new laws and amends existing ones. It consists of 150 members who are appointed by the King for four-year terms that can be renewed.

The country is divided into 13 provinces, with a governor and deputy governor in each one. Each province has its own council that advises the governor and deals with the development of the province.

Because Saudi Arabia is an Islamic state, its judicial system is based on Islamic law (Shari’ah). The King is at the top of the legal system. He acts as the final court of appeal and can issue pardons. There are also courts in the Kingdom. The largest are the Shari’ah Courts, which hear most cases in the Saudi legal system.

POPULATION

28.29 million (2012)Saudi Arabia, Population

CULTURE OF SAUDI ARABIA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The cultural setting of Saudi Arabia is Arab and Islam, and features many

elements from historical ritual and folk culture such as dance and music. Traditional values and cultural mores are adapted into legal prohibitions, even for non-Muslims who are forbidden by law from publicly practicing their faith inside the kingdom, although they are free to do so in the privacy of their own homes. For example, Christmas decorations are sold in supermarkets, but you will not find Christmas parties advertised. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited as are pork products. Women may not ride a bicycle, drive a car, or even sell make-up to other women. Saudi Arabia is well known for its unique way of life which, in its own way, preserves its centuries-old heritage.[citation needed]

ECONOMY OF SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government control over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 18% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC, although its influence has waned in recent years.

Economic overview

The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 92.5% of budget revenues,55% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly five and a half million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. The government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. The government has begun to permit private sector and foreign investor participation in the power generation and telecom sectors. As part of its effort to attract foreign investment and diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO in 2005 after many years of negotiations. With high oil revenues enabling the government to post large budget surpluses, Riyadh has been able to substantially boost spending on job training and education, infrastructure development, and government salaries.

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KUWAIT

National name: Dawlat al-Kuwayt

Emir: Sheik Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (2006)

Prime Minister: Sheikh Jabir al-Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah (2011)

Government : Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy, governed by the al-Sabah family

Total area: 6,880 sq mi (17,819 sq km)

Population (2012 est.): 2,646,314 (growth rate: 1.883%); birth rate: 20.96/1000; infant mortality rate: 7.87/1000; life expectancy: 77.28

Monetary unit: Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Languages: Arabic (official), English

Religions: Islam 85% (Sunni 70%, Shiite 30%); Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Geography: Kuwait is situated northeast of Saudi Arabia at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, south of Iraq. It is slightly larger than Hawaii. The low-lying desert land is mainly sandy and barren.

Climate

The spring season in March is warm and

pleasant with occasional thunderstorms. The frequent winds from the northwest are cold in winter and spring and hot in summer. Southeasterly winds, usually hot and damp, spring up between July and October; hot and dry south winds prevail in spring and early summer. The shamal, a northwesterly wind common during June and July, causes dramatic sandstorms. The temperature in Kuwait during summer is above 25 (77 F). The highest recorded temperature was 54.4 (129.9 F) which is the highest of any Middle Eastern country.

Culture:

Dress

The traditional attire for men is the dishdasha, an ankle-length garment woven from wool or cotton. This attire is particularly well-suited for Kuwait's hot and dry climate. The traditional male headdress involves the ghutrah headscarf and the agal circlet, often with a gahfiah skullcap underneath to help keep the headscarf in place. The ghutrah is a square scarf made from cotton; it may be worn differently according to the situation, but most commonly it is folded into a triangle and placed centrally on the

head so that the ends hang down equally over the shoulders. The agal is a double circlet of black cord, worn on the ghutrah to hold it in place.

Women sometimes wear the aba, a black cloak covering most parts of the body, over a dress; the traditional floor-length daraa’ or the more festive thobe. A hejabheadscarf is worn with this, with some adding a bushiya face veil or instead wearing the face-veil portion of the burqa.

Western style clothing is very popular among the youth of Kuwait

Media

Kuwait has one of the most vocal and transparent media in the Middle East. In 2007, Kuwait was ranked first in the Middle East and the Arab League byReporters Without Borders in the freedom of press index. Though the government funds several leading newspapers and satellite channels, Kuwaiti journalists enjoy greater freedom than their regional counterparts. The state-owned Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) is the largest media house in the country. The Ministry of Information regulates media and communication

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industry in Kuwait. In 2013, Kuwait was named the 77th freest country by Reporters Without Borders in the Press Freedom Index list out of 179 countries, making Kuwait the freest in freedom of press in the Middle East region.

Celebrations

Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha are two of the major festivals in Kuwait. Each year, the people of Kuwait celebrate 25 and 26 February, as the national and liberation day, respectively. On 10 November 2012, Kuwait marked the golden jubilee of its constitution with a spectacular KD 4.06-million ($15-million) fireworks display, featuring 77,282 fireworks, which earned the state a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Education

The adult literacy rate in 2008 was 93.9%. Kuwait is directing its attention towards Inclusive Education, which provides opportunity to all children, irrespective of their social class, including children with special needs. Kuwait education system is marked by several achievements in recent years. As of 2005/06 Kuwait allocates 13% of all public expenditure to education, which is

comparable to the allocation of public funds to education in many OECD countries but lower than other Arab countries. For the same years the public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was 3.9% in 2005/12 which is well below the percentage of GDP spent by OECD countries on education.

Kuwait is facing challenges in improving the quality of education at all levels and to build capacities of students' from a young age. The Ministry of Education is also making efforts to incorporate women into the educated workforce through various programs, for instance the 1989 initiative to establish daytime literacy clinics for women. The Kuwaiti government also offers scholarships to students accepted in universities in United States, United Kingdom and other foreign institutes.

According to the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, the top-ranking universities in the country are Kuwait University (1871th worldwide), the College of Technological Studies (3769th) and Arab Open University Kuwait (6725th).

Military

The State of Kuwait spends close to US$ 5 billion for defense. Its military consists of the Kuwaiti Army, with an estimated strength of 15,000 personnel, the Kuwaiti Navy, with 2,000 naval personnel and 400 coast guards, and the Kuwaiti Air Force, with an estimated strength of 2,500 personnel. The Kuwaiti National Guard is the main internal security force. Owing to its demographics and small population, Kuwait has not been able to build a sizeably large military and therefore collaborates extensively with foreign nations to preserve its security. After liberation from Iraq, Kuwait signed long-term defense cooperation agreements with the United States, Britain and France, and purchased military equipment from Egypt, Russia and the People's Republic of China as well.

Economic summary

GDP/PPP(2011 est.): $155.5 billion; per capita $42,200. Real growth rate: 8.2%.Inflation: 5.6%. Unemployment:2.2% (2004 est.). Arable land:0.84%. Agriculture: practically no crops; fish. Labor force: 2.243 million; note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force; agriculture

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n.a., industry n.a., services n.a. Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, desalination, food processing, construction materials.Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas. Exports: $94.47 billion (2011 est.): oil and refined products, fertilizers. Imports:$22.41billion (2011 est.): food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing. Major trading partners: Japan, India, South Korea, U.S., Germany, UAE, Saudi Arabia, China (2011).

Communications: Telephones:main lines in use: 566,300 (2009); mobile cellular: 4.4 million (2009).Broadcast media: state-owned TV broadcaster operates 4 networks and a satellite channel; several private TV broadcasters have emerged since 2003; satellite TV is available with pan-Arab TV stations especially popular; state-owned Radio Kuwait broadcasts on a number of channels in Arabic and English; first private radio station emerged in 2005; transmissions of at least 2 international radio broadcasters are available (2007). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2,730 (2010).Internet users: 1.1 million (2009).

Transportation: Railways: 0 km.Highways: total: 5,749 km; paved: 4,887 km; unpaved: 862 km (2004).Waterways: none. Ports and harbors: Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi.Airports: 7 (2012).

International disputes: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf.

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