Preface and acknowledgements -- Glossary -- Introduction: thinking about the Middle East -- The historical, religious, economic, and political foundations of the Middle East -- The modern history of the Middle East -- Religion in the Middle East -- The political economy of the Middle East -- Politics in the Middle East -- The countries of the Arabian Peninsula and Arabian Gulf area -- Saudi Arabia -- The Persian Gulf Emirates -- Yemen -- Iran -- Iraq -- The countries of the Eastern Mediterranean -- Egypt -- Turkey -- Syria -- Lebanon -- Israel -- Jordan -- Palestine -- The countries of north Africa -- Tunisia -- Libya -- Morocco -- Algeria.