Western Asia

Western Asia is the westernmost region of the continent of Asia. Asia is the largest continent in the world by landmass and population. It covers nearly 30 percent of the Earth's land area, and its population is about 60 percent of the world's total, according to National Geographic. Western Asia is connected to the continents of Africa to the west and Europe to the north. On the east, the country of Iran borders the Southern Asian countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan and the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan.

Some researchers use the term Western Asia to lump together countries located in Central Asia, Southern Asia, the Middle East, the Near East, and Europe. While researchers sometimes designate Iran as part of Southern Asia, most group it with Western Asia. It is included in this entry. This entry focuses on nineteen countries and regions of West Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

The Palestinian territory is a recognized territory, not an official country, of Western Asia. Israel and Palestine have been fighting over land rights and control of areas known as the Gaza Strip and West Bank since 1948. Many people have died over the years as a result, and several countries have tried to intervene to help Israel and Palestine come to a peaceful agreement over the land. As of 2024, the conflict in Israel and Palestine continues, with a war breaking out in 2023.

According to the Population Reference Bureau, the total population of Western Asia—including Iran—in 2024 was about 397.2 million. Iran is the most populous country in the region at about 91.6 million in 2024, according to data from the Population Reference Bureau. Its capital is Tehran. Turkey is the second most populous at 85.4 million, and Iraq is the third most populous at 44.4 million. Their capitals are Ankara and Baghdad, respectively. Cyprus has the smallest population at 1.4 million, and Nicosia is its capital.

Saudi Arabia is the largest country in Western Asia by area at 2,149,690 square kilometers, as of 2024, according to the World Factbook. Its capital is Riyadh. Iran is the second largest at 1,648,195 square kilometers, and Turkey is the third largest by mass at 783,562 square kilometers. Bahrain is the smallest country by size at 760 square kilometers, and its capital is Manama.

Several bodies of water surround Western Asia. The nearest ocean is the Indian Ocean, which is located southeast of the region. The Red Sea is located to the west of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The Dead Sea sits among Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the northwest near Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Turkey. The Aegean Sea is to the west of Turkey, and the Black Sea is in the north above Turkey and near Georgia. The Caspian Sea lies to the northeast near Azerbaijan and above Iran. The Caspian Sea shares a border with Central Asia. The Persian Gulf is located below Iran to the southeast near Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates. The Arabian Sea lies to the south below Oman and Yemen.

Geography and Climate

Because Asia is so large, it has a varied range of climates and geographical distinctions. The continent experiences some of the coldest, driest, hottest, and wettest weather conditions in the world, according to National Geographic. Western Asia is mostly arid with many deserts and mountain ranges, but some areas do experience wet conditions. Several bodies of water encompass the region, which further affect the climate. It also has a handful of river systems and lakes. The Tigris and Euphrates are the major rivers in Western Asia. They begin in Turkey and flow through Syria and Iraq, emptying into the Persian Gulf. Lake Van is located in Turkey, and Lake Urmia is in Iran.

Western Asia has several distinct climates. The north experiences a continental climate. For example, Turkey has hot and dry summers and winters with moderate precipitation. Lush forests cover the Pontic Mountains in northern Turkey as well as areas in Georgia. The south is mostly dry except in mountainous areas where winds cause precipitation. Deserts cover much of Saudi Arabia, and the country mostly experiences very hot and dry conditions. Some parts such as the mountainous regions can see great ranges of temperatures.

Areas in the west near the Mediterranean Sea experience dry summers and winters with much precipitation. This Mediterranean climate brings in both hot tropical air and cold polar air, which influence polar-front activity and cause much precipitation in these areas—typically in the spring and inland areas. Syria, as an example, is semiarid with mountains to the west. It experiences hot and dry summers and wet winters. The Fertile Crescent area extending into Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria has vast areas of treeless steppe. The Syrian Desert is known for its thousands of native species of plants.

Areas to the east near South Asia and Central Asia experience both a subtropical desert climate and mountain-steppe climate. Southwest areas have a very arid desert climate and rough and high mountain ranges. Farming is virtually impossible in these areas without establishing irrigation systems. The region is known for heat-loving crops such as apricots, cherries, dates, figs, and onions.

Economy

Western Asia's economy mostly depends on the petroleum (oil) and natural gas industries. National Geographic states that the region contains the largest deposits of these fossil fuels in the world. According GEO ExPro magazine in 2014, the area contains more than 50 percent of the world's oil reserves and more than 40 percent of the world's oil natural gas resources. In 2022, a third of the world's oil came from Western Asia. Western Asia is known for its high-quality light sweet crude oil, which is in much demand throughout the world and used to make fuels to run vehicles and heat homes, including gasoline, diesel, and kerosene.

According to data from the World Factbook, the Western Asia region is the top exporter of petroleum and petroleum products in the world. Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of these products in the world. Russia is the second largest in the world, and Iraq is third. Canada is ranked fourth; United Arab Emirates is fifth; and Nigeria is the sixth top exporter in the world.

As of 2024, Saudi Arabia was the second top petroleum producer at 12.4 million barrels of liquid fuels every day (bbl/day), according to the World Factbook. (One oil barrel is equal to 159 liters, or 42 gallons.) The United States produced 14.83 million bbl/day, and Russia produced 11.26 million bbl/day. Iraq ranked sixth, Iran ranked seventh, and the United Arab Emirates ranked eighth as top oil producers in the world.

In addition to petroleum and natural gas, Western Asia's economy depends on other industries such as agriculture, textiles, mining, fishing, and forestry. The arid region focuses on crops that thrive in hot and dry climates, such as barley, corn, peanuts, and soybeans, as well as livestock such as sheep and goats that can survive in these conditions. Iran and Turkey are known for their thriving food processing sectors, which include sugar refinery and vegetable oil production.

Demographics

As of 2024, the Population Reference Bureau estimated Asia's total population at 4.8 billion. Of this, Western Asia's total population in 2024 was about 397.2 million. The Population Reference Bureau estimated that nearly all parts of Asia would see rapid population growth in the next several decades, with this number jumping to nearly 504 million by 2050 for Western Asia. These estimates include Iran.

While Iran is the most populous country in Western Asia, it is ranked 17 out of the 240 recognized countries and territories in the world by population, according to the World Factbook. Turkey is ranked 18, and Iraq is at 34. Cyprus, the least populated country in Western Asia, ranks at 157.

The average life expectancy in the region in 2023 was seventy-five years old, according to Statistica. Women typically live longer than men in all nineteen Western Asia countries. Israel has the highest life expectancy at eighty-two years old, and Oman is second at eighty. Yemen has the lowest life expectancy at sixty-five years old, and Syria has the second lowest at seventy-two years old. Yemen has the highest birth rate at 4.6 lifetime births per woman. Iraq is second at 3.7, and the Palestinian territory is ranked third at 3.6. Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Cyprus are tied for the lowest birth rate at 1.4 lifetime births per woman.

While Arabic is the most widely spoken language in many parts of the region, many people also speak Persian, Turkish, and Kurdish. Hebrew is prevalent in Israel and Palestine, while Yiddish is commonly spoken in Israel. English is widely spoken and understood in many of the countries in Western Asia.

Bibliography

“2024 World Population Data Sheet-Asia.” PRB, 2024-wpds.prb.org/asia/#western-asia. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

"Asia: Resources." National Geographic, education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/asia-resources/?ar‗a=1. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

“Average Life Expectancy in Asia for Those Born in 2023, By Gender and Region.” Statistica, www.statista.com/statistics/274516/life-expectancy-in-asia/. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

"Countries by Continents: Countries of Asia." One World - Nations Online, www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/asia.htm. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

“Crude Oil-Exports.” CIA World Fact Book, 2016, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/about/archives/2021/field/crude-oil-exports/country-comparison. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

"Guide: Why Are Israel and the Palestinians Fighting over Gaza?" BBC, 27 Aug. 2014, www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/20436092. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

“Life Expectancy at Birth, Total.” PRB, www.prb.org/international/indicator/life-expectancy-birth-total/map/country. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

"Map of Southwestern Asia and the Middle East." One World - Nations Online, www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/western‗asia‗map.htm. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

"Map of Western Asia." Maps of the World, /www.mapsofworld.com/asia/regions/western-asia-map.html. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

"Official and Spoken Languages of Countries in Asia and the Middle East." One World - Nations Online, www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/asian‗languages.htm. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

“Oil Production by Country.” Worldometer, www.worldometers.info/oil/oil-production-by-country/#saudi-arabia. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.