Mashriq

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This article is about the Mashriq region. For other uses, see Mashriq (disambiguation)

Map of the Mashriq.

The Mashriq or Mashreq (Arabic: مشرق) is the region of Arabic-speaking countries to the east of Egypt. It is derived from the Arabic consonantal root sh-r-q (ش ر ق) relating to the east or the sunrise, and essentially means "east" (most literally or poetically, "place of sunrise"). It refers to a large area in the Middle East, bounded between the Mediterranean Sea and Iran. It is therefore the corresponding term of maghrib (مغرب), meaning "west", which refers to the Arab countries in North Africa. Egypt occupies an ambiguous position: while culturally and linguistically closer to the Mashriq, it is often seen as being part of neither. These geographical terms date from the early Islamic conquests. This region is somewhat synonymous with Bilad al-Sham, but also includes Iraq.