Do you think of the Caucasus as more Asian or European? (vs., stations)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

I combination of both culturally and ethnically.

This. Too bad it wasn't an option on the poll.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Maast

The reason why this region is not placed in the Middle East is that there's a substantial difference between the Arab dominated Middle East and the South Caucasus. Same can be said in comparison of Turkey and the rest of the Middle East.

We could start a separate thread on this, but the Near East is far from entirely Arab, too. There's Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq, which aren't Arab/Semitic at all. So the Middle East/Near East is also a hodgepodge.

[Antequera]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

We could start a separate thread on this, but the Near East is far from entirely Arab, too. There's Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq, which aren't Arab/Semitic at all. So the Middle East/Near East is also a hodgepodge.

Afghanistan is not part of Middle East, and Iran is the large exception within the middle east. Of course, Iran is closer to the Arab countries culturally, ethnically than the Caucasus countries to the Arab countries. And what do you mean Iraq is not Arab/Semitic?

I said of course, Middle East is Arab/Semitic dominated, culturally and ethnically. No one in the Caucasus is Semitic nor speaks Semitic language.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Wadym

Azerbaijanians and Turks it is nearly one nation, Georgians are close to Arabs, and Armenians culturological (not ethnically) - to Jews. As a whole the Caucasian people haven't enough of general with Europeans.

Georgians are nothing like Arabs.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by Maast

Afghanistan is not part of Middle East,...

You do know that Arabs are not the only ethnic group that make up the Middle East.

[Antequera]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

You do know that Arabs are not the only ethnic group that make up the Middle East.

I think I made that very clear in my subsequent posts. I said that the Middle East for the most part is dominated by Arab/Semitic culture and people.

[Trimac20]

Afghanistan is normally considered part of Central Asia, not the Middle East.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Afghanistan is normally considered part of Central Asia, not the Middle East.

I've seen definition that puts Afghanistan in South Asia. The Middle East is probably the safest placement that most people agree on.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

I've seen definition that puts Afghanistan in South Asia. The Middle East is probably the safest placement that most people agree on.

I most commonly see it as Central Asia. Seldom have I seen it classified as Middle East, people automatically think Muslim world = Middle East. Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, and Pakistan and Bangladesh, the world's 2nd and 3rd largest Muslim nations, are not in the Middle East.

[ABQConvict]

I think there is too much ambiguity about the definition of the word 'ethnic/ethnicity' for the responses in this thread to make any sense.

Unless by 'ethnic', you all are talking about thickness of the mustache and pallor of the skin, then it makes perfect sense.

Otherwise, ethnicity and culture are close enough in sentiment to be redundant.

Anyway, I chose Europe because even the Muslim countries listed have significant European (Russian) influence and Georgia and Armenia I consider to be, on the balance, more European in tradition than Asian. Furthermore, the area of Asia associated with the Muslim nations are part of the Indo-European paradigm and are the descendants of Scythians, Sarmatians, and other Iranic groups that remained while I-E speakers went west into Europe and southeast into Persia, and the Indus and Ganges valleys.