To add to your comment: The Middle East is called „Naher Osten“ (close east) in German. „Der Osten“ (the east) on the other hand refers to the ex-GDR States.
Comment on The "western hemisphere" rubs me the wrong way
NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Phrases like the the West or Middle East make sense when all relative to Great Britain in geography.
The British had colonies all over and the terms like middle east and the west stuck. It’s also the reason for the most common world map, the Mercator projection.
5ibelius9insterberg@feddit.org 3 days ago
shawn1122@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
In UN proceedings the Middle East is referred to as West Asia.