The first work to offer 5,000 years of authoritative historical coverage of ancient and modern cities in the Middle East and North Africa-from their founding to the present-highlighting each city's cultural, social, political, and economic significance. Cities of the Middle East and North Africa: A Historical Encyclopedia is a comprehensive reference work on major ancient and modern cities in the Middle East and North Africa from their beginnings to today. In an unprecedented work of historical research, renowned experts Bruce Stanley and Michael Dumper provide 5,000 years of authoritative historical coverage as they trace the full trajectory of each city, discuss ties to other cities, and present a comparative analysis of the region through the lens of its cities. The A-Z entries feature extensive information about each city's location, geography, demographics, climate and environmental issues, ancient and classical history, Islamic history, post-1800 C.E. history, architecture, religious significance, cultural issues, society, municipal features, economic issues, and contemporary trends. Introductory essays explore urban general history and historiography, urban planning and modernization, poverty, interaction between cities, social welfare, culture, identity issues, and the place of these cities within the world economy. Coverage of 100 ancient and modern cities in the Middle East and North Africa 19 academic contributors from this region as well as from Europe and the United States Annotated timeline locating cities within their historical and imperial contexts 44 illustrations including the Venetian fortifications of Nicosia, the ziggurat in Ur, and the Silk Market in Cairo 8 maps including an overview map of all the cities listed in the book and sub-regional maps to clarify their location