From the Maghreb to the Hejaz, the Middle East has undergone more change in the last century than ever before: It has witnessed foreign rule and altered borders; independence and state formation; war and hunger; peace, prosperity and development. Today, the Middle East faces some of the biggest challenges yet, as citizens confront leaders, demanding an end to corruption and a greater voice in government. Throughout it all, the people of the region have shown remarkable tenacity and resilience and have fought to protect and preserve their history, faiths and cultural traditions--as this photo essay illustrates.
The Middle East Before and After
![Moroccan souqs (L) 1910, Arnold Genthe, photographer. Library of Congress. (R) Book Souq, Essaouira, Morocco, September 2007. Creative Commons/ Polylerus.](https://gdb.voanews.com/95119343-0C30-44A2-8DE9-0DB50D7D94C6_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Moroccan souqs (L) 1910, Arnold Genthe, photographer. Library of Congress. (R) Book Souq, Essaouira, Morocco, September 2007. Creative Commons/ Polylerus.
![Tunisian cafes (L) Médina de Tunis café Rue Halfaouine, c. 1900, Creative Commons (R) Tunisiens à une terrasse de café à Kairouan (Tunisie) Creative Commons/Tico.](https://gdb.voanews.com/D9619BAC-8358-4CB2-BDBC-E7BDB817C9C9_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Tunisian cafes (L) Médina de Tunis café Rue Halfaouine, c. 1900, Creative Commons (R) Tunisiens à une terrasse de café à Kairouan (Tunisie) Creative Commons/Tico.
![Palestinian olive oil production (L) Nablus, c. 1903, Library of Congress (R) Factory, Deir al-Balah, Gaza, 3 October 2010. Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa.](https://gdb.voanews.com/184044CE-2444-46D3-B4FE-EA88F429F4F3_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Palestinian olive oil production (L) Nablus, c. 1903, Library of Congress (R) Factory, Deir al-Balah, Gaza, 3 October 2010. Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa.
![Baghdad Streets. (L) Coppersmiths, Baghdad, 1932. American Colony (Jerusalem) Photo Dept. Library of Congress (R) Rice and lamb stew, cooked and given to pilgrims who pass by. 12 Feb. 2009. CC/Salam Pax.](https://gdb.voanews.com/D6C5FCDE-A97D-46F0-AFBB-E0CDCE8A547B_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Baghdad Streets. (L) Coppersmiths, Baghdad, 1932. American Colony (Jerusalem) Photo Dept. Library of Congress (R) Rice and lamb stew, cooked and given to pilgrims who pass by. 12 Feb. 2009. CC/Salam Pax.