The Near East (or Middle East – the terms will be used here interchangeably) is an amorphous term, originating in the 19th century, when it denoted the British military command from the Nile to the Oxus. It was not made up with cultural unity or boundaries in mind. In contemporary usage, the Near East encompasses the region from Rabat (Morocco) to Teheran (Iran), about 3400 miles. It includes territory on three continents.