West Asian refers to the geographic region that is located in the western part of Asia, including countries such as Iran, Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. There are several synonyms that can be used to refer to West Asian, including Middle Eastern and Near Eastern. These terms are often used interchangeably with West Asian, but there are subtle differences in their meanings. Middle Eastern generally includes all countries located in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, while Near Eastern refers to countries in the region that are closer to Europe. Other synonyms for West Asian include Southwest Asian and West Asian and North African (WANA) region.