For those of us originating in the
west coast of the
United States, the "Middle East" is a relatively large, very
flat,
fertile region full of
corn and
Lutherans. This geographical region in the center of
North America has no clear borders, but pretty much always includes
Iowa,
Kansas, and
Nebraska, usually
Minnesota,
Wisconsin, the
Dakotas,
Illinois, and
Missouri, and sometimes eastern
Montana,
Michigan,
Indiana,
Ohio,
Oklahoma, or
Texas.
The great land area of the Middle East was settled by Americans following the Louisiana Purchase. Much of the land was formerly prairie, and it has been mostly converted to intense farming. The region is subject to tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Extremes of climate are typical, with cold, harsh winters, and hot, humid summers.
Important cities in the Middle East include Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, St. Louis, Des Moines, Kansas City, and Topeka. Tourist attractions in the Middle East include the Mall of America, the Mayo Clinic, the Sears Tower, the Corn Palace, the Rust Belt, Wall Drug, and lots and lots of corn.
Some people from the eastern US like to call the Middle East the "Midwest", in accordance with their relative location. Such variations in terminology demonstrate the fallacy and ethnocentricity inherent in the naming of regions by relative location.