Shiite Crescent

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The "Shia Crescent"; numbers show percentage of Shia population. Note that most Shiites in Iraq actually live in the South, not the North of the country.
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The "Shia Crescent"; numbers show percentage of Shia population. Note that most Shiites in Iraq actually live in the South, not the North of the country.

The Shiite Crescent (or Shia Crescent) is a recent geo-political term used to describe a region of the Middle East where the majority population is Shi'a, or where there is a strong Shi'a minority in the population. It has been used to describe the potential for cooperation among these areas in Middle Eastern politics. The corresponding term is especially common in German, where it is known as Schiitischer Halbmond ("Shiite halfmoon").

The only actual nations where Shiite Muslims form a dominant majority are Azerbaijan and Iran. The shape of these two countries put together does not particularly resemble either a crescent moon or a half moon. However, by including the strong Shia majorities in Bahrain, Southern Iraq, and Lebanon, some analysts have attempted to draw an artificial, vaguely crescent-shaped swath across this region (see map).

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