Borderline of the middle east?

Question

I noticed something quite interesting, when I was looking at the map of the Middle East. I realized that the borderlines of most of the Arab countries are rectilinear as if someone put a ruler on the map drawing lines and said this is Iraq this is Syria etc...(in my opinion a formulated scheme)

Generally borderlines are curvilinear, showing that the country was disputed, fought over and than conquered.

I would like to know every ones opinion on this issue.

Answer 1

......the main reason that you will find rectilinear lines in the map just like some areas in the middle east map to make it the job easy for the cartographers to divide country by country. Maps that you see are not 100% accurate. It's only a representation to show to people like us how countries are divided for our easy information and referrences. We do have the technology to correct it but they just adapt the map we have known years back. They only updated countries which are divided into smaller countries and change its name......that's how I see it.....

Answer 2

yep.. in british colonial days, lots of borders and countries were formed, to the un-delight of many citizens.. ie: Israel/Palestine  

Answer 3

I've seen some maps that have a dotted line between Saudi Arabia and Yemen and Saudi and Oman.  I think it's because most of that area is uninhabited.  That's the harshest part of the desert, so it's easier for them just to draw the line I guess.