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Quiz: How well do you know these cities from the Arab world?

Some cities in the region have experienced a dramatic transformation brought about by economic success and changes to the political order
Doha is one of several Gulf cities that have dramatically transformed in the last two decades (AFP/Giuseppe Cacace)
Par MEE staff

The Arab world was a dramatically different place even a few decades ago, not just in terms of its geopolitics but also with regard to its urban landscapes.

These changes have come as a result of upheavals in the political order with the Ottoman Empire in the Levant and Hejaz giving way to nascent Arab nation-states during the early 20th century, but also because of huge discoveries of natural resources, such as in the Gulf, which fuelled a boom in lavish construction projects.

In some cases, in the course of a single generation, modern urban centres have become unrecognisable from how they used to be. Nowhere is this more evident than in the cities of Doha in Qatar, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE. 

The transformation projects are not without their critics, with some arguing that many skyscrapers are built without any real need for them and that the ultra-futuristic skylines drown out the traditional heritage of the region.

In other instances, the urban landscapes of countries once ruled by colonial powers, such as Britain and France, remain influenced by imported European styles.

But just how many cities are you familiar with? Here Middle East Eye puts your knowledge of the region's cities to the test:

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