The Middle East is a loose term, not always used to describe the same territory. It usually includes the Arab countries from Egypt east to the Persian Gulf, plus Israel and Iran. Turkey is sometimes considered part of the Middle East, sometimes part of Europe. Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh are usually described as South Asia.
Insects are the largest group in the animal kingdom. Scientists estimate there are over 1 million insect species on the planet, living in every conceivable environment from volcanoes to glaciers.
It is estimated that around 9 or 10 million species of animals inhabit the earth; the exact number is not known and all estimates are rough. Animals range in size from no more than a few cells to organisms weighing many tons, such as the giant squid. By far most species of animals are insects, with groups such as mollusks, crustaceans, and nematodes also being especially diverse. By this measure our own group, the vertebrates, is relatively inconsequential from a diversity perspective. All animals are members of the Kingdom Animalia, also called Metazoa.