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Politics
Andrew Thomas, Lecturer in Middle East Studies, Deakin University

What was the Sykes-Picot agreement, and why does it still affect the Middle East today?

Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Some national borders are determined by natural phenomena like seas, mountains and rivers. Most, however, are created by people.

This means the creation of borders is often a political exercise – usually informed by the interests of those who create them, not the local populations to whom they apply.

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