What is Levant?

Levant is a term historically applied to the eastern Mediterranean coastal lands of Asia Minor and Phoenicia (modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon). In a wider sense, the term can also be used to encompass the entire coastline from Greece to Egypt.

At Levant Foresights, our research team has chosen to broaden this perspective by including countries bordering the Red Sea. In recent decades, their policymakers and 21st-century leaders have played an increasingly influential role in shaping policy, investment philosophy, and regional economic direction across the Mediterranean space.

In the past two years, the Eastern Mediterranean and its adjoining corridors have returned to the centre of geopolitical attention. The conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip, following the 2023 attacks by Hamas, has triggered broader regional tensions and security concerns. Hostilities involving Iran and defensive measures across Gulf states illustrate how events in one part of the region can influence stability and economic confidence elsewhere. Militant attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement on commercial vessels in the Red Sea have forced shipping companies to reroute cargo around Africa. This has increased transit times and costs and reduced shipping volumes through the Bab el-Mandeb, a critical gateway for trade between Europe, Asia, and Africa. This has also influenced security dynamics around the Strait of Hormuz, which is an essential chokepoint for around 20% of global seaborne oil and LNG.

Looking back to the early 1980s, Turkey was embroiled in internal conflict, Egypt operated under a highly centralised regime, and Israel faced persistent political controversy alongside deep social divides. At the same time, Greece was still emerging from the legacy of its military junta and working to rebuild a new social and political fabric.

Fast forward half a century and the landscape looks markedly different. Turkey and Egypt have grown significantly in both scale and confidence when engaging with global economies. Their populations have expanded from roughly 40–45 million in the early 1980s to more than 90–100 million today, forming new centres of gravity in trade and vertically integrated industries aligned with their natural resource strengths.

Israel stands out as one of the region’s strongest economic performers in the Middle East. Real estate prices have risen sharply, and its digital transformation momentum now exceeds that of many European economies. The country benefits from a robust academic research ecosystem and a globally competitive startup culture. Israeli companies have achieved strong representation on US stock exchanges, reinforcing the country’s position as a global centre for digital innovation. Industrial and digital champions, such as Waze, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Migdal Insurance, and Check Point Software Technologies, continue to influence both European and global markets.

What emerges from this evolution is a region once again shaping economic flows, policy experimentation, and geopolitical relationships across the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond. For investors, policymakers, and institutions seeking to understand these dynamics, the Levant is not merely a historical reference but a strategic space where demographic scale, industrial capacity, and political ambition intersect. At Levant Foresights, our work focuses on analysing developments across Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, providing research-driven insight and strategic intelligence to partners navigating a region whose relevance in global economic and policy conversations continues to expand.