Although Algeria was not part of the sweep of uprisings across the Middle East, protest has raged in the capital city, Algiers, over the last two years, mainly over lack of housing. The State Department warned American citizens of a high threat of terrorism and kidnappings after violence broke out in Libya, Algeria's eastern neighbor.

Less than a year after Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was deposed and killed by his own people, Libya was the catalyst for the wave of protests and violence that swept the Middle East after U.S Ambassador Christopher Stevens's death on Sept. 11. Salafists and radical Islamic groups, some believe to have al Qaeda affiliations, operate in Libya. The transitional government is headed by President Mohamed Yousef el-Magariaf, who has been seemingly unable to quell the activities of the radical groups.

Inspired by the Tunisian uprising, protests broke out in Khartoum and Al-Ubayyid in January 2011. Demonstrations were re-ignited in June with anti-austerity protests across the country.

An oil-rich country that remains highly unstable. Corruption is widespread.

A benchmark of success for its struggling neighbors in the Middle East; Turkey has acted as a diplomatic arbiter between Western and Middle Eastern powers. During the Arab Spring, many looked to Turkey as an exemplar for a moderate, modern Muslim state.

Anti-government sentiment remains high in this theocratic society, three years after the so-called Green Revolution against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in favor of opposition candidates. Protests were re-ignited along with the Arab Spring in February 2011.

A key player in the Arab Spring. Massive protests broke out in the Yemeni capital city of Sana in January 2011, with tens of thousands of protesters eventually gathering across the nation to protest unemployment and corruption. Demonstrators also called for the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Saleh was eventually ousted but still maintains some political power. Terrorism analysts believe Yemen to be an al Qaeda foothold in the region.

The birthplace of the Arab Spring. Anti-government momentum built in January 2011, leading to the ousting of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The revolution in Tunisia was the inspiration for last year's protests across the Middle East.

The biggest country in the region, where Cairo's Tahrir Square became the most recognizable symbol of 2011's Arab Spring. After weeks of protests there, involving tens of thousands of Egyptians, President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown. The Muslim Brotherhood, a moderate Muslim party, won the nation's first democratic elections. Current President Mohamed Morsi faces a delicate balance, having to satisfy both more conservative elements of society and American allies.

Solidarity with Palestinians was a major theme of the Arab Spring, and marches were planned to Palestine from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. There were pro-Palestinian demonstrations and protests across Israel during 2011. Demonstrations across the Middle East this week have targeted Israel as a source of anti-Islam sentiment, and Israeli flags have been burned across the region.

Lebanon is a fractured nation with numerous sects and religions vying for power, Its capital Beirut is a favorite tourist destination in the region. The nation is plagued by a highly unstable political life. During the Arab Spring, many observers were surprised that violence did not break out across the country. The ongoing Syrian uprising has also spread to the borders of Lebanon, causing dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.

After close to a decade of war in Iraq, American forces finally withdrew December 2011. Iraq's new post-war democracy remains fragile, plagued by corruption and violence. Throughout 2011, protests over national security and corruption issues persisted in various regions across the country.

After over a decade of war, Afghanistan remains unstable nation; the Taliban regularly mounts attacks on American and British troops still stationed there. Poverty and corruption remain rife.

Largest democracy in the world. A nation with a rapidly developing economy.