diff --git a/Materials/regions/materials.xml b/Materials/regions/materials.xml
index d915476b9..08b7bc2a1 100644
--- a/Materials/regions/materials.xml
+++ b/Materials/regions/materials.xml
@@ -1281,6 +1281,201 @@
   <tree-width-m>12.0</tree-width-m>
 </material>
 
+
+
+<!-- REGIONAL DEFINITIONS - MIDDLE EAST                          -->
+
+<material include="Materials/regions/middle_east.xml">
+  <name>Landmass</name>
+  <name>SomeSort</name>
+  <name>Island</name>
+  <name>Default</name>
+  <texture-set>
+   <texture>Terrain/dirtrock_dark.png</texture>
+   <texture n="11">Terrain/sand_hires_ochre.png</texture>
+   <texture n="12">Terrain/rocks-desert.png</texture>
+   <texture n="15">Terrain/sand_hires_ochre.png</texture>
+  </texture-set>
+  <parameters>
+    <hires_overlay_bias>0.1</hires_overlay_bias>
+	<dot_density>0.4</dot_density>
+  </parameters>
+  <xsize>2000</xsize>
+  <ysize>2000</ysize>
+  <light-coverage>10000000.0</light-coverage>
+  <shininess>2.5</shininess>
+  <rolling-friction>0.1</rolling-friction>
+  <friction-factor>0.7</friction-factor>
+  <bumpiness>0.1</bumpiness>
+</material>
+
+<material include="Materials/regions/middle_east.xml">
+  <effect>Effects/landmass-scrub</effect>
+  <name>ShrubCover</name>
+  <name>ShrubGrassCover</name>
+  <name>ScrubCover</name>
+  <name>Scrub</name>
+  <name>Sclerophyllous</name>
+  <texture-set>
+   <texture>Terrain/shrub1_dark.png</texture>
+   <texture n="11">Terrain/sand_hires_ochre.png</texture>
+   <texture n="12">Terrain/dirtrock_dark.png</texture>
+   <texture n="15">Terrain/airport_grass2.png</texture>
+  </texture-set>
+  <parameters>
+    <hires_overlay_bias>-0.1</hires_overlay_bias>
+  </parameters>
+  <xsize>2000</xsize>
+  <ysize>2000</ysize>
+  <diffuse>
+   <r>0.0</r>
+   <g>0.86</g>
+   <b>0.86</b>
+   <a>1.0</a>
+  </diffuse>
+  <specular>
+   <r>0.1</r>
+   <g>0.1</g>
+   <b>0.1</b>
+   <a>1.0</a>
+  </specular>
+  <shininess>1.2</shininess>
+  <light-coverage>20000000.0</light-coverage>
+  <wood-coverage>12000.0</wood-coverage>
+  <tree-texture>Trees/mixed-shrub.png</tree-texture>
+  <tree-varieties>8</tree-varieties>
+  <tree-range-m alias="/params/forest/tree-range-m"/>
+  <tree-height-m>2.0</tree-height-m>
+  <tree-width-m>2.0</tree-width-m>
+  <rolling-friction>0.6</rolling-friction>
+  <bumpiness>0.4</bumpiness>
+</material>
+
+
+<material include="Materials/regions/middle_east.xml">
+  <name>DryCropPastureCover</name>
+  <name>DryCrop</name>
+  <texture-set>
+   <texture>Terrain/dry_pasture4.png</texture>
+   <texture n="11">Terrain/sand_hires_ochre.png</texture>
+   <texture n="12">Terrain/dry_pasture4.png</texture>
+  </texture-set>
+  <parameters>
+    <hires_overlay_bias>-0.1</hires_overlay_bias>
+  </parameters>
+  <xsize>2000</xsize>
+  <ysize>2000</ysize>
+  <solid>1</solid>
+  <friction-factor>0.9</friction-factor>
+  <rolling-friction>0.1</rolling-friction>
+  <bumpiness>0.6</bumpiness>
+  <load-resistance>1e30</load-resistance>
+  <light-coverage>2000000.0</light-coverage>
+</material>
+
+<material include="Materials/regions/middle_east.xml">
+  <name>MixedCropPastureCover</name>
+  <name>MixedCrop</name>
+  <name>ComplexCrop</name>
+  <texture-set>
+   <texture>Terrain/irrcrop.png</texture>
+   <texture n="11">Terrain/dry_pasture4.png</texture>
+   <texture n="12">Terrain/town-europe.png</texture>
+  </texture-set>
+  <texture-set>
+   <texture>Terrain/drycrop.png</texture>
+   <texture n="11">Terrain/dry_pasture4.png</texture>
+   <texture n="12">Terrain/town-europe.png</texture>
+  </texture-set>
+  <parameters>
+    <hires_overlay_bias>-0.05</hires_overlay_bias>
+    <dust_resistance>0.7</dust_resistance>
+	<transition_model>0.7</transition_model>
+  </parameters>
+  <object-mask>Terrain/irrcrop.mask.png</object-mask>
+  <object-mask>Terrain/irrcrop.mask.png</object-mask>
+  <xsize>2000</xsize>
+  <ysize>2000</ysize>
+  <light-coverage>2000000.0</light-coverage>
+  <solid>1</solid>
+  <friction-factor>0.9</friction-factor>
+  <rolling-friction>0.1</rolling-friction>
+  <bumpiness>0.7</bumpiness>
+  <load-resistance>1e30</load-resistance>
+  <object-group include="Materials/base/farm-buildings.xml"/>
+  <wood-coverage>5000.0</wood-coverage>
+  <tree-texture>Trees/mixed-summer.png</tree-texture>
+  <tree-varieties>8</tree-varieties>
+  <tree-range-m alias="/params/forest/tree-range-m"/>
+  <tree-height-m>20.0</tree-height-m>
+  <tree-width-m>12.0</tree-width-m>
+</material>
+
+<material include="Materials/regions/middle_east.xml">
+  <name>IrrCropPastureCover</name>
+  <name>IrrCrop</name>
+  <name>Orchard</name>
+  <name>Olives</name>
+  <name>Vineyard</name>
+  <name>Rice</name>
+  <texture-set>
+   <texture>Terrain/mixedcrop.png</texture>
+   <texture n="11">Terrain/mixedforest-hires.png</texture>
+   <texture n="12">Terrain/drycrop.png</texture>
+  </texture-set>
+  <object-mask>Terrain/irrcrop.mask.png</object-mask>
+  <parameters>
+    <hires_overlay_bias>-0.12</hires_overlay_bias>
+	<transition_model>0.0</transition_model>
+	<dust_resistance>0.1</dust_resistance>
+  </parameters>
+  <!--<object-mask>Terrain/rice1.mask.png</object-mask>-->
+  <xsize>2000</xsize>
+  <ysize>2000</ysize>
+  <light-coverage>2000000.0</light-coverage>
+  <solid>1</solid>
+  <friction-factor>0.9</friction-factor>
+  <rolling-friction>0.3</rolling-friction>
+  <bumpiness>0.6</bumpiness>
+  <load-resistance>1e30</load-resistance>
+  <!--<object-group include="Materials/base/farm-buildings.xml"/>-->
+  <wood-coverage>120000.0</wood-coverage>
+  <tree-texture>Trees/deciduous-summer.png</tree-texture>
+  <tree-varieties>8</tree-varieties>
+  <tree-range-m alias="/params/forest/tree-range-m"/>
+  <tree-height-m>20.0</tree-height-m>
+  <tree-width-m>12.0</tree-width-m>
+</material>
+
+<material include="Materials/regions/middle_east.xml">
+  <name>GrassCover</name>
+  <name>BareTundraCover</name>
+  <name>MixedTundraCover</name>
+  <name>Cemetery</name>
+  <effect>Effects/landmass-nowood</effect>
+  <texture-set>
+  	<texture>Terrain/tundra2.png</texture>
+	<texture n="11">Terrain/grass_hires.png</texture>
+	<texture n="12">Terrain/dirtrock_dark.png</texture>
+  </texture-set>
+  <parameters>
+   <transition_model>0.8</transition_model>
+   <hires_overlay_bias>-0.1</hires_overlay_bias>
+  </parameters>
+  <xsize>2000</xsize>
+  <ysize>2000</ysize>
+  <light-coverage>4000000.0</light-coverage>
+  <shininess>1.2</shininess>
+  <solid>1</solid>
+  <friction-factor>0.7</friction-factor>
+  <rolling-friction>0.1</rolling-friction>
+  <bumpiness>0.15</bumpiness>
+  <load-resistance>1e30</load-resistance>
+</material>
+
+
+
+
 <!-- REGIONAL DEFINITIONS - EUROPE                        -->
 
 <material include="Materials/regions/european.xml">
@@ -2043,12 +2238,10 @@
    <texture>Terrain/shrub1.png</texture>
    <texture n="11">Terrain/grass_hires.png</texture>
    <texture n="12">Terrain/dirtrock.png</texture>
+   <texture n="12">Terrain/dirtrock.png</texture>
+   <texture n="14">Terrain/grain_texture.png</texture>
+   <texture n="15">Terrain/airport_grass2.png</texture>
   </texture-set>
-<!--  <texture>Terrain/shrub1.png</texture>
-  <texture>Terrain/shrub.png</texture>
-  <texture>Terrain/shrub2.png</texture>
-  <texture>Terrain/shrub3.png</texture>
--->
   <xsize>2000</xsize>
   <ysize>2000</ysize>
   <diffuse>
@@ -2382,8 +2575,13 @@
   <texture>Terrain/herbtundra.png</texture>
   <texture n="11">Terrain/grass_hires.png</texture>
   <texture n="12">Terrain/rock.png</texture>
+  <texture n="15">Terrain/rock.png</texture>
   </texture-set>
-  <texture-set>
+  <parameters>
+   <grain_strength>1.0</grain_strength>
+   <dot_density>0.2</dot_density>
+  </parameters>
+  <!--<texture-set>
   <texture>Terrain/herbtundra2.png</texture>
   <texture n="11">Terrain/grass_hires.png</texture>
   <texture n="12">Terrain/rock.png</texture>
@@ -2392,7 +2590,7 @@
   <texture>Terrain/herbtundra3.png</texture>
   <texture n="11">Terrain/grass_hires.png</texture>
   <texture n="12">Terrain/rock.png</texture>
-  </texture-set>
+  </texture-set>-->
   <!--<texture>Terrain/herbtundra.png</texture>
   <texture>Terrain/herbtundra2.png</texture>
   <texture>Terrain/herbtundra3.png</texture>-->
diff --git a/Materials/regions/middle_east.xml b/Materials/regions/middle_east.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fda8c6ee0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Materials/regions/middle_east.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<!-- General settings for all Middle East materials -->
+<PropertyList>
+  <!-- Define the Middle East as a box with given latitude/longitude -->
+  <condition>
+   <and>
+   <equals>
+    <property>sim/startup/season</property>
+    <value>summer</value>
+   </equals>
+   <or>
+     <and>
+      <greater-than>
+       <property>position/longitude-deg</property>
+       <value>45.0</value>
+      </greater-than>
+      <less-than>
+       <property>position/longitude-deg</property>
+       <value>65.0</value>
+      </less-than>
+      <greater-than>
+       <property>position/latitude-deg</property>
+       <value>10.0</value>
+      </greater-than>
+      <less-than>
+       <property>position/latitude-deg</property>
+       <value>40.0</value>
+      </less-than>
+     </and>
+     <and>
+      <greater-than>
+       <property>position/longitude-deg</property>
+       <value>30.0</value>
+      </greater-than>
+      <less-than>
+       <property>position/longitude-deg</property>
+       <value>45.0</value>
+      </less-than>
+      <greater-than>
+       <property>position/latitude-deg</property>
+       <value>10.0</value>
+      </greater-than>
+      <less-than>
+       <property>position/latitude-deg</property>
+       <value>35.0</value>
+      </less-than>
+     </and>
+    </or>
+   </and>
+  </condition>
+  
+  
+</PropertyList>
diff --git a/Textures/Terrain/dirtrock_dark.png b/Textures/Terrain/dirtrock_dark.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dae32571f
Binary files /dev/null and b/Textures/Terrain/dirtrock_dark.png differ