What Are MENA, SWANA & MENASA
MENA is an acronym for the Middle East and North Africa, a region spanning countries from Morocco to Egypt, Jordan to Iran, and Central Asia, including Afghanistan and the entire region in between.
MENASA includes the regions above and adds Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India.'
As of 2024, MENA was included in the US CENSUS, 7 years after our historic success in the entertainment industry.
MAAC also works more closely with the inclusive term SWANA (South West Asian/North African) to include countries like Afghanistan, Armenia, and others. Afghanistan is officially included in the Asian subcategory of the US Census.
*PLEASE NOTE This Map was created in 2019, and was advised on by several Academic advisors that utilized that US Census MAP for MENA inclusion, we can not legally dictate who received MENA inclusion in the US Census or in Labor Agreements.
*In 2024, it was announced that MENA would officially be a category in US Census. And that Afghanistan is officially considered South West Asia.