Middle East Economics

I. Agriculture

A. Very little of the land is arable…

1. Egypt - 2%

2. Saudi Arabia - 2%

3. Algeria - 3%

4. Jordan - 4%

B. but a high percentage of people work in agriculture.

1. Afghanistan has only 12% arable land,

but 67% work in agriculture.

C. This region produces citrus fruits, olives, grapes, dates, and cotton.

II. Fossil Fuels

A. Petroleum - the Middle East holds 70% of the world’s petroleum.

B. Natural Gas - the Middle East holds 33% of the world’s natural gas.

Middle East Economics

II. Fossil Fuels

A. OPEC - Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

1. Founded in 1960, this organization was established to give member countries more control of oil production and prices.

2. 8 of the 11 members are located in the Middle East:

a. Algeria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. (Indonesia, Nigeria, Venezuela)

Middle East Economics

III. Service Industries

A. In recent years, the Middle East has increased profits from service industries. Unfortunately, continuous conflict has limited possibilities.

1. 80% of Bahrain’s GDP comes from banking, real estate and insurance.

2. Religious tours and high-priced vacations are helping increase standard of living in the region. Hajj

Middle East Economics

III. Modernization

A. In the past few decades, many Middle East countries have gone from third world to first world countries. (Mostly due to petroleum)

1. The best example of this modernization and urbanization is Dubai in the UAE.

Middle East Economics

Middle East Economics

1973 2006

Dubai

Middle East EconomicsDubai

I. Water Scarcity

A. Solutions:

1. Pipelines - Most of the regions countries have freshwater pipelines.

2. Desalination Plants - converts saline water to fresh water.

Middle East Environment

II. Aswan High Dam

A. Positive Effects

1. Controls annual floods

2. Holds irrigation water for 3 million acres

3. Provides 50% of Egypt’s electricity

B. Negative Effects

1. Retains fertile silt

2. Increases diseases

Middle East Environment

III. Persian Gulf War

A. As Iraqi troops retreated from Kuwait, they set fire to more than 700 oil wells. They also dumped 250 million gallons of oil into the Persian Gulf.

Middle East Environment

IV. Dead Sea

A. Rivers feeding the Dead Sea have been drained for irrigation. As a result, the Dead Sea has dropped 262 feet over the past 40 years.

Middle East Environment