Population And Development Of The Arab Gulf States

This thought-provoking study measures and critically examines the effects that an average population growth rate of 2.8% could have on the development of the Arab Gulf States. It questions the ability of Gulf governments to continue providing relatively high standards of education, health and employment under conditions of rapid population growth, an undiversified economic base, and a tribal political framework. Within this context, population growth is identified as one important variable that hinders long-term development. The book will appeal to all those interested in the Middle East, demography, development and sociology.

Monograph comprising a collection of economic analysis papers on economic development issues in the Gulf States, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman - covers labour force participation trends (1970-1975), agricultural development, rising costs of industrial development, obstacles to technology transfer, etc., And includes case studies on banking, petroleum industry, water resources, the Kuwait labour market, etc. Maps, references and statistical tables.

The crucial importance of the Gulf region today – which may be defined as comprising the states of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, with Iran as a non-Arab onlooker – has stimulated surprisingly little interest in academic circles. Much of what has been written, moreover, focuses exclusively on those aspects of direct concern to external interests. The focus of this book is on the Gulf region as an area with its own problems of social, economic and political development. It examines the dimensions of the attempts by the governments and peoples of the area to create new social, economic and political structures – stemming mainly, of course, from their new-found oil wealth. First published in 1980.

Were oil supplies everlasting and the demand for oil strong and continuous, economic diversification in the Gulf would be pointless. However oil reserves are finite and non-renewable and the world demand for oil from the Gulf region is simply not stable. Collectively the countries of the Gulf face the striking prospect that unless priorities and plans are set with care the gestation period of their economic development may be longer than the expected life of their hydrocarbon resources. This book examines just that threat. It considers the opportunities available to the Gulf states for accumulating sufficient productive capital in the non-oil sectors of their economy to offset the drawing down of oil reserves. The book pays particular attention to the possibilities of development through cooperation not only within the Gulf Cooperation Council but also within the larger Arab region and the Third World as a whole. It concludes with a critical review of the main challenges that these economies are facing and are likely to face in the near future with special emphasis on their major problems and failures. First published in 1984.

The Arab Gulf states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE) have over the past decades moved from near obscurity to prominence among actors in the global economy. This "rise of the Gulf" was facilitated by plentiful income from oil and gas, and by the gradual process by which the economic centre of the world is shifting eastward. But first and foremost it has been a result of conscious policies conceived and implemented by the Gulf states to catch up with the developed world and not least to place their countries on a developmental trajectory which will secure the populations a sustainable livelihood in the future. This book recognizes the significant developmental results achieved in the Gulf states over the past half of a century, but also focuses on the detrimental and disrupting effects created by the economic "anomaly" of sudden and massive influx of oil revenues, such as: the growth of rentier mentality, the crowding out of productive activities, and the resulting lack of economic diversification. The oil-based development model worked well when the populations were small and the income from oil was plentiful. With rapidly increasing populations and rising popular demands on the governments, this model can no longer adequately support these societies. The book investigates various elements of how the governments in the Gulf region tackle the difficult and often painful transition toward an ordinary type of economy, where wealth in society is created by the skills and hard work of its population. Issues such as economic diversification, societal planning, institutional change, social reforms, educational achievements, demographic growth, job creation, and the significant reliance on migrant labour are investigated.

The Arab states of the Gulf, currently heavily reliant on oil and gas exports, have stated their intention to promote economic diversification and have embarked on reforming existing institutions for higher education, scientific research, and technology innovation. _x000B_ The region has witnessed huge population growth in recent decades, and in some cases (e.g. Saudi Arabia) almost half the population is under the age of twenty-five and in need of access to quality education and meaningful employment opportunities._x000B_ This book provides an in-depth discussion of what is needed to ac.

The geopolitical importance of the Gulf region is a source both of great interest and great tension. David Commins here provides an in-depth narrative of the modern political history of the Gulf States, offering a comprehensive and accessible account of their recent development and strategic importance. This book sets out a detailed study of the region's history, starting from the empires and dynasties of the pre-modern era. Focusing primarily on economic, cultural, religious and social themes, it works its way forward through the pre-modern patterns of the 14th century to the Muslim empires that dominated in the 16th to early 18th centuries, and from the era of British supremacy to the formation of modern states, Arab nationalism and revolution. The motifs of geography, hierarchy and values are interwoven throughout the book as it examines important topics, including the influence of the Ottoman Empire, the rise of Arab dynasties, oil wealth and modern prosperity, and the formation of the Gulf States as we know them today. Commins goes on to examine recent American involvement in the region, taking examples of American intervention and influence from Kuwait and Iraq, to Iran, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Considering America's increasing hegemony since the 1970s, the book compares the American role in the region to that of the earlier British supremacy - crucially linking the financial burdens of American actions to the US future as regional hegemon. With the importance and impact of the Gulf States continuing to increase, and their futures the subject of much international speculation, this book is an invaluable source of information on the Gulf region's development, essential for students and researchers alike.