|
ALGERIA |
 |
|
 |
Full Name: The
People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
Population: 32,930,091 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Algiers
Date of independence: July 5, 1962 from France.
Type of Government: Republic.
Language: Arabic (official), French widely spoken, Berber
spoken by 15% of the population.
Religion: 99% Muslim; Christian and Jewish 1% or less.
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore,
phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc.
Important Industries: Petroleum, natural gas, light industries,
mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Major Exports: Petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products
97%.
Return to map |
|
BAHRAIN |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Kingdom of
Bahrain
Population: 698,585
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Manama
Date of independence: August 15, 1971 from Great Britain.
Type of Government: Constitutional hereditary monarchy
Language: Arabic (official); English, Farsi, Hindi, and Urdu
widely spoken.
Religion: Muslim 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001
census)
Natural resources: Oil, natural gas, fish.
Important industries: Petroleum processing and refining,
aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore
banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
Major Exports: Petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum,
textiles
Return to map |
|
COMOROS |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Federal
Islamic Republic of the Comoros
Population: 671,000
Capital: Moroni
Date of independence: July 6, 1975 from France.
Type of Government: Republic
Language: Arabic and French (both official), Shikomoro
(Swahili/Arabic blend)
Religion: Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Natural resources: Negligible
Important industries: Tourism, perfume distillation.
Major Exports: Vanilla, ylangylang (oil that has and exotic
sweet smell), cloves, perfume oil, copra.
Return to map |
|
DJIBOUTI |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Republic
of Djibouti
Population: 486,530 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Djibouti City
Date of independence: July 27, 1977 from France.
Type of Government: Republic
Language: Arabic and French (official), Somali, Afar widely
spoken.
Religion: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Natural resources: Geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite,
limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
Important industries: Construction, agricultural processing
Major Exports: Live animals, hides, and skins.
Return to map |
|
EGYPT |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Arab
Republic of Egypt
Population: 78,887,007 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Cairo
Date of independence: February 28, 1922 from the United
Kingdom.
Type of Government: Republic
Language: Arabic (official), English and French widely
understood by educated classes
Religion: Muslim 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore,
phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead,
zinc.
Important industries: Textiles, food processing, tourism,
chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement,
metals, light manufactures
Major Exports: Crude oil and petroleum products, cotton,
textiles, metal products, chemicals
Return to map |
|
IRAQ |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Republic
of Iraq
Population: 26,783,383 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Baghdad
Date of independence: October 3, 1932 from Great Britain.
Type of Government: Parliamentary democracy
Language: Arabic (official), Kurdish (official in Kurdish
regions), Turkish, Assyrian, and Armenian spoken by minority
populations.
Religion: Muslim 97%, Christian or other 3%
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, phosphate rock,
sulfur, gypsum, salt.
Important industries: Petroleum, chemicals, textiles,
leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal
fabrication/processing
Major Exports: Crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels
8%, food and live animals 5%
Return to map |
|
JORDAN |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: The
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Population: 5,906,760 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Amman
Date of independence: May 25, 1946 from Great Britain.
Type of Government: Constitutional monarchy
Language: Arabic (official), English widely understood among
upper and middle classes.
Religion: Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox,
but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic
Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2%
Natural resources: Phosphates, potash, limestone, marble,
salt, and unexploited deposits of shale oil, copper, and uranium.
Important industries: Clothing, phosphate mining,
fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash,
inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism
Major Exports: Clothing, pharmaceuticals, potash, phosphates,
fertilizers, vegetables, manufactures
Return to map |
|
KUWAIT |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: State of
Kuwait
Population: 2,418,393
Note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Kuwait City
Date of independence: June 19, 1961 from Great Britain.
Type of Government: Constitutional monarchy
Language: Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Religion: Muslim 85%, other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi)
15%
Natural resources: Petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
reserves.
Important industries: Petroleum, petrochemicals, cement,
shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing,
construction materials
Major Exports: Oil and refined products, fertilizers
Return to map |
|
LEBANON |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Republic
of Lebanon
Population: 3,874,050 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Beirut
Date of independence: November 22, 1943 from France.
Type of government: Republic
Language: Arabic (official), French, Armenian, and English.
Religion: 70% Muslim; 30% Christian.
Note: 17 religious sects recognized (Maronite Catholic, Greek
Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic,
Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean,
Assyrian, Copt, Protestant, Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite
or Nusayri)
Natural resources: Lignite (brown coal), limestone, iron ore,
stone, sand (for glass manufacturing), salt.
Important industries: Banking, tourism, food processing,
jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and
furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating
Major Exports: Authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals,
miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals,
electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper
Return to map |
|
LIBYA |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Socialist
People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Population: 5,900,754
note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Tripoli
Date of independence: December 24, 1951 from Italy.
Type of government: Socialist
Language: Arabic (official), Italian and English are widely
understood in the major cities
Religion: Muslim 97%, other 3%
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, gypsum, manganese,
lignite coal, sulfur, limestone, marble, iron ore.
Important industries: Petroleum, iron and steel, food
processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Major Exports: Crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural
gas, chemicals
Return to map |
|
MAURITANIA |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Islamic
Republic of Mauritania
Population: 3,177,388 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Nouakchott
Date of independence: November 28, 1960 from France.
Type of government: Republic
Language: Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French,
Hassaniya, Wolof
Religion: Muslim 100%
Natural resources: Iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, gold,
phosphate, ilmenite (titanium ore)
Important industries: Fish processing, mining of iron ore and
gypsum
Major Exports: Iron ore, fish and fish products, gold
Return to map |
|
MOROCCO |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: The
Kingdom of Morocco
Population: 33,241,259 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Rabat
Date of independence: March 2, 1956 from France.
Type of government: Constitutional monarchy
Language: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often
the language of business, government, and diplomacy.
Religion: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
Natural resources: Phosphates, iron ore, coal, manganese,
lead, zinc, fish, salt, tin.
Important industries: Phosphate rock mining and processing,
food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism
Major Exports: Clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals,
transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates),
petroleum products, fruits, vegetables
Return to map |
|
OMAN |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Sultanate
of Oman
Population: 3,102,229
note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Muscat
Date of independence: 1650 from Portugal
Type of government: Monarchy
Language: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian
dialects
Religion: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim,
Shi'a Muslim, Hindu) 25%
Natural resources: Copper, chromite, petroleum, some coal
deposits, natural gas.
Important industries: Crude oil production and refining,
natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction,
cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber
Major Exports: Petroleum, re-exports, fish, metals, textiles
Return to map |
|
PALESTINE |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Palestine
Population: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics estimate
for 2007 approx. 4m. Outside the Occupied Territories, there are
between 4.5m and 5m Palestinians. The largest number, between 2.5m
and 2.8m, live in Jordan. Approximately 1m Palestinians live inside
Israel. 360,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank as citizens
of Israel.
Capital: Jerusalem
Type of government: Republic
Language: Arabic. English is widely spoken
Religion: Muslim (97%), Christian (3%)
Natural resources: Salt, potash, fish
Important industries: Small family businesses producing
construction materials, pharmaceuticals, textiles and metal goods
Major Exports: fruits and vegetables
Return to map |
|
QATAR |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: State of
Qatar
Population: 885,359 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Doha
Date of independence: September 3, 1971 from Great Britain.
Type of government: Monarchy
Language: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a
second language
Religion: Muslim 95%, other 5%
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, fish.
Important industries: Crude oil production and refining,
ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars,
cement, commercial ship repair
Major Exports: Liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum
products, fertilizers, steel
Return to map |
|
SAUDI
ARABIA |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
Population: 27,019,731
note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Riyadh
Date of independence: September 23, 1932 (unification)
Type of government: Monarchy
Language: Arabic
Religion: Muslim 100%
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold,
copper, fish.
Important industries: Crude oil production, petroleum
refining, basic petrochemicals; ammonia, industrial gases, sodium
hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics; metals,
commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction
Major Exports: Petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Return to map |
|
SOMALIA |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Somalia
Population: 8,863,338
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is
complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements
in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Mogadishu
Date of independence: July 1, 1960 from British and Italian
protectorates
Type of government: No permanent national government;
transitional, parliamentary federal government
Language: Arabic and Somali (both official), Italian, English
Religion: Muslim 100%
Natural resources: Salt, manganese, fish, small deposits of
tin, phosphate, uranium, guano, coal, iron ore, gypsum, bauxite,
copper
Important industries: Few light industries, including sugar
refining, textiles, wireless communication
Major Exports: Livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal,
scrap metal
Return to map |
|
SUDAN |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Republic
of Sudan
Population: 41,236,378 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Khartoum
Date of independence: January 1, 1956 from Great Britain and
Egypt
Type of government: Government of National Unity (GNU) - the
National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement
(SPLM) formed a power-sharing government under the 2005
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by
military coup in 1989, is the majority partner; the agreement
stipulates national elections for the 2008 - 2009 timeframe.
Language: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse
dialects of Nilotic,
Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
Religion: Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in
south and Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%
Natural resources: Petroleum, iron ore, copper, chromium ore,
zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, gypsum
Important industries: Oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement,
edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining,
pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly
Major Exports: Oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame,
livestock, groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar
Return to map |
|
SYRIA |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Syrian
Arab Republic
Population: 18,881,381
note: includes 20,000 Syrian people living in the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights.
(July 2006 est.)
Capital: Damascus
Date of independence: April 17, 1946 from France
Type of government: Republic
Language: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic,
Circassian.
Religion: Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite,
Druze) 16%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny
communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Natural resources: Arable land, petroleum, phosphates,
asphalt, chrome and manganese ores, iron ore, rock salt, marble,
gypsum
Important industries: Petroleum, textiles, food processing,
beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds
crushing
Major Exports: Crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and
vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
Return to map |
|
TUNISIA |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Republic
of Tunisia
Population: 10,276,158 (July 2007 est.)
Capital: Tunis
Date of independence: March 20, 1956 from France
Type of government: Republic
Language: Arabic (official and one of the languages of
commerce), French (commerce)
Religion: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Natural resources: Petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate
and iron ores), tourism, textiles, footwear, food and beverages
Important industries: Petroleum, mining (particularly
phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness,
beverages
Major Exports: Clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles,
agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals,
hydrocarbons
Return to map |
|
UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: United
Arab Emirates
Population: 4,444,011
note: estimate is based on the results of the 2005 census that
included a significantly higher estimate of net inmigration of
non-citizens (July 2007 est.)
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Date of independence: December 2, 1971 from Great Britain
Type of government: Federation with specified powers
delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to
member emirates
Language: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Religion: Muslim 96%, other (includes Christian, Hindu) 4%
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas
Important industries: Petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing,
aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction
materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles
Major Exports: Crude oil 45%, natural gas, re-exports, dried
fish, dates
Return to map |
|
YEMEN |
|
|
|
 |
Full Name: Republic
of Yemen
Population: 22,230,531 (July 2007 est.)
Capital: Sanaa
Date of independence: May 22, 1990 (unification)
Type of government: Republic
Language: Arabic
Religion: Muslim 99,9%, other 0.1%
Natural resources: Natural gas, petroleum, fish, rock, salt,
marble, gold, lead, nickel, fertile soil (in the west), small
deposits of coal and copper
Important industries: Crude oil production and petroleum
refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather
goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products
factory; cement; commercial ship repair
Major Exports: Crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish
Return to map
|
|
