This report covers a Middle East region which includes eleven countries bordering the Red Sea and the Gulf, but excluding those countries which border the Mediterranean and the African continent. The countries described by the survey are:
Bahrain
Iraq
Islamic Republic of Iran
Jordan
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Yemen Arab Republic (YAR)
Yemen, People's Democratic Republic (PDRY)
Eight of the countries are grouped together on the Peninsula (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, YAR, and PDRY), and three on the Asian continent (Jordan, Iran, and Iraq).
Some countries are linked as members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, and some as members of The Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) - Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.
The World Bank classifies Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in the group of high-income oil exporting countries; Iran and Iraq as middle-income oil exporters; and Jordan, YAR, and PDRY as middle-income oil importers.
