Saudi Arabia and Kuwait: closed-economy cousins

Middle East: Arab banks lay regional plans

Bahrain: diversifying away from oil

Oil lows hit UAE, Oman and Qatar

Saudi Arabia’s population is growing at over 3% a year but GDP shrank slightly last year, and will at best grow by 1% this year. Growth above 2% is not expected until at best next year and more likely 2001.

The 1999 budget assumes a total expenditure of SR165 billion ($44 billion), 12.5% less than 1998’s actual expenditures.