This week, the focus is on the Arabian Peninsula as recent events there are causing global concern. The geographically accurate cartogram above represents the nations in the region based on gross domestic product.
Findings
- Bahrain gains the most territory percentage-wise as it grows by 8,106%! That does not prevent it though, from remaining the smallest state in the region.
- Saudi Arabia remains the largest state in the region but it also loses the most territory.
- Yemen shrinks the most percentage-wise losing 86% of its territory.
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) gain the most land and surpass Yemen, Iraq, and Oman to become the second largest state in the region.
Caveats
- The GDP data is from 2016.
- The borders represent the area of the country if it were based on GDP. The location of the states on the map is irrelevant.
Details
Several countries grow to more than twice their size including (in descending order of growth) Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE.
The only country to give up more than half of its territory is Yemen.
It is interesting to see how Yemen, the smallest economy in the region, or certain factions within the country have fired a rocket into Saudi Arabia, the largest economy in the region.
Data
| State | GDP (in millions) | Existing Area (sq km) | Projected Area (based on GDP) | Percent Change in Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 1,796,205 | 1,925,523 | 1,471,709 | -24 |
| United Arab Emirates | 693,765 | 70,753 | 588,428 | 732 |
| Iraq | 641,005 | 436,994 | 482,742 | 10 |
| Qatar | 347,887 | 11,545 | 285,707 | 2,375 |
| Kuwait | 309,640 | 17,365 | 237,814 | 1,270 |
| Oman | 189,582 | 308,946 | 157,082 | -49 |
| Yemen | 74,250 | 453,501 | 64,247 | -86 |
| Bahrain | 69,922 | 685 | 56,209 | 8,106 |