The geographically accurate cartogram above represents the borders of the nations in the region based on the number of active military personnel. Once again, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia dominates its neighbors.
Findings
- Bahrain gains the most territory percentage-wise as it grows by 8,713%. It still remains the smallest state in the region.
- Yemen cedes the most territory both in absolute and relative terms.
- 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 borders represent the area of the country if it were based on active military personnel. 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, the UAE, and Kuwait.
The only country to give up more than half of its territory is Yemen.
Data
| State | Military Personnel | Existing Area (sq km) | Projected Area (based on military personnel) | Percent Change in Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 227,000 | 1,925,523 | 1,685,864 | -12 |
| United Arab Emirates | 64,000 | 70,753 | 483,320 | 583 |
| Iraq | 63,000 | 436,994 | 435,952 | 0 |
| Oman | 42,600 | 308,946 | 324,628 | 5 |
| Yemen | 20,000 | 453,501 | 157,070 | -65 |
| Kuwait | 15,500 | 17,365 | 109,235 | 529 |
| Qatar | 11,800 | 11,545 | 87,498 | 658 |
| Bahrain | 8,200 | 685 | 60,370 | 8,713 |
Sources
International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2017. "The Military Balance 2017."