The Middle East Economy

The guide contains listings of some of the leading hotels and resorts in Bahrain, and contacts for important government offices and services. It also contains useful tips and information for first-time or regular and business viewers alike. 

Increasing revenues and reducing spending have been established as the core objectives of Bahrain’s economic policy, with subsidy reduction across the board likely to be a common theme in 2016. After energy, the financial sector continues to be the second-largest contributor to GDP, accounting for 16.5% of the total in 2014. This is followed by manufacturing which comprised 14.4% of GDP....

The kingdom of Bahrain has been ruled as a constitutional monarchy since 2002 under the leadership of Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The country pioneered the Middle East’s oil production in 1932, thus establishing the region’s initial framework for the petroleum industry. The energy sector remains a pillar of the kingdom’s economy, accounting for the bulk of government revenues but a...

The guide contains listings of some of the leading hotels and resorts in Oman and contacts for important government offices and services. It also contains useful tips and information for first-time or regular business and leisure visitors alike.

Oman’s GDP at current market prices stood at OR31.45bn ($81.4bn) in 2014, up 4.6% on 2013, according to the Central Bank of Oman. However, the drop in global oil prices has put significant pressure on Oman’s GDP expansion. To address this, and indeed to pave the way for a non-oil future, various diversification strategies have been put in place that aim to reduce the county’s reliance on...