Malaysia’s natural resources and its well-educated population are some of the many credentials that keep the country in good stead, with priorities centred on preparing for the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 and steering the policy framework toward more inclusive political representation. The economy is built around global trade, and the government is working to encourage greater private investment.
Home to an estimated 15.9% of the world’s proven oil reserves, Saudi Arabia is the single largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa. According to the Ministry of Finance, real GDP grew by 3.8% to $746bn in 2013. While oil income is expected to continue to account for the majority of government revenues for the foreseeable future, the non-oil sector has expanded significantly in recent decades growing 9.3% in 2013.