This document provides an overview of opportunities for publishers selling to libraries in the Middle East and North Africa region. It summarizes key demographics, economic, education, and technology trends in the region. It also shares the results of a survey of academic, medical, and corporate libraries regarding their collection development practices and interactions with publishers. The survey found that libraries are expanding their collections but face budget constraints. It also revealed opportunities for publishers to better meet library needs through improved communication and localized content.

1. SELLING TO LIBRARIES IN
THE MIDDLE EAST AND
NORTH AFRICA
An ACCUCOMS White Paper
Okan Gür
okan@accucoms.com
Rian van Spaandonk
rian@accucoms.com
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS

2. CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 2
WHY THIS WHITE PAPER? ..................................................... 2
METHODOLOGY.................................................................... 2
COUNTRIES AND REGIONS OF THE MENA REGION ................... 2
REGION OVERVIEW ................................................................. 3
DEMOGRAPHICS .................................................................. 4
Youth bulge ...................................................................... 5
ECONOMY ........................................................................... 6
EDUCATION......................................................................... 8
TECHNOLOGY .....................................................................10
SURVEY RESULTS ..................................................................12
PARTICIPANTS ....................................................................12
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT .................................................14
INTERACTION WITH PUBLISHERS..........................................17
CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................21
ABOUT ACCUCOMS ................................................................22
APPENDIX .............................................................................23
A – POPULATION .................................................................23
B – POPULATION UNDER 30 .................................................24
C – GDP AND GNI PER CAPITA ..............................................25
D – LITERACY AND TERTIARY ENROLLMENT ............................26
E – PUBLIC SPENDING ON EDUCATION ..................................27
F – SOURCES & FURTHER INFORMATION................................28
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 1

3. INTRODUCTION
WHY THIS WHITE PAPER?
Many publishers would like to strengthen their presence in the
Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This region is currently going
through various political and economic transitions, and offers
excellent business opportunities since private investment is
welcomed both from at home and abroad. Transitions in the field of
education and employment are especially interesting for publishers,
since an ever larger group of students is preparing to participate in
a changing, and growing, economy. However, the MENA region is so
diverse that publishers often struggle to identify opportunities or to
develop a strategy that successfully serves customers in this region.
In this white paper, ACCUCOMS has charted some characteristics of
the MENA region as well as the needs and wishes of its academic
and scientific libraries. Our aim is to help publishers all over the
world to better serve their customers, and to improve the customer
experiences of the libraries in this region.
METHODOLOGY
The data in the REGION OVERVIEW is based on a variety of
sources, which are listed in APPENDIX F. The SURVEY RESULTS
are based on an ACCUCOMS survey among academic, medical and
corporate libraries across the MENA region. The survey consisted of
fourteen questions that covered a diverse range of subjects. At
various points within the survey, librarians were given the
opportunity to elaborate on their answers, which resulted in some
additional background information, issues and topics.
COUNTRIES AND REGIONS OF THE MENA REGION
Definitions of the countries and territories included in the MENA
region tend to vary and fluctuate. Part of this region is variously
referred to as the Middle East and as Western Asia. This white paper
will refer to the entire region as the MENA region, and includes
references to the following countries and territories:
Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United
Arab Emirates, Western Sahara and Yemen.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 2

4. REGION OVERVIEW
In 2010, the MENA region had approximately 350 million
inhabitants. These 350 million people are spread out over a diverse
territory that covers 6 time zones between Mauritania and Iran.
Most of the land has an arid climate, but many coastal areas have
more favourable climates.
Economically, the countries and
territories are also diverse. Some MENA Q&A
countries are rich in natural
Q What is the largest growth
resources such as oil and gas, market in the Middle East for
others have few. publishers?
A Education (academic, schools and
Before 2009, outlooks for the English language teaching)
MENA region were mostly
positive. The combination of an
oil boom and a large number of young people seemed a recipe for
economic success. In 2009, commentators noted that the MENA
region was entering a post-oil boom phase as a result of the global
economic downturn. Although economic growth was accelerating
(from 2.1% in 2009 to 3.9% in 2010), there were not enough jobs.
Since 2010, the region has been shaken up by the political turmoil
variously referred to as Arab Spring or Arab Uprising. Reasons for
the unrest include poverty, social inequalities, state corruption,
impunity, and rising numbers of unemployed youngsters. Satellite
television and mobile technology brought other regions of the world
into the MENA region, and MENA countries closer together.
The uprisings have affected different countries in different ways.
Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have seen a regime change; Morocco and
Jordan have made a move towards free elections, and Saudi Arabia
has appeased its people with largesse. In Bahrain, Syria and Yemen
the effects of local uprisings are still developing at the moment of
writing. The long-term effects of the uprisings are uncertain. In
countries where regimes were toppled, the new democratic order is
still developing (e.g. Egypt). The protestors might find that free
elections result in an elected government that represents the wishes
of a different generation and/or existing groups that were better
prepared for the election process.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 3

5. Politics are not the only reason the
MENA Q&A
world is captivated by the recent
developments in the MENA region. Q Why is the MENA region
Because the region is rich in oil, interesting for English-language
publishers?
the situation in the region affects
the oil price and, by extension, the A Proximity, increased use of
world economy. Equally, the English in MENA region, increased
interest in and output of the region
worldwide recession and the Euro due to the Arab Spring.
crisis affect the oil price. In June
2012, the price of crude oil had
decreased but there were still concerns about the possibility of
worldwide economic recovery if these prices were not to come down
further.
DEMOGRAPHICS
MENA region in numbers (2009/10)*
Population MENA +/- 350,000,000
Highest Egypt 81,121,000
Lowest Djibouti 889,000
Urban population MENA 58%
Highest Kuwait 98%
Lowest Yemen 32%
Population under 30 MENA 62%
Highest Yemen 75%
Lowest Qatar 45%
Life expectance 72 years
Countries in the MENA region vary in population size from small
(Djibouti, Bahrain) to large (Egypt). The population density in the
region as a whole is about 38 people per km2. Countries whose
population density lies far below the average are Western Sahara,
Mauritania, Libya, Oman and Saudi Arabia. At the other side of the
spectrum, the population density of Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria,
Israel and Bahrain lies far above average. The population of the
MENA region is growing at about 2% per year.
*
For country-specific details, see TABLES A and B in the APPENDIX.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 4

6. Youth bulge
Three out of every five inhabitants of the MENA region are under
30. This phenomenon is often referred to as a ‘youth bulge’. The
MENA region has been experiencing this phenomenon since the
1970s. The number of youth aged 15-24 doubled between 1980 and
2010, but is expected to increase by only 5% between 2010 and
2040. By 2050, about a third of the population in the entire MENA
region is expected to be younger than 25, 15% older than 65 and
the rest (about half) between 25 and 65 years of age.
The consequences of a youth bulge depend on other factors in the
country. Many young workers can create a very healthy economy,
but a youth bulge can also result in widespread unemployment
when education and/or jobs are lacking (see ECONOMY and
EDUCATION)
Although the entire MENA region is experiencing a youth bulge, the
specifics differ in individual countries. In 2010, the median age was
highest in Qatar (32), United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel (all
30) and lowest in Yemen (17), Iraq and the Palestine Territories
(both 18). In the oil-producing countries, however, the median age
tends to be higher due to the influx of (relatively) older foreign
workers. And whereas 37% of the population in North Africa was
aged 15-24 in 2010, this group comprised 15% on the Arabian
Peninsula.
SIDENOTE - WAITHOOD
“Shabab is a popular word in Arabic which means youth. The Middle East
Youth Initiative defines youth as those between the ages of 15 and 29.
This range has been selected to reflect the prolonged transitions to
adulthood faced by many youth in the region. For many young people in
the Middle East, the transition to adulthood is no longer as smooth and
predictable as it once was. "Waithood" refers to the long and bewildering
phase of time that a large proportion of Middle Eastern youth spend
waiting for a full state of adulthood. Waithood conveys the multifaceted
reality of the transition experience. Successful transitions require young
people to gain the right skills while in school, engage in a purposeful
search for a job or career, avoid risky behavior and, in good time, start an
independent family. Because outcomes in one sphere spill over into
another, failure in one or more of these transitions may cause multiple
failures and result in youth exclusion.”
From:
Dhillon, N. & Yousef, T. Inclusion: Meeting the 100 Million Youth Challenge. Middle East Youth
Initiative, 2007.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 5

7. ECONOMY
MENA region in numbers (2010)†
GDP MENA region $1,206,982,758,169
Latin America & Caribbean $4,982,626,648,235
United States $14,586,736,313,339
European Union $16,241,135,492,143
GNI/capita MENA region $3,874
Latin America & Caribbean $7,741
United States $47,340
European Union $33,948
Youth unemployment MENA region 25%
World 14%
‡ Lower middle Upper middle
Low income High income
income income
Djibouti, Egypt
Israel, Bahrain,
Iraq, Morocco, Algeria, Iran,
Kuwait, Oman,
Mauritania Palestinian Jordan, Lebanon,
Qatar, Saudi
Territories, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia
Arabia, UAE
Syria, Yemen
The economic differences between countries in the MENA region are
many. Djibouti, Mauritania, Sudan and Yemen are among the least
developed countries in the world.
Contrastingly, countries such as Bahrain, MENA FACTS
Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and
Organization of
United Arab Emirates have GDPs and Petroleum Exporting
GNIs well above the regional average. Countries (OPEC)
MENA: Algeria, Iran,
Iraq, Kuwait, Libya,
The MENA region has the highest youth Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
employment rate and the lowest youth United Arab Emirates
Other: Angola, Ecuador,
labour force participation (especially
Nigeria, Venezuela
among women). In 2011, the World Bank
†
For country-specific details, see TABLE C in the APPENDIX.
‡
World Bank Country Classification - Economies are divided according to 2009 GNI per capita,
calculated using the World Bank Atlas method. The groups are: low income, $995 or less; lower
middle income, $996 - $3,945; upper middle income, $3,946 - $12,195; and high income, $12,196 or
more.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 6

8. estimated that the region will need an additional 40 million jobs in
the next ten years. However, if labour participation increases, so
will that estimate.
In oil-producing countries, unemployment
MENA FACTS
is also influenced by the global economy;
a weaker global economy goes hand in Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC)
hand with a lower price per barrel, which Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman,
negatively affects employment. Similarly, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and
political instability in the MENA region United Arab Emirates
have signed an
influences the supply of oil as well as intergovernmental
international trading opportunities, and agreement and created
a multilateral free trade
by extension the oil price and the global area.
economy.
SIDENOTE – EURO CRISIS
“At the margin, demand for oil and oil products in the Euro area will be
weaker in 2012 than it would otherwise have been. This does not remove
the primary driver of oil prices, namely secular oil demand from [emerging
market] economies, but it does act as a brake on price increases in the
near term. [...] The tsunami of deleveraging that is being triggered in the
Euro area will not take long to reach the financial shores of the GCC. The
implication is a steady shrinkage in balance sheets for internationally
oriented bank sectors of the region, which are primarily located in Bahrain,
the UAE and Qatar. There are two implications: first, contribution to
domestic value-added by the financial sectors will shrink, as bank profit
margins are related to the size of their balance sheets. Secondly, the days
of easy money arising from leveraged financing are threatened to the
extent that linkages to international financial markets expose banks in the
area to deleveraging Euro-area financial sectors. However, this does not
yet constitute a “perfect storm” for the region. Liquidity is being generated
locally from a combination of dramatically expanded government spending
and slackening economic activity in the Gulf itself.”
From:
Nakhjavani, M. “The European Debt Crisis and Bank Reform: Implications for MENA Financial
Markets.” Energy & Political Risk 3/1 (January 2012): 16-20.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 7

9. EDUCATION
MENA region in numbers§
Literacy rate (% of people 15+) MENA 74
Highest Qatar 95
Lowest Morocco 56
Public spending on education (% of gov. exp) MENA 20
Highest Morocco 25.7
Lowest Lebanon 7.2
School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) MENA 27
Highest Israel 62
Lowest Djibouti 3
Since 1980, countries in the MENA region have on average invested
a larger percentage of their GDP (nearly 5%) in education than
other developing regions. Across the region, the number of enrolled
pupils and students has increased. According to the World Bank, the
primary completion rate in the MENA region was 88% in 2009, and
74% of all those over 15 years of age are could read and write. The
gender gap has decreased in most countries, with equal numbers of
boys and girls enrolled in secondary schools. In some countries
(e.g. Saudi Arabia), more women than men are now enrolled at
universities. Tertiary enrollment is above average in Israel,
Lebanon, the Palestine Territories, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia,
Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt.
Before 2010, public spending on education (as % of GDP) was
above average in Syria, Yemen, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Israel,
Tunisia and Djibouti. Of those countries, some also have the highest
GDPs and therefore more money to spend in general (Saudi Arabia,
Israel). When taken as a percentage of government expenditure,
public spending on education before 2010 was above average in
Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Djibouti, Tunisia and Algeria. Again,
some of these countries were among those with higher GDPs
(United Arab Emirates, Algeria).
§
For country-specific details, see TABLES C, D and E in the APPENDIX.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 8

10. The education system in many MENA countries is currently
changing. In the past, graduates would automatically flow into the
public sector, especially in oil-rich countries. This situation became
more and more untenable as the number of youths increased and
economic systems were reformed. Nowadays, increasing numbers
of graduates need to flow into the private sector. As a result, the
educational systems in some countries are adapting their programs
and courses in order to equip their students with the skills needed
in the modern, international private sector (e.g. Egypt, Tunisia).
Popular courses include Economics and Technology. However, many
of the oil-rich countries are still creating public sector jobs instead
(e.g. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia).
The region is rich in consortia. Some of the most active
organisations are:
• Saudi Arabia
o Saudi Digital Library (SDL)
o King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
(KAUST)
• United Arab Emirates
o UAE Health Library Consortium – TAWAM Medical
Library
o UAE Higher Education Library Consortium / Library
Information Web Access (LIWA)
• Egypt
o Egyptian Universities Library Consortium (EULC)
• Jordan
o Jordanian Consortium
o Center of Excellence
• Lebanon
o Lebanese Academic Library Consortium (LALC)
• Qatar
o Hamad Medical Corporation
o Qatar Foundation
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 9

11. TECHNOLOGY
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Technologically, the MENA region is MENA FACTS
developing at a rapid pace. The
The number of mobile subscriptions
uprisings in the MENA region have
in the Middle East grew by 6.3
also been referred to as the million in the first quarter of 2012.
“Facebook Revolution” because the This equals nearly 70000 new
subscriptions per day.
young protestors used Facebook,
other social media and mobile Source:
Ericsson Traffic and Market Report, June
devices to find information, 2012
organise themselves and publish
news. Access to mobile technology
and the internet, as well as exposure to satellite tv have resulted in
an informed, connected and
technology-savvy region.
MENA FACTS
Electronic books are an excellent Additionally, social media appear
way for publishers to avoid less to be a “gender equalizer”, with
efficient distribution networks and
similar use among male and
increase revenues.
female users. There is, however,
still a gap in women’s usage of
social media, which is linked to
continuing societal and cultural constraints.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 10

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13. SURVEY RESULTS
PARTICIPANTS
Type of Organisation
Other
8%
Corporate
8%
Medical
11%
Academic
73%
The majority of participating institutions (73%) are part of an
academic organisation. The others are connected to medical
institutions (11%), corporations (8%), or other types of
organizations such as research and technology centers. All
academic disciplines are represented, although the field of
Professions & Applied Sciences (incl. Education, Health Science,
Law) is mentioned most often as a focus area, followed by the
Formal Sciences (incl. Computer Sciences, Mathematics) and the
Social Sciences. Humanities and Natural Sciences are mentioned
least often as fields of specialisation. Most of the respondents are
information specialists and library directors. Just over a third of the
participating institutions serve between 1000 and 5000 patrons. An
equal portion serve more than 5000 (up to 25000) patrons. The rest
serve fewer than 1000 patrons.
Effects of Arab Spring
The participating institutions were mostly situated on the Arabian
Peninsula, as was to be expected considering the recent political
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 12

14. developments and changes in North Africa. Nearly three out of five
respondents indicated that their institution had not been affected by
recent political events. The other respondents stated that their
institutions had been affected minimally or mildly. Those
respondents who specified the manner in which their institutions
had been affected by recent political developments mentioned
various effects.
In what way was your institution affected by recent political events?
• Improved governance and management (Tunisia)
• More students, library services and usage in order to cover geopolitical
changes (Lebanon)
• Budget cuts (Bahrain)
• Budget cuts due to oil price fluctuations (United Arab Emirates)
Has your institution been affected by recent (since
2010) political events?
Yes, strongly
0%
Yes, mildly
19%
Minimally Not at all
23% 58%
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 13

15. COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
Current Collection
81-100% Books
E-books
Journals
61-80%
E-journals
Databases
41-60%
% of collection
21-40%
0-20%
Collections largely consist of books, e-journals and databases. Print
journals are clearly less popular. Although the percentage of e-
books is still relatively low, it has increased since 2009.**
Priority for Future Collection
Audio/Visual
Digital Archives/
Repositories
Databases
High
Medium
E-journals
Low
Journals
E-books
Books
**
ACCUCOMS held a similar survey among librarians in the MENA region in 2009.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 14

16. Librarians in the MENA region mostly expect to add databases, e-
journals and e-books too their collections. Audio/visual resources
and print journals have low priority.
Preferred Formats
100%
90%
80%
70%
60% Print +
online
50%
Online only
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Journals Books
None of the participating institutions prefer the print-only format.
Institutions indicate a mixed preference for print-and-online and
online-only. The online-only format is mostly preferred for journals,
whereas usually both print and online copies of books are
purchased. The choice for online-only or online-and-print journals
appears to be related to the size of the institution; online-and-print
journals are mostly preferred by smaller institutions.
The main reasons given to explain a preference for online-only
journals is that they are easy to find and handle, accessible from
multiple locations, and save space. The accessibility of online-only
resources has improved since 2009. Several respondents note that
printed copies are still preferred in the Social Sciences and
Humanities, and also for books.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 15

17. Why do you prefer this format?
“Science & technology users prefer online only, whereas humanities & social
sciences still request printed resources.”
- Academic library, Bahrain
“Decisions are made based on price and availability. If a journal is too
expensive in its electronic format, we will purchase in print. The same is true
for books.”
- Academic library, United Arab Emirates
Library Budget for 2013-2015
Decrease
12%
Increase
48%
Stay same
40%
Libraries in the MENA region mostly expect their budget to stay the
same (40%) or to increase (48%). The most optimistic respondents
are from Lebanon, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Librarians seem to be
more positive about budget prospects compared to 2009.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 16

18. INTERACTION WITH PUBLISHERS
How do you prefer to receive information about
products and services?
Conferences
Website/social media
Listservs/forums/etc Prefer
Neutral
Dislike
Consortium
Subscription agent
Publisher and/or
Dedicated Representative
Institutions in the MENA region prefer to receive information about
products and services directly from the publisher or a dedicated
representative, or via a website / social media. Preferences have
changed since 2009, when receiving information via the
subscription agent was strongly preferred. Whereas conferences
were not very popular as a source of information in 2009 (strongly
disliked), they are seen as neutral-to-positive in 2012.
I would like to see...
“... more focus from international publishers on the Gulf region & Middle
East libraries, including attendance of regional library conferences and
sponsoring of medium-sized librarian meetings.”
- Academic library, Qatar
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 17

19. Respondents were asked to put the communication methods listed
above in order of preference. Based on the order indicated, each
communication method received a score per respondent. The
overall scores were then compared. Although preferences obviously
vary, email is the most popular communication method for libraries
in the MENA region. The next popular sources of information are
websites / social media and personal visits. Postal mail, telephone
and fax were not ranked as preferred methods as often. These
results have not changed much compared to 2009.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 18

20. Preferred Incentives
Sample issues
First-year
discount
Trial period
Valued-client discounts
Free online access with
print
Package discounts
No annual price rise
Respondents were asked to list the three incentives they preferred
most. Trial periods, package discounts and the absence of an
annual price rise are the most appreciated incentives among
libraries in the MENA region. In 2009, valued client discounts and
free online access with a print subscription were most popular.
"Publishers should re-examine the fte subscription model when dealing with
academic libraries in the MENA region as most universities are only just
starting to offer postgraduate and research courses. This means that usage
is in no way comparable to usage in other countries like the US, UK, etc. The
language factor is also very important as English is the not the first or native
language in this part of the world. A new subscription model based on usage
volume (bands) may be an option; it could become more affordable and
would act as an incentive to encourage libraries to acquire more resources."
- Academic institution, Bahrain
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 19

21. Most Important Services
Frequent phone calls
about subscriptions
Being contacted in own
language
Information via email Technical assistance (e.g.
about news and changes activation)
Quick response to
questions and complaints
Respondents were asked which of the listed services were most
important to them. They overwhelmingly selected technical
assistance, email updates and quick responses to questions and
complaints. Being contacted in one’s own language has become less
important to librarians in the MENA region since 2009, while
technical assistance has increased in importance.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 20

22. CONCLUSIONS
• Although the MENA region is currently undergoing economic
and political changes which make it hard to predict the future,
it is clear that the region has much to offer: it is a large
regional market with a favourable geographic location as well
as a young and dynamic population.
• Despite economic stagnation in the MENA region (especially in
oil-importing countries), now is the time for publishers to
increase their presence in the region. Chances for publishers
lie in the increased regional importance of job creation and
economic diversification. Education and job skills, especially
those which prepare workers for the private sector, are
priorities across the region. The largest growth market for
publishers is education, in English and Arabic.
• No two countries in the MENA region are the same, and
publishers should take language, culture as well as economic
and political structures into account when contacting
(potential) customers. Personal introductions and
relationships are indispensable when doing business in the
MENA region.
• Libraries in the MENA region are mostly planning to add digital
resources to their collections. Journals are preferred as online
only, and e-books are increasingly popular. However, in many
cases price differences between print and online copies are
decisive. Databases remain a popular content solution.
• Scientific, technical and medical (STM) works are the biggest
market for international publishers. These works are mostly
purchased in English, and occasionally in French.
• Trial periods and package discounts are welcomed as
incentives for purchase. An annual price rise is experienced as
negative. Some institutions suggest a separate subscription
model for libraries in the MENA region, since models used in
the United States and United Kingdom are experienced as
incomparable and less affordable.
• Libraries are eager for publishers to dedicate time, personnel
and resources to the MENA region. Personal visits and
conference attendance are highly appreciated.
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 21

23. ABOUT ACCUCOMS
ACCUCOMS is an independent provider of services to academic and
professional publishers around the world. Established in 2004,
ACCUCOMS now offers services in Europe, North America, Latin
America, the Middle East, North Africa and India.
OUR SERVICES
• sales and conference representation
• telemarketing
• content strategies
OUR STRENGTHS
• industry expertise
• local knowledge
• multilingual staff
• insightful reporting
• dialog, not scripts
• customer contacts
HEADQUARTERS
Dellaertweg 7B
2316 WZ Leiden
The Netherlands
T +31 88 4100 400
F +31 88 4100 401
W www.accucoms.com
E info@accucoms.com
Copyright © 2012 ACCUCOMS 22

24. APPENDIX
A – POPULATION
Urban
Population population
Country (2010) (% of total)
Algeria 35468000 67
Bahrain 1262000 89
Djibouti 889000 88
Egypt 81121000 43
Iran 73973000 70
Iraq 32031000 66
Israel 7624000 92
Jordan 6047000 79
Kuwait 2736000 98
Lebanon 4227000 87
Libya 6355000 78
Mauritania 3460000 41
MENA region 331263000 58
Morocco 31951000 57
Oman 2783000 72
Palestinian
Territories 4152000 72
Qatar 1759000 96
Saudi Arabia 27448000 84
Sudan 43552000 45
Syria 20447000 55
Tunisia 10549000 67
UAE 7512000 78
Yemen 24053000 32
Source: World Bank, http://data.worldbank.org/region/MNA, June 2012. No data was available for
South Sudan and Western Sahara.
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25. B – POPULATION UNDER 30
Total
Population population
under 30 in in % of
thousands thousands population
Country (2010) (2010) under 30
Algeria 20524 35711 57
Bahrain 626 1266 49
Djibouti 587 892 66
Egypt 48937 81675 60
Iraq 22322 31809 70
Israel 3698 7631 48
Jordan 4216 6218 68
Kuwait 1494 2744 54
Lebanon 2180 4276 51
Libya 3746 6393 59
MENA region 217092 352658 62
Morocco 18151 32207 56
Palestinian Territories 2886 4052 71
Oman 1760 2797 63
Qatar 788 1761 45
Saudi Arabia 15730 27610 57
Sudan 29509 43719 67
Syria 13358 20544 65
Tunisia 5452 10603 51
United Arab Emirates 3730 7517 50
Yemen 17985 24125 75
Source: United Nations Population Division, http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/, June 2012. No data was
available for South Sudan and Western Sahara.
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26. C – GDP AND GNI PER CAPITA
GNI per
capita,
GDP per Year Atlas Year
Country capita ($) (GDP) method ($) (GNI)
Algeria 4567 2010 4390 2010
Bahrain 17609 2009 18730 2008
Djibouti 1203 2009 1270 2009
Egypt 2698 2010 2420 2010
Iran 4526 2009 4520 2009
Iraq 2565 2010 2340 2010
Israel 28506 2010 27180 2010
Jordan 4560 2010 4340 2010
Kuwait 41365 2009 47790 2007
Lebanon 9228 2010 8880 2010
Libya 9957 2009 12320 2009
Mauritania 1044 2010 1000 2010
MENA region 3644 2010 3874 2010
Morocco 2796 2010 2850 2010
Oman 17280 2009 18260 2009
Palestinian
Territories/West
Bank & Gaza - - 1250 2005
Qatar 61532 2009 - -
Saudi Arabia 15836 2010 16190 2009
Sudan 1425 2010 1270 2010
Syria 2893 2010 2750 2010
Tunisia 4199 2010 4160 2010
UAE 39623 2010 41930 2009
Yemen 1300 2010 1170 2010
Source: World Bank, http://data.worldbank.org/region/MNA, June 2012. No data was available for
South Sudan and Western Sahara.
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27. D – LITERACY AND TERTIARY ENROLLMENT
Literacy School
rate, adult enrollment,
total (% of Year tertiary (% Year
Country people 15+) (literacy) gross) (enrollment)
Algeria - 31 2010
Bahrain 91 2009 - -
Djibouti - - 3 2009
Egypt - - 30 2008
Iran 85 2008 43 2010
Iraq 78 2009 - -
Israel - - 62 2009
Jordan 92 2007 42 2009
Kuwait 94 2008 - -
Lebanon 90 2007 54 2010
Libya 89 2009 - -
Mauritania 57 2009 4 2010
MENA region 74 2009 27 2009
Morocco 56 2009 13 2009
Oman 87 2008 24 2010
Palestinian
Territories 95 2009 50 2010
Qatar 95 2009 10 2010
Saudi Arabia 86 2009 37 2010
Syria 84 2009 -
Tunisia 78 2008 34 2009
UAE - - - -
Yemen 62 2009 10 2007
Source: World Bank, http://data.worldbank.org/region/MNA, June 2012. No data was available for
South Sudan, Sudan and Western Sahara.
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28. E – PUBLIC SPENDING ON EDUCATION
Public
spending on
education Public
(% of spending on
government Year education Year
Country expenditure) (spending) (% of GDP) (spending)
Algeria 20.3 2008 4.3 2008
Bahrain 11.7 2008 2.9 2008
Djibouti 22.8 2007 8.4 2007
Egypt 11.9 2008 3.8 2008
Iran 19.8 2010 4.7 2010
Iraq - - - -
Israel 13.7 2008 5.9 2008
Jordan - - - -
Kuwait - - - -
Lebanon 7.2 2009 1.8 2009
Libya - -
Mauritania 15.2 2010 4.3 2010
MENA region 20 2008 2008
Morocco 25.7 2008 5.4 2009
Oman - - 4.4 2009
Palestinian
Territories - - - -
Qatar 8.2 2008 2.4 2008
Saudi Arabia 19.3 2008 5.6 2008
Syria 16.7 2007 4.9 2007
Tunisia 22.7 2008 6.3 2008
UAE 23.4 2009 1.0 2009
Yemen 16 2008 5.2 2008
Source: World Bank, http://data.worldbank.org/region/MNA, June 2012. No data was available for
Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Palestinian Territories, South Sudan, Sudan and Western Sahara.
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29. F – SOURCES & FURTHER INFORMATION
Arab Social Media Report, www.arabsocialmediareport.com.
BBC News – Arab Uprising, www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12813859.
International Monetary Fund, http://www.imf.org.
Middle East Economic Survey, www.mees.com/.
Middle East Youth Initiative, http://www.shababinclusion.org.
OECD, www.oecd.org.
Publishing Perspectives, http://publishingperspectives.com.
TIME: The New Middle East, ed. Bobby Ghosh, New York: Time Books, 2012.
United Nations Population Division, esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/.
World Bank, data.worldbank.org/region/MNA.
www2.ohchr.org/english/ohchrreport2011/web_version/ohchr_report2011_web/al
legati/25_MENA.pdf
www.indexmundi.com/map/
edition.cnn.com/interactive/2011/02/tech/map.mideast.tech/index.html
Dhillon, Navtej & Yousef, Tarik. Inclusion: Meeting the 100 Million Youth
Challenge. Middle East Youth Initiative. 2007. www.shababinclusion.org
Happe, Frederic. “'Arab Spring' heralds new era for publishers.” Middle East
Online http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=48542
McLaughlin, Brenna. “Report from Abu Dhabi Book Fair 2011.” AAUP Net
http://www.aaupnet.org/news-a-publications/aaup-publications/the-
exchange/the-exchange-archive/spring-2011/392-report-from-abu-dhabi-
book-fair-2011
Pavel, Tal. “The internet and mobile phones in the service of the revolution.”
Guardian Professional www.guardian.co.uk/media-network-partner-zone-
publici/internet-mobile-revolution?newsfeed=true
Roudi, Farzaneh. Youth Population and Employment in the Middle East and North
Africa: Opportunity or Challenge. 2011.
www.un.org/esa/population/meetings/egm-adolescents/roudi.pdf
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