Socio-economic background: West Asia

The West Asia region has undergone major demographic development and socio-economic transformation, including substantial agricultural and industrial development, since oil was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century. These trends have intensified during the past 30 years.

Although the West Asian economy is statistically dominated by the petroleum industry, economic reality for many West Asians is still based on traditional lifestyles Source: UNEP, Topham Picturepoint