In the previous book "Fossil Fuels in the Arab World: Facts and Fiction", an assessment of mankind's dependence on fossil fuels was performed - particularly the position of Arab countries in this international industry. Several questions were posed then, identifying whether or not fossil fuel producing countries of the Arab world were an indispensable energy supplier and if the answer or beliefs around that question were behind Western policies towards the Arab world. In this book the questions posed 5 years ago from three perspectives: market fundamentals, understanding the fossil fuel market fundamentals and the place of the Arab world within that; political influences, corruption & cultural norms in business dealings, the developing democracy and militarisation in the Arab world and their interplay with oil and gas are addressed and finally, public relations, perceptions or concerns, where climate change and alternative energy questions are explored in detail.

Presents profiles of countries from around the world, with information on such topics as historical events, the environment, physical geography, habitats, animal and plant life, agriculture, the economy, culture, governments, and industries.

Increasingly the Middle East and its growing population face a highly complex and fragile security system. The rich deposits of natural resources, such as oil and gas, suffer from a strained renewable resource base that includes water and arable land. This leads to water scarcity, desertification, and land degradation. Increasing population, industrialization, and urbanization put more and more demand on the food supply. Energy insecurity may not be generally associated with the Middle East, but the countries in the eastern Mediterranean part have been traditionally vulnerable to it as their fossil fuel endowments have been low. Another issue is the large-scale temporary labor migration and the large number of forced migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons. The book analyzes these emerging security challenges in a comprehensive and systematic manner. It draws national and regional security issues into both the global security and human security perspectives.

Each volume focuses on a specific geographic region covering its physical geography, economics, government, and peoples.