Page 143 - Aamir Rehman - Dubai & Co Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States-McGraw-Hill (2007)

Silicon from Sand: Essential Background on the GCC 127

● Qatar is the upstart, applying the wealth from its natural
gas boom to build a diversified, knowledge-based
economy.
● Bahrain is the Wall Street of the Gulf—the region’s banking
hub since the 1970s. It now faces fierce competition to
remain the financial services capital.
● Kuwait is marked by comfort and vulnerability. The tiny, oil-
rich state is a massive global investor with strong alliances
in place for its protection.
● Oman is a “real” economy, with greater diversification, a
local middle class, preserved historical sites, and a range
of terrain.