Page 435 - Sustainable Cities and Communities Design Handbook

Business Ventures and Financial Sector Chapter j 19 405

Budget Income and Spending in the GCC (bln USD)
Country Budget Income Budget Spending
Saudi Arabia 293.1 210.6
Bahrain 7.93 8.297
Qatar 68.79 37.88
Kuwait 92.23 61.16
Iraq 69.2 82.6
Iran 130.6 92.22
Oman 23.75 23.21
UAE 120.8 102.9
Based on CIA The World Factbook at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook.

Buying something from the Arab states is much easier (chiefly oil and oil
products) than selling anything in those markets. All the Persian Gulf states
show a positive, and distinctly so, balance of trade. For instance, Saudi Arabia
ranks as the 15th global exporter, but only the 33rd importer. The largest
global economies, such as the United States, Japan, China, South Korea,
Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and India, are the trade partners of the Persian
Gulf states. Thailand is another major importer of goods from Oman and
Singapore from Saudi Arabia, whereas Turkey plays an important role in trade
with Iran and Iraq. Iraq is the fifth most important export market for Turkey
(5.3%), whereas Iran is the seventh in respect of the value of import volume.
Imports and Exports of the GCC Members (bln. USD)
Country Import Export
Saudi Arabia 106.5 350.7
Bahrain 16.8 20.23
Qatar 25.33 104.3
Kuwait 22.41 94.47
Iraq 53.93 78.38
Iran 76.1 131.8
Oman 21.47 45.53
UAE 185.6 265.3
Based on CIA The World Factbook at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook.

Poland’s trade with the Persian Gulf states has been small so far. It amounts
to hundreds of millions of PLN in the case of Saudi Arabia, whereas with any
of Poland’s top 10 trade partners it is counted in tens of billions of PLN (with
Germany even in hundreds of billions of PLN). Polish export to, e.g., Saudi
Arabia is chiefly furniture, and also medical equipment and lamps. Enterprises
of certain industries managed to establish their position in those markets.
Annual trade with the United Arab Emirates amounts to nearly 320 million
USD. 84 The UAE is one of Poland’s biggest trade partners in the area of North
Africa and the Near East. Higher total turnover in trade between Poland and the

84. Central Statistical Office, http://www.stat.gov.pl/gus/index_ENG_HTML.htm.