A major new reference work on the Middle East that contains all the latest facts and figures on the region. The contributors are genuinely international - providing a superb perspective on the region. The Gulf Yearbook 2004 is a well-documented and analytical review of the most significant developments and interactions across the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states and those of Iraq, Iran and Yemen during the last twelve months. It covers political, economic and security developments within each of these nine countries and also explores the dynamics and scale of their relations at regional and international levels. In parallel, the Gulf Yearbook investigates the positions held by the main international powers towards the Gulf region while also covering key areas such as economic and social developments (including education) and the status of the media in the region. It focuses in particular on economic reform within the GCC states, arguing that this is both an inevitable reality and a national imperative. The contributors are regional Arab specialists and a wide range of international academics from Europe, North America and elsewhere. The end result is an essential reference for all those concerned with the dynamics of the region, providing the very latest data and analysis of events and developments of the past year.