What's new

Rift within GCC ‘coming to an end’

The average Saudi is not wealthy. The income gap is big, there are rich but most Saudis are middle class

Stop for once writing subjective nonsense. First the outrageous claim of Saudi Arabians being "poor" and now this. I already wrote, which is a fact, that the GDP per capita of the average Saudi Arabian is higher than that of any other ME country outside of Qatar and UAE (due to obvious reasons) and that it is higher than the Israeli and the average in EU. In short it's among the highest in the world. Compared to the average of the world that is considered wealthy. Very wealthy in fact. Compared to some GCC states not so much but we already know the explanations for that being the case.

There has been a big growth in recent years. Look at the numbers that were just published by the World Bank. When I say recently I mean that economic report from late April THIS very year.

Yea there are a lot of similarities between south Asian and middle eastern culture in general. We do eat lots of dates too even though we're not muslims. Okra is a popular dish called "bhindi"- it tastes great. Roasted meat? Yes! Are you familiar with tandoori meat? Tandoor is a technique of roasting meat
Tandoor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
North Indian food uses a lot of meat in our cuisines and tandoori chicken is a very popular dish in our regions.
Beans are a staple in our food too. Red kidney beans (called Rajma)are so popular and so good. Rajma with Chawal (basmati rice) is simple yet very tasty and is a staple in my region (Jammu and Kashmir). Other types of beans are very popular too. We drink more tea than coffee. I think Arabs are more fond of coffee. Our tea is called masala chai and we also drink kashmiri chai which is quite different and has a salty taste. It helps to keep one warm in colder regions.

Thanks for that detailed explanation my friend. Yes, I am quite familiar with Indian cuisine. Many of the cooking techniques are very similar to the ones used in the Arab world and the remaining ME. Yes, I do like tandoori meat. It's very tasty.:D

Then it's more or less the same. Interesting. I would say that coffee and tea are equally popular but coffee is a native drink so it might edge tea which is from China originally if I remember correctly. But tea is hugely popular as well. I drink both quite often.
Tea with cardamon is popular.
 
Last edited:
My views aren't subjective. Most Saudis live in rented homes

60% Saudis live in rented houses

Such numbers which are notoriously inaccurate are not exactly accurate and this says nothing about wealth. That percentage also includes expatriates, at least it did before. House prices and land prices just happen to be among the most expensive in the entire world. Assets overall are not a problem.

Still none of that is changing all the facts I wrote which just happen to evolve around numbers.
 
Last edited:
Saudi Arabia is set to be the Middle East’s richest economy in terms of GDP per capita by 2050, according to a forecast by Citibank.

The report forecast that Saudis will have an average wealth of $98,311 by 2050. This is nearly four times the current rate of $24,200 gross domestic product (GDP) per capital, according to the CIA World Factbook.

The oil-rich kingdom tops the rankings for the Middle East and will be sixth overall on the global list by 2050, the rankings showed.

Singapore is set to top the worldwide rankings with $137,710, with Hong Kong ($116,639), Taiwan ($114,093), South Korea ($107,752) and the US ($100,802) rounding out the top five. With Saudi Arabia on sixth, Canada ($96,375), the UK ($91,130), Switzerland ($90,956) and Austria ($90,158) conclude the top ten.

I couldn't post the link to this article since I'm new but according to this forecast which was reported by many media outlets including The Economic Times, Qatar and UAE won't even be in the top 10 wealthiest countries in terms of GDP by 2050.
 
Saudi Arabia is set to be the Middle East’s richest economy in terms of GDP per capita by 2050, according to a forecast by Citibank.

The report forecast that Saudis will have an average wealth of $98,311 by 2050. This is nearly four times the current rate of $24,200 gross domestic product (GDP) per capital, according to the CIA World Factbook.

The oil-rich kingdom tops the rankings for the Middle East and will be sixth overall on the global list by 2050, the rankings showed.

Singapore is set to top the worldwide rankings with $137,710, with Hong Kong ($116,639), Taiwan ($114,093), South Korea ($107,752) and the US ($100,802) rounding out the top five. With Saudi Arabia on sixth, Canada ($96,375), the UK ($91,130), Switzerland ($90,956) and Austria ($90,158) conclude the top ten.

I couldn't post the link to this article since I'm new but according to this forecast which was reported by many media outlets including The Economic Times, Qatar and UAE won't even be in the top 10 wealthiest countries in terms of GDP by 2050.

This report is actually 2-3 years old if I recall correctly. Nevertheless EVERY single future outlook of the Saudi Arabian economy is very positive no matter what the source is.

This can only change if something catastrophic happens (war).

Thank you for the information and welcome to the forum.
 
Gulf News is edited by Indians and thus cannot be trusted. Qatar and the other smaller GCC states must sooner rather than later be annexed by KSA since many of them (Qatar, UAE and Kuwait in particular) have little historical legitimacy and most of those territories were part of the ancient and nearly 5000 year old Dilmun civilization - a trading partner of nearby Mesopotamia and the IVC across the Arabian Sea. Or the other native civilizations of Eastern Arabia of which the majority were based in what is now the Eastern Province of KSA. Just like most of those people are originally from regions in what is now KSA.
You're being very subjective.
 
You're being very subjective.

How so? Proof my statements wrong please. All what I wrote is based on facts. What historical legitimacy do Qatar or UAE or even Kuwait have as independent entities let alone historical regions with their own distinct ancient history? That's more a resent phenonemon for all of them and is bound in certain families ruling.

All 3 states happen to be Arabian countries located on the Eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula next to the Gulf and all 3, including Bahrain which is a somewhat different and a unique entity with a historical legitimacy as a sovereign entity, are commonly known as Arab states in the historical region of Eastern Arabia. They share a somewhat similar culture, origins and speak a somewhat similar dialect of Arabic. Or more precisely versions of 1 larger Arab dialect (لهجة خليجية). Parts of Oman are included here, mainly Northern Oman along the Gulf Coast but it's a somewhat distinct entity and most closely related to UAE.

Eastern Arabia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That region that I have just described is geographically known as Eastern Arabia and historically as "Bahrain" or Greater Bahrain. In very ancient times (5000 years ago) it was known as Dilmun. The majority of that ancient territory, just like that of the historical region of "Bahrain" lied in what is today the Eastern Province of KSA.

Dilmun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another ancient civilization that existed in the region was the Magan civilization that exited from 2300 BC to 500 BC in what is now Northern Oman.

Magan (civilization) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If those regions who are historically and culturally, ethnically and linguistically connected, although unique in their own way, were to be united in a future united Arabian Peninsula KSA would play the by far biggest role in such a future union and Yemen the second most important on the long run due to its ancient history, cultural influence and the high population.
 
How so? Proof my statements wrong please. All what I wrote is based on facts. What historical legitimacy do Qatar or UAE or even Kuwait have as independent entities let alone historical regions with their own distinct ancient history? That's more a resent phenonemon for all of them and is bound in certain families ruling.

All 3 states happen to be Arabian countries located on the Eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula next to the Gulf and all 3, including Bahrain which is a somewhat different and a unique entity with a historical legitimacy as a sovereign entity, are commonly known as Arab states in the historical region of Eastern Arabia. They share a somewhat similar culture, origins and speak a somewhat similar dialect of Arabic. Or more precisely versions of 1 larger Arab dialect (لهجة خليجية). Parts of Oman are included here, mainly Northern Oman along the Gulf Coast but it's a somewhat distinct entity and most closely related to UAE.

Eastern Arabia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That region that I have just described is geographically known as Eastern Arabia and historically as "Bahrain" or Greater Bahrain. In very ancient times (5000 years ago) it was known as Dilmun. The majority of that ancient territory, just like that of the historical region of "Bahrain" lied in what is today the Eastern Province of KSA.

Dilmun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another ancient civilization that existed in the region was the Magan civilization that exited from 2300 BC to 500 BC in what is now Northern Oman.

Magan (civilization) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If those regions who are historically and culturally, ethnically and linguistically connected, although unique in their own way, were to be united in a future united Arabian Peninsula KSA would play the by far biggest role in such a future union and Yemen the second most important on the long run due to its ancient history, cultural influence and the high population.

For now lets talk about integrating kuwait , bahrain and qatar first .

there is no hurry in this but the long term goal is surely complete unity.
 
For now lets talk about integrating kuwait , bahrain and qatar first .

there is no hurry in this but the long term goal is surely complete unity.
Well I think that question must be found in the birth and constant development, especially future, of the GCC as it becomes a more closely-knittet union for each year.

In fact I was thinking about this yesterday and my conclusion, at least for now, is that a federal union is the best way to integrate the Arabian Peninsula into 1 formal entity. This way each separate country can remain as they are today largely.

The people of the region should ultimately decide on their own.

Exactly. There is no hurry indeed and the long term goal should be complete unity because the geopolitical reality of the region is bound to change and the smaller GCC states will have a difficult time being on their own if they don't enjoy the full and complete backing of bigger allies. We all know where Bahrain would be if they had no KSA or UAE to back them.
 
How so? Proof my statements wrong please. All what I wrote is based on facts. What historical legitimacy do Qatar or UAE or even Kuwait have as independent entities let alone historical regions with their own distinct ancient history? That's more a resent phenonemon for all of them and is bound in certain families ruling.

All 3 states happen to be Arabian countries located on the Eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula next to the Gulf and all 3, including Bahrain which is a somewhat different and a unique entity with a historical legitimacy as a sovereign entity, are commonly known as Arab states in the historical region of Eastern Arabia. They share a somewhat similar culture, origins and speak a somewhat similar dialect of Arabic. Or more precisely versions of 1 larger Arab dialect (لهجة خليجية). Parts of Oman are included here, mainly Northern Oman along the Gulf Coast but it's a somewhat distinct entity and most closely related to UAE.

Eastern Arabia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That region that I have just described is geographically known as Eastern Arabia and historically as "Bahrain" or Greater Bahrain. In very ancient times (5000 years ago) it was known as Dilmun. The majority of that ancient territory, just like that of the historical region of "Bahrain" lied in what is today the Eastern Province of KSA.

Dilmun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another ancient civilization that existed in the region was the Magan civilization that exited from 2300 BC to 500 BC in what is now Northern Oman.

Magan (civilization) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If those regions who are historically and culturally, ethnically and linguistically connected, although unique in their own way, were to be united in a future united Arabian Peninsula KSA would play the by far biggest role in such a future union and Yemen the second most important on the long run due to its ancient history, cultural influence and the high population.
The cultures are different, only Qatar and UAE are the same

I support unification of Kuwait with UAE, Bahrain, Qatar
 
The cultures are different, only Qatar and UAE are the same

I support unification of Kuwait with UAE, Bahrain, Qatar

You certainly know nothing about the region , UAE , Qatar , Bahrain , Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are all the same people pretty much only artificial borders on the otherhand oman is different I agree and at some point they had an empire in eastern africa
 
You certainly know nothing about the region , UAE , Qatar , Bahrain , Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are all the same people pretty much only artificial borders on the otherhand oman is different I agree and at some point they had an empire in eastern africa

You yourself don't know shit either, remember what you said earlier.
You called us a different race ( Persians ) & you think Guflies and Egyptians are the same people lol.
 
You yourself don't know shit either, remember what you said earlier.
You called us a different race ( Persians ) & you think Guflies and Egyptians are the same people lol.

I said people in Hejaz and Southern Egypt are the same , they speak the same dialect and come from same tribes .

Iraqis are certainly a different race than us we have kurds , turkmen , christians etc all these are not arabs apart from that those living in southern iraq suffer from identity crises to the point they appointed a persian bastard to run their religious affairs .

you chose to change your identity and that is your choice after all , perhaps mut3a marriage lead to this identity crises
 
You certainly know nothing about the region , UAE , Qatar , Bahrain , Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are all the same people pretty much only artificial borders on the otherhand oman is different I agree and at some point they had an empire in eastern africa
I'm Kuwaiti, I certainly know more about the region than the Ibadi Emirati (you)!

Bahrainis are completely different people from Qataris, every one knows this
 
I'm Kuwaiti, I certainly know more about the region than the Ibadi Emirati (you)!

Bahrainis are completely different people from Qataris, every one knows this

how stupid one could be , Just because they come from a different tribe does not make them different stupid besides baharna people originally come from eastern saudi arabia , go to some research slave and dont even associate yourself with us liar .
 

Latest posts

Pakistan Affairs Latest Posts

Back
Top Bottom