In interpreting what's going on, it may be useful to know the relative population sizes of the various countries in the greater Middle Eastern region and beyond. Otherwise, it would be as if California was given the same relative weight as Wyoming, or New York the same as Rhode Island. There are differences -- everything is not weighted equally. In fact, world news coverage is often quite skewed in other directions for cultural, political, economic or other reasons.
Demographics/population
Tunisia: 10-11 million
Egypt: 80 million
Israel: 7-8 million
Libya: 6-7 million
Lebanon: 4-5 million
Syria: 22 million
Jordan: 6-7 million
Saudi Arabia: 20-26 million
Iraq: 31-32 million
Iran: 77 million
Turkey: 74 million
Somalia: 9-10 million
Sudan: 44-45 million
Ethiopia: 85-86 million
Algeria: 35 million
Yemen: 24 million
The largest populations of those listed above:
Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Algeria.
The smallest populations of those listed above:
Tunisia, Somalia, Israel, Libya, Jordan, Lebanon.
What will happen if the Tunisia-Egypt convulsions ripple throughout the region? Should those in power in Saudi Arabia, Israel and Jordan (etc.) be nervous?
Today's Rune: The Mystery Rune.
3 comments:
Should we be nervous. Gulp, yes. I think of the seventies.
I didn't realize Egypt was that much more populous than many of the other countries.
I would hope that the government of the US of A is very and has been very nervous.
And yes especially the Saudi royal family should be nervous. They are the harbors of the Wahhabi and it is their mosques that the real threat to them is.
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