Spanning from Saharan Africa to the western edge of Asia, the Middle East's nations share four general characteristics: shared water resource interests, shared religion (with the exception of Israel, which only has a 15% Muslim population), the birth rate is exceeding the death rate, and the vast wealth from minerals and oil. The dominance of fossil fuel and mineral deposits on the area's economy constitutes 88 percent of the region's Gross Domestic Product, where two-thirds of the …showed first 75 words of 910 total…

…showed last 75 words of 910 total…in societies where nearly half of the population, women, are not allowed to work. In summary, many factors have increased the population in the Middle East, from the traditional values of the Islamic societies, to the importation of skilled workers to support the burgeoning oil trade. A balance must be reached so that the job market can support the growing population, including the women in certain countries who are enjoying more and more economic freedoms.