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THE MIDDLE EAST is a subregion of Asia that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. The Middle East has been at the center of world affairs, and has been a very strategically, economically, politically, and culturally important region. Total GDP of the area in 2004 in terms of purchasing power parity exchange rate (PPP) is estimated at $2.2 trillion. With a young and educated workforce, and a wealth of natural resources including more than 60% of the world's proven oil reserves, and 37% of world's natural gas reserves, the region has great potential for economic growth.
