Arab and Middle East Uprising: A Map of the Countries Affected by the Revolution

Arab and Middle East Uprising: an outline of events

 

Morocco

 

 

After a day of protest with thousands of demonstrators demanding a new government and a constitutional monarchy, King Mohammed VI has declared he will not give in to demagogy.

 

Population: 34 million

 

Unemployment: 10%; under-25: 31.80%

 

Below poverty line: 15%

 

GDP per capita: $4.900

 

King Mohammed VI has been in power since 1999, the year of his father Hasan II’s death.

 

 

Tunisia

 

 

After the fall of President Ben Ali, in power since 1987, the Country has been going through a difficult post-revolutionary transition.

 

Population: 10.434.400

 

Unemployment: 13%

 

Below poverty line: 3.8%

 

Per capita income: $ 9.500

 

 

Libya

 

 

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s militias have responded with violence to the people’s protests in Tripoli. Benghazi is under protesters’ control.

 

Population: 6.120.585

 

Unemployment: 14 %

 

Below poverty line: 7%

 

GDP per capita: $ 13.800

 

Gaddafi has been in power since 1969.

 

 

Egypt

 

 

The last 11 February President Mubarak resigned after 30 years in power, leaving the Country in a state of confusion where at the moment the army are calling the shots.

 

Population: 80 millions

 

Unemployment: 8.9 %; under-25: 49.3%

 

Below poverty line: 20%

 

GDP per capita $6.200

 

 

Yemen

 

 

After about 10 day’s protest, during which over 10 people died, President Ali Abdullah Saleh declared not to want to resign but to intend to open negotiations with the protesters.

 

Population: 20.975.000

 

Unemployment 10-14 %

 

Below poverty line: 45%

 

GDP per capita $ 2.600

 

President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been in power since 1978 (North Yemen).

 

Until 1990 Yemen was divided into North Yemen and South Yemen.

 

 

Bahrain

 

 

The opposition is trying to take advantage of the Shi’ite protest to force the king to dissolve the government.

 

Population: 1.234.596

 

Unemployment: 5-9%

 

Per capita income: $ 40.000

 

King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa has been in power since 1999.

 

 

Iran

 

 

An Islamic Republic since 1979, the year of the Shah’s expulsion. Demonstrations in public squares and clashes with the police are once again shaking Iran, while the Foreign Affairs Minister in Tehran has publicly condemned Libya’s “massacre of the innocents”.

 

Population: 68.278.826

 

Unemployment: 14.6%

 

Below poverty line: 18%

 

GDP per capita: $ 11.200

 

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been President of the Republic since 2005; imam Khamenei has been Supreme Leader since 1989, the year of imam Khomeini’s death.