The history of the economy across the Middle East -- The modern-day economy in the Gulf -- The modern-day economy in the Levant -- The modern-day economy in North Africa -- Important figures in the economy across the Middle East

Although a millennium ago the Middle East was not an economic laggard, by the 18th century it exhibited clear signs of economic backwardness. The reason for this transformation is that certain components of the region's legal infrastructure stagnated as their Western counterparts gave way to the...