Why Have the Eastern Mediterranean Countries Been Strained?

Countries in the Eastern Mediterranean have been strained by years of conflict and economic instability. Much of this stems from the region's years of control by larger powers such as the Ottomans and Russians. Future growth depends heavily on changes in economic behavior.

History

Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1900s, the region formerly controlled by the power was segmented into new nations after World War I. This area became subject to a major conflict region in World War II.

Significance

Much of the countries in the Eastern Mediterranean became highly influenced by Russia both during and after the Cold War. In 2009, Turkey joined with the European Union to limit the energy portion of this influence with the establishment of the Nabucco pipeline.

Features

According to a 2006 study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology, the Eastern Mediterranean countries import a large volume of water-intensive foods such as fruits and vegetables. This causes a limitation to the GDP in relation to the EU.

Geography

Countries within the Eastern Mediterranean are very diverse in regards to religion. The region has a strong influence of Christian and Muslim communities as well as the Jewish state of Israel, causing conflict.

Considerations

A free-trade zone was to be established within the Mediterranean by 2010, designed to help all countries in the region. However, Tunisia and Morocco were the only nations to enter the agreement with the Eastern Mediterranean in 2010 and 2012 respectively.

References

• Water scarcity and food trade in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries
• The Islamic Religious Elite in the Mediterranean:
• The Challenges of the Nabucco Pipeline

Resources

• Euromed 2010: Evaluation and Challenges
• Fall of the Ottoman Empire