The Future of the Mediterranean Basin

Abstract

The diversity of the eighteen countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea is, perhaps, the most interesting aspect of the basin, as illustrated in Table 13.1, which lists the countries, and Table 13.2, which gives comparative data for the largest and smallest countries by land area, population, GNP and energy consumption per head of population. Algeria, the largest country, with a land area of over 2 million square kilometres, compares with Monaco, the smallest country, with only 25 square kilometres; Italy’s population is 57.7 million, while Monaco’s is 25 000; and the French enjoy an average income of US$19 500 per head compared to the Egyptian figure of US$640. The region exhibits equally diverse geographic, climatic, ethnic, religious and political characteristics.

This chapter has been prepared from documents prepared for the Mediterranean Blue Plan, UNEP, and the Observatoire Méditerranéen de l’Energie, France. We are also grateful to Henri Regnault and Jacques Roxer for their contributions.