All 24 nations rose from the same imperial collapse after World War I. But their paths since independence went in very different directions. Let's find out how — and why.
The Arab world covers 13 million km² across North Africa and West Asia. Israel, by comparison, is smaller than the state of New Jersey. Click the chart to animate.
Each bar's height shows a country's value for the chosen metric. Switch criteria to see how rankings shift. Hover any country for a detailed breakdown.
The Arab world's combined economy is worth $2.78 trillion, mostly built on oil. Israel's smaller economy runs on innovation, education, and entrepreneurship — with no major natural resources.
Click any event on the timeline to learn more. Every modern nation in this region was born from the wreckage of collapsing empires after World War I.
The region includes 8 royal monarchies, authoritarian republics, a theocratic republic, and hybrid governments. Israel is the only parliamentary democracy in the region according to the 2016 Democracy Index.
The Arab world averages 78% adult literacy — with huge variation. Some nations top 95%, others fall below 50%. Women are hit hardest in the lowest-performing countries.
Yemen has a Gender Parity Index of just 0.46 — meaning for every 100 literate men, only 46 women can read and write. This is one of the worst gender gaps in literacy anywhere in the world.
Israel prioritizes education as the core driver of its economy. Near-universal literacy and a high density of universities and research institutions power the innovation economy. The lesson: educated populations build stronger economies than oil alone.
All 24 nations emerged from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after 1918. They started from the same moment in history. But their choices about government, education, and economy have led them to very different places today.