ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book shows that rapid population growth has made policy instruments ineffective. Cities of the Muslim world have grown in ways that have been least expected. It shows how the emergence of oil as a commodity on the world market in the earlier parts of nineteenth-century was instrumental for the appearance and future development of cities in the Persian Gulf. The book examines the characteristics of the construction firms and construction labor markets in Sanaa and Cairo and discusses the relationships among labor emigration, internal migration, and economic development. It argues that the construction sector continues to attract migrants into Sanaa whereas in Cairo there has been a decline in immigration. The book describes the significance of the informal sector to urban life in the Middle East.
