ABSTRACT
The investigation of the distribution of material resources and of interstate perceptions in the Middle East and North Africa helps us understand the exact position of smaller Gulf states in the region. Four out of the five countries are relatively small in terms of their territorial, demographic, economic, and military size; only the United Arab Emirates (UAE) surpasses the regional average in two categories. The analysis of the perceived importance measured in the intensity of inter-governmental interactions suggests that Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain enlarged their normative size over the last decade. On the other hand, all five states enjoy a relatively good image, especially Oman, which is the least confronted state in the whole region.
