petrostates
Crude-funded countries
Petrostates are nations whose economies and political systems depend heavily on oil and gas exports.
The term typically carries negative connotations—suggesting governments that use petroleum wealth to maintain authoritarian control, avoid economic diversification, and resist democratic accountability: Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Venezuela are classic petrostates.
The concept relates to the "resource curse," where natural wealth paradoxically stunts broader development.
Gulf kingdom, largest Arabian state
- VenezuelaNorthern South American republic
- RussiaEurasian federation, largest country
- NigeriaWest African federal republic
- KuwaitArabian Peninsula emirate
Iraq · Iran · Qatar · United Arab Emirates · Libya · Algeria · Angola · Kazakhstan
Lives on investment income
- diversificationExpanding into varied areas
- subsidiesFinancial aid from government
- GDPNational output abbreviation
- fiscalOf public revenue
budget · revenue · solvency · deficit · surplus · boom-bust · resource curse · nationalization
Concentrated, unchecked governmental power
- monarchyRule by crowned sovereign
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- patronageSupporter's financial backing
- oligarchsWealthy few who govern
plutocracy · elites · autocracy · repression · censorship · royal decrees · legitimacy · political stability
Petroleum exporters' coalition
- sanctionsPunitive international restrictions
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- hegemonyDominant group's control
- influencePower to affect others
sovereignty · alliances · strategic · proxy wars · embargoes · energy security · spheres of influence · regionalism
Unpolished, raw state
- barrelsCylindrical storage vessels
- reservesResources held back
- extractionAct of removing
- drillingHole-making by rotation
exploration · offshore · onshore · derrick · rigs · platforms · upstream · downstream
Abundance of money
- opulenceShowy, abundant prosperity
- luxuryExpensive nonessential comfort
- megaprojectsVast, costly infrastructure initiatives
- skyscrapersExtremely tall urban buildings
Saudi Arabia
Gulf kingdom, largest Arabian state
- VenezuelaNorthern South American republic
- RussiaEurasian federation, largest country
- NigeriaWest African federal republic
Kuwait · Iraq · Iran · Qatar · United Arab Emirates · Libya · Algeria · Angola · Kazakhstan · Azerbaijan
rentier
Lives on investment income
- diversificationExpanding into varied areas
- subsidiesFinancial aid from government
- GDPNational output abbreviation
fiscal · budget · revenue · solvency · deficit · surplus · boom-bust · resource curse · nationalization · Vision 2030
authoritarianism
Concentrated, unchecked governmental power
- monarchyRule by crowned sovereign
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- patronageSupporter's financial backing
oligarchs · plutocracy · elites · autocracy · repression · censorship · royal decrees · legitimacy · political stability
OPEC
Petroleum exporters' coalition
- sanctionsPunitive international restrictions
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- hegemonyDominant group's control
influence · sovereignty · alliances · strategic · proxy wars · embargoes · energy security · spheres of influence · regionalism · interventionism
crude
Unpolished, raw state
- barrelsCylindrical storage vessels
- reservesResources held back
- extractionAct of removing
drilling · exploration · offshore · onshore · derrick · rigs · platforms · upstream · downstream · refinery
affluence
Abundance of money
- opulenceShowy, abundant prosperity
- luxuryExpensive nonessential comfort
- megaprojectsVast, costly infrastructure initiatives
skyscrapers · ostentatious · gold-plated · palaces · superyachts
- Arab HistoryArab Spring, Arab League, Nasser, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Baath Party
- Gulf RegionPersian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar
- Gulf StatesSaudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait
- PetrostatesSaudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, United Arab Emirates
- Middle EastIraq, Baghdad, Cairo, Iran, Jordan
- monarchiesmonarch, monarchy, kingdom, realm, sultanate
petrostatestech hubs
Regions dense with startups
Japan · Switzerland · South Korea · financial centers · Singapore
petrostatesmixed economies
Private and public sectors combined
Switzerland · Germany · Japan · Singapore · South Korea