The Middle East consists primarily of countries in the Arabian Peninsula with similar culture and geography, but with considerable differences in stage of development, industrialization and provisions for occupational health. Middle-Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and Oman have a much longer history compared with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar which were established as independent nations as recently as 1971. Many of these countries are located in desert environments, rich in oil and gas, and with less infrastructure for agriculture (cultivation of date palms being a notable exception). Most are relatively stable with fast developing economies although some, such as Iraq and Yemen, are in the midst of experiencing or recovering from recent wars. Saudi Arabia has the unique experience of having a regular influx of large numbers of Muslim visitors who travel to Mecca for pilgrimage. This has an impact on workers in the transport, catering and hospitality industry. Middle-Eastern countries have large diverse groups of expatriate workers, mainly from Africa and Asia. In the UAE and Qatar, they constitute >80% of the total population. This creates a major challenge especially for occupational medicine provision. Some countries in the region have attracted bad publicity in the social media and the press in regards to their facilities and support for expatriate workers. Physical and mental health and social and adjustment problems are reported wherever individuals seek employment in countries distant from their homes, leaving their families behind. Any difference between countries is often a matter of scale, with conflicting and confusing cultural and occupational practices, and biased attitudes and beliefs being major contributors to workplace health and safety problems.
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