Machine generated contents note: ch. 1 Introduction -- ch. 2 Survey of Main Economic Outcomes -- 2.1.GDP Sector Divisions -- 2.2.Labor in MENA -- 2.3.Education and Human Capital in MENA -- 2.4.MENA Commitment to Education -- 2.5.Health Expenditure in MENA -- 2.6.Growth and Capital Formation in MENA -- 2.7.Decomposition of MENA International Trade -- 2.8.Impediments to Business Activity within MENA -- ch. 3 Islamic Economics: The Role of Interest-Free Finance in MENA's Development -- 3.1.Basic Principles of Islamic Law Applicable to a Loan Agreement: Prohibition of Interest (Riba) and Risk/Uncertainty (Gharar) -- 3.2.Contractual Modes of Financing under Islamic Law -- 3.2.1.Partnerships (Musharaka and Mudharaba) -- 3.2.2.Lease (Ijara and "Ijara va iqtina") -- 3.2.3.Mark-Up Sale (Murabaha) -- 3.2.4.Commissioned Manufacturing (Istisna') -- 3.2.5.Empirical Evidence: Is Islamic Banking Interest-Free? -- ch. 4 Investment in Human Capital -- 4.1.A Simplified Endogenous Growth Model --

Contents note continued: 4.2.Human Capital Acquisition in MENA -- 4.2.1.The Demand Side -- 4.2.2.The Supply Side -- ch. 5 Labor Market in MENA -- 5.1.Human Capital and Economic Growth -- 5.2.Measuring Aggregate Productivity -- 5.3.Labor Market Structure -- 5.3.1.Static Efficiency -- ch. 6 Oil Money and the 'Dutch Disease' -- 6.1.The Basic Model of a Resource Curse -- 6.2.The Empirical Evidence on the Resource Curse -- ch. 7 Science, Technology and Innovation in MENA -- 7.1.The Output of Science, Technology and Innovation in MENA -- 7.2.The Innovation Process within MENA -- ch. 8 International Trade in MENA -- 8.1.Increased Protectionism in MENA at the Dawn of the 21st Century -- 8.2.Measuring MENA Country Export Competitiveness -- 8.3.Regional Trade Agreements and MENA -- ch. 9 Conclusions and Prospects for MENA.