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What was Saudi Arabia's old goal with respect to oil? What is their new goal?

User Psfinaki
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Final answer:

Saudi Arabia previously aimed to dominate the global oil market, but has shifted towards diversifying its economy to address high unemployment and a burgeoning youth population, integrating with global market forces through infrastructure investments, education, and social reforms.

Step-by-step explanation:

Saudi Arabia's old goal with respect to oil was to dominate the global oil market by leveraging its vast oil reserves, being the world's number one oil exporter and a key member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The economy was heavily dependent on oil exports, with U.S. oil companies like Chevron playing a significant role since the discovery of large oil quantities in 1938.

However, the new goal for Saudi Arabia is to diversify its economy beyond oil due to challenges like high population growth, high unemployment rates, and a shortage of job skills among the workforce. The country is investing in infrastructure and education to move away from a petroleum-based economy, seeking to better integrate with the global economy and modernize. This includes joining the World Trade Organization and promoting religious tolerance and gender equality as part of its globalization efforts.

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