70, of alr the resource-related aspects of the arms race virtually none can beconpared to the strategic significance of oir for military .on=urplio' and its highdegree of geographic concentration in a conflict-prone region. llz at a rerativelylow basic production cost per barrel, easil.y transportable, low-in pollution, theoil resources of the uiardre East constitute nore than half of the kno'n andprospective world reserves- The regi.on around the persian Gulf is dotted withgigantic oil fields, each containin! ror. oil than the combined total of the fieldsin ,'pst other nnjor oir-producing regions and provinces. A singre fierd in saudiArabia, for example, produces nore oil - tive rnitlion barrels a day _ than anyother countrv except the united states and the soviet union. each it ryhich producestwice that anount. Only about 15 per cent of the r,rorldrs geologic oil provincesaccessible rvith present technology rernain reratively unexpiored, and initiatsurveys indicate that not many can be conpared to the pronise of the Middte Eastoil: the wealth of its deposits - at g30 per barrel - is estirnated to a,,bunt to$270 triUion which, it seems, equals the total economic output of a majorindustrialized country for 100 years, at current prices. 3G/ A/37/386 Engl ish Annex Page 35 Table 4.Life expectancies of rrorld reserves for selected mineral comtrodities )a 2$ 0tLife expectancy in Yearsat fgtu f! ew! h_Ig!sg-_ I0tAverage annual production gronth ]-947-74 (r)Mineral conflbdity An t illtony Barite Bauxite Chromiun Cobalt Coppe r Dialtpnd Gold Ilmenite Iron Lead l{agnes ium Manganese Mercury Molybdenum NickeI Platinun group s ilve r Tin Tung€ten vanadiun z inc60 42 226 263 97 lo 22 30 L6740 31 86 93 54 38 l8 24 70 74 3128 23 51 54 35 If 19 44 46 2320 LT J.' 35 25 20 L' 15 29 30174.1 9.8 5.3 5.8 4.3 5.4 2.4 9.5 7.0 ' 3.8 5.5 7.3 6.9 9.7 2.2 ?q l1.l 4.7190 70 117 20 42 42 2T79 t7 44 43 bl I7 31 131 I848 14 31
**Analysis**
The text primarily focuses on the strategic significance of oil resources in the Middle East, discussing its high degree of geographic concentration, relatively low production cost, and vast reserves. It also mentions the life expectancies of world reserves for various mineral commodities. The text does not discuss economic development, agriculture, forestry, fishing, health, education, employment, humanitarian aid, culture, or science and technology in depth. Transport and communication are not explicitly mentioned. Industry and international trade are indirectly related to the topic, but they are not the primary focus.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, Industry