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How much gold and forex do Arab countries have?

Foreign exchange and gold reserves come in handy in many ways when a country is trying to ride out an economic crisis.
  • Foreign exchange reserve usually refers to how much foreign currency a country or its apex financial institution holds in reserve
  • Gold reserve is a similar tranche, except that it pertains to the yellow metal that has been purified to a standardized degree

The number of factors that can affect a country’s economy is already quite large, and increasing with each passing year.

With such vagaries at play, countries often turn to building foreign-exchange and gold reserves to help them ride out tumultuous periods.

Foreign exchange reserve usually refers to the amount of foreign currency — usually measured in US dollars — a country or its apex financial institution, which is often its central bank, holds in reserve.

Gold reserve is a similar tranche, except that it pertains to the yellow metal that has been purified to a standardized degree.

These come in handy when a country has to, for example, pay for imports when its own currency is devalued.

It also comes in handy in times of economic crises, because the dollar is considered a benchmark currency of sorts, and gold seems like a safe bet.

Here’s a look at which Arab country holds how much in forex and gold reserves: