<P> * Non-sovereign territories . </P> <P> The MENA region has vast reserves of petroleum and natural gas that make it a vital source of global economic stability . According to the Oil and Gas Journal (January 1, 2009), the MENA region has 60% of the world's oil reserves (810.98 billion barrels (128.936 km)) and 45% of the world's natural gas reserves (2,868,886 billion cubic feet (81,237.8 km)). </P> <P> As of 2011, 8 of the 12 OPEC nations are within the MENA region . </P> <P> Islam is by far the dominant religion in nearly all of the MENA territories; 91.2% of the population is Muslim . The Middle East - North Africa region comprises 20 countries and territories with an estimated Muslim population of 315 million or about 23% of the world's Muslim population . The term "MENA" is often defined in part in relation to majority Muslim countries . Of the countries noted in the strict definition, all except Israel are majority Muslim, and in the broadest definition the only other exceptions would be Georgia, Armenia, Cyprus and (possibly) Eritrea . Lebanon had a Christian majority population before its 1975 civil war, it currently has a strong majority of approximately 40% Christians . </P>

Countries of the middle east and north africa