Outward remittances from the Gulf region estimated

Outward remittances from the Gulf region amounted to Dh213.15 billion or 24 per cent of the Dh888.14 billion global remittance flow, a top government official told Gulf News. In 2004, migrant workers' remittances were put at $182 billion, according to a World Bank report. Of this, developing countries received an estimated $126 billion, up by 48.7 per cent from 2001.

With $14.9 billion, Saudi Arabia is the world's second largest source of remittances after the US, which leads with $34.1 billion.