KSA and the UAE have most construction projects

In Q1 of this year, the GCC's largest contractor Arabtec won most of its contracts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

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Saudi Arabia and the UAE account for the majority of ongoing construction projects in the GCC, according to a recent study by MEED.

The research, which listed the GCC’s top 100 developments in the region by budget value, revealed that Saudi Arabia has 31 projects currently underway, whilst the UAE has a massive 35.

The study also showed that the majority of projects across the region, totaling US$1.3 trillion, are real estate developments, though transport and oil and gas are also prevalent, valued US$164 billion and US$131 billion respectively.

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Edmund O'Sullivan, Chairman of the MEED Quality Awards for Projects which sponsored the research, said: "From the world's tallest building to the first zero-carbon city, the GCC region has over the past decade pushed the limits of what can be achieved in the built environment.

“And, despite the financial crisis and slowdown in the global economy, it continues to lead the world in the scale and ambition of its projects.”

Earlier this month, industry experts anticipated that private real estate investments in Saudi Arabia would reach an estimated US$150 billion by 2012.

Many of those bidding for projects in the region, including contractors and consultancy firms, have marked Abu Dhabi as “the big mover” when it comes to hospitals, schools and power projects.