The tobacco market in the MENA region is incredibly diverse. Geographically it stretches from the edge of the Black Sea to the Atlantic, and contains some of the most ancient and varied sets of cultures found on the planet. It is also one of the most dynamic with many countries enjoying a period of prosperity and technological advances and others re-building after the ravages of war. When looking at the region it is impossible to separate history from the present and the same applies to the cigarette industry, A legacy of colonial ownership and nationalised monopolies means buying habits have been determined for decades, but as markets begin to open up, things are changing. It is estimated that 590bn cigarettes are smoked per year in the MENA region and it is growing by 2% annually making it probably one of the few growing markets in the world for tobacco.
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