Jun 15, 2007. /Lesprom Network/. Exports of major Malaysian timber products to markets in the Middle East continued to expand, with the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries accounting for the major share of exports, ITTO reported. The GCC comprises of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman imported about $288 million worth of timber products, which accounted for 78.4% of Malaysia's total timber products exported to the entire Middle East for the January-November 2006 period. The UAE topped the list for the 2006, importing $159.2 million worth of timber products, followed by Saudi Arabia $59.2 million, Kuwait $34.1 million, Bahrain $12.1 million, Qatar $16.3 million and Oman $7.1 million. The two other major Arab markets were Jordan, which imported $31.5 million worth of timber products during the 2006 period, and Yemen, which bought $31.8 million worth of products. According to Malaysian Timber Council’s (MTC) regional office in Dubai, the current boom in the building construction and real estate sectors of GCC countries resulted in high demand for wood-based products and furniture. Total value of projects reached an all-time high due to a GCC-wide construction boom undertaken by both the public and private sectors, where total active projects in Bahrain alone are estimated at $27.4 billion.