Then, Iraq's oil income was rising rapidly: in 1979 it received over $25 billion.

Saudi Arabia's oil income should nearly double this month, according to one estimate.

For the last 50 years, the Government's job was to privatize the oil income.

This means that profits on oil income will be treated like gains from any other business by being subject to normal corporation tax.

A second strike the following year provided oil income amounting to $225,000 a month shared among the four siblings.

Because of lost oil income in 1998, the country will post a 1.42 percent deficit for the year.

The amendment raised the government's share of oil income to a range of 65-85%.

The government responded by asserting that the tax on oil income will not be sustainable in the future.

But today, Venezuela's oil income, compared with population, has dwindled to the lowest level since the 1950's.

At the center of these rumblings, like everything else here these days, is the country's oil income.