In 1999, the price of oil hovered around ＄16 a barrel. By 2008, it had (21) ______ the ＄100 a barrel mark. The reasons for the surge (22) ______ from the dramatic growth of the economies of China and India to widespread (23) ______ in oil-producing regions, including Iraq and Nigeria"s delta region. Triple-digit oil prices have (24) ______ the economic and political map of the world, (25) ______ some old notions of power. Oil-rich nations are enjoying historic gains and opportunities, (26) ______ major importers—including China and India, home to a third of the world"s population— (27) ______ rising economic and social costs. Managing this new order is fast becoming a central (28) ______ of global politics. Countries that need oil are clawing at each other to (29) ______ scarce supplies, and are willing to deal with any government, (30) ______ how unpleasant, to do it. In many poor nations with oil, the profits are being lost to corruption, (31) ______ these countries of their best hope for development. And oil is fueling enormous investment funds run by foreign governments, (32) ______ some in the West see as a new threat. Countries like Russia, Venezuela and Iran are well supplied with rising oil (33) ______ , a change reflected in newly aggressive foreign policies. But some unexpected countries are reaping benefits, (34) ______ costs, from higher prices. Consider Germany. (35) ______ it imports virtually all its oil, it has prospered from extensive trade with a booming Russia and the Middle East. German exports to Russia (36) ______ 128 percent from 2001 to 2006. In the United States, as already high gas prices rose (37) ______ higher in the spring of 2008, the issue cropped up in the presidential campaign, with Senators McCain and Obama (38) ______ for a federal gas tax holiday during the peak summer driving months. And driving habits began to (39) ______ , as sales of small cars jumped and mass transport systems (40) ______ the country reported a sharp increase in riders.