Fluctuating gas prices are caused by a number of factors. The combination of the price of crude oil and the cost of producing and marketing gasoline have greatly impacted the fluctuation of gas prices that we experience on a daily basis. Crude oil prices are determined by worldwide supply and demand, with significant influence by the Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) as they determine how much oil to produce and sell to other countries. The more crude oil OPEC chooses to produce and release, the lower the price. With an increase in worldwide demand for oil, including unexpected demand growth in China, India, and other fast developing nations. These nations have experienced a tremendous growth in the number of citizens who have access to automobiles, and their billion-person populations have a strong impact on the amount of crude oil needed in those parts of the world. Seasonal changes can have a serious impact on gas prices as well. Gas prices increase greatly during the summer and holiday seasons because American’s travel increases during these times. For example, the American gas demand increases by 5% in the summer season, resulting in higher gas prices during these times. The decline in the value of the U.S. dollar which is the currency in which oil is traded in the world market is also responsible for fluctuations of gas prices. The United States is the biggest oil consumer in the world with about 53% of its crude oil imported from other countries. The political, Economic, and or social crises in other countries providers of crude oil do also impact our oil supply which undeniably reflects in the prices we