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| United Arab Emirates |

Introduction | United Arab Emirates

Background: | The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.

Geography | United Arab Emirates

Location: | Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: | 24 00 N, 54 00 E
Map references: | Middle East
Area: | total: 83,600 sq km land: 83,600 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: | total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Coastline: | 1,318 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate: | desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain: | flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
Natural resources: | petroleum, natural gas
Land use: | arable land: 0.77% permanent crops: 2.27% other: 96.96% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 760 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 0.2 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 2.3 cu km/yr (23%/9%/68%) per capita: 511 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards: | frequent sand and dust storms
Environment - current issues: | lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: | strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People | United Arab Emirates

Population: | 4,621,399 note: estimate is based on the results of the 2005 census that included a significantly higher estimate of net inmigration of non-citizens than previous estimates (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 20.5% (male 484,102/female 462,405) 15-64 years: 78.6% (male 2,663,702/female 970,672) 65 years and over: 0.9% (male 26,244/female 14,274) note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 30.1 years male: 32 years female: 24.6 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 3.833% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 16.06 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 2.13 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | 24.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.74 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.84 male(s)/female total population: 2.19 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 13.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 75.89 years male: 73.35 years female: 78.56 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 2.43 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.18% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati
Ethnic groups: | Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982) note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)
Religions: | Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), other (includes Christian, Hindu) 4%
Languages: | Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77.9% male: 76.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government | United Arab Emirates

Country name: | conventional long form: United Arab Emirates conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE
Government type: | federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates
Capital: | name: Abu Dhabi geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions: | 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn (Quwayn)
Independence: | 2 December 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Constitution: | 2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996
Legal system: | based on a dual system of Shari'a and civil courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: | none
Executive branch: | chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006) head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) and HAMDAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC for five-year terms (no term limits); election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held in 2009); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan elected president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum unanimously affirmed vice president after the 2006 death of his brother Sheikh Maktum bin Rashid al-Maktum
Legislative branch: | unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states, 20 members elected to serve two-year terms) elections: elections for one half of the FNC (the other half remains appointed) held in the UAE on 18-20 December 2006; the new electoral college - a body of 6,689 Emiratis (including 1,189 women) appointed by the rulers of the seven emirates - were the only eligible voters and candidates; 456 candidates including 65 women ran for 20 contested FNC seats; one female from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi won a seat note: reviews legislation but cannot change or veto
Judicial branch: | Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders: | none
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Saqr Ghobash Said GHOBASH chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 consulate(s): New York, Houston
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Martin R. QUINN embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200 FAX: [971] (2) 414-2603 consulate(s) general: Dubai
Flag description: | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

Economy | United Arab Emirates

Economy - overview: | The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Despite largely successful efforts at economic diversification, nearly 40% of GDP is still directly based on oil and gas output. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with Washington and in November 2004 agreed to undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement with the US. The country's Free Trade Zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors. Higher oil revenue, strong liquidity, housing shortages, and cheap credit in 2005-07 led to a surge in asset prices (shares and real estate) and consumer inflation. Rising prices are increasing the operating costs for businesses in the UAE and adversely impacting government employees and others on fixed incomes. Dependence on oil and a large expatriate workforce are significant long-term challenges. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on diversification and creating more opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $167.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $192.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 7.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $37,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1.8% industry: 59.3% services: 38.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force: | 3.065 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 2.4% (2001)
Population below poverty line: | 19.5% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 11% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 21.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $58.88 billion expenditures: $38.06 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt: | 22.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products: | dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
Industries: | petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: | 4.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 57.06 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 52.62 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 2.54 million bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 372,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports: | 2.54 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports: | 137,200 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 97.8 billion bbl (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 45.07 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 39.56 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 6.848 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 1.343 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 5.823 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance: | $41.67 billion (2007 est.)
Exports: | $156.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities: | crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
Exports - partners: | Japan 25.8%, South Korea 9.6%, Thailand 5.9%, India 4.5% (2006)
Imports: | $101.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Imports - partners: | US 11.5%, China 11%, India 9.8%, Germany 6.2%, Japan 5.8%, UK 5.5%, France 4.1%, Italy 4% (2006)
Economic aid - donor: | since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries (2004)
Economic aid - recipient: | $5.36 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $76.62 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external: | $57.52 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $44.37 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $14.14 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $138.5 billion (2006)
Currency (code): | Emirati dirham (AED)
Currency code: | AED
Exchange rates: | Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.673 (2007), 3.673 (2006), 3.6725 (2005), 3.6725 (2004), 3.6725 (2003) note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | United Arab Emirates

Telephones - main lines in use: | 1.31 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 5.519 million (2006)
Telephone system: | general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable international: country code - 971; linked to the international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 AND SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)
Radios: | 820,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 15 (2004)
Televisions: | 310,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .ae
Internet hosts: | 6,001 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000)
Internet users: | 1.709 million (2006)

Transportation | United Arab Emirates

Airports: | 39 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 22 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Heliports: | 5 (2007)
Pipelines: | condensate 520 km; gas 2,908 km; liquid petroleum gas 300 km; oil 2,950 km; oil/gas/water 5 km; refined products 156 km (2007)
Roadways: | total: 1,088 km paved: 1,088 km (includes 253 km of expressways) (1999)
Merchant marine: | total: 60 ships (1000 GRT or over) 617,519 GRT/858,519 DWT by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 10, chemical tanker 5, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 11 (Greece 3, Kuwait 8) registered in other countries: 281 (Bahamas 20, Belize 4, Cambodia 2, Comoros 5, Cyprus 10, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 2, Hong Kong 1, India 2, Iran 1, Jordan 15, North Korea 4, Liberia 22, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 14, Mexico 1, Mongolia 5, Norway 1, Panama 108, Philippines 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 7, Singapore 8, Somalia 1, St Kitts and Nevis 22, St Vincent and The Grenadines 12, Turkey 1, unknown 5) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Mina' Zayid (Abu Dhabi), Al Fujayrah, Mina' Jabal 'Ali (Dubai), Mina' Rashid (Dubai), Mina' Saqr (Ra's al Khaymah), Khawr Fakkan (Sharjah)

Military | United Arab Emirates

Military branches: | United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force and Air Defense, National Coast Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for officers and women; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 2,405,884 (includes non-nationals) females age 16-49: 884,853 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 2,004,558 females age 16-49: 760,637 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 25,856 females age 16-49: 23,085 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 3.1% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues | United Arab Emirates

Disputes - international: | boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies
Illicit drugs: | the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug-producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving, but informal banking remains unregulated

This page was last updated on 19 June, 2008