United Arab Emirates UAE Online Business Education. Administration. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

United Arab Emirates
Online Business Education. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

Flag of the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates

Country Profile

Capital City: Abu Dhabi (pop. 928,000)

Other Cities: Al Ain, Dubai (pop. 860 000), Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah.

Local Time: UTC +4h

Geography:
Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Area: 83,600 sq. km (32,400 sq. miles)
Terrain: Largely desert with some agricultural areas.
Border countries: Oman, Saudi Arabia

Climate: Hot, humid, low annual rainfall, cooler in eastern mountains

Government:
Type: Federation of emirates
Independence: 2 December, 1971
Provisional constitution: 2 December, 1971

People:
Nationality: Noun and adjective--UAE, Emirati
Population: The U.A.E. has approximately 2.95 million people from all over the Arab world, Asia, Europe, Africa and America. Approximately 80% of the population is non-UAE nationals.
Ethnic groups: Arab, Pakistani, Indian, Iranian, Filipino (27% of residents are UAE citizens)
Religions: Muslim (96%), Hindu, Christian.
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Urdu, Farsi.
Literacy: (UAE citizens) about 80%.

Business

Currency: UAE Dirham (AED)

Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas.

Agriculture products: Dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish.

Industries: Petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling.

Exports partners: Japan 26.2%, South Korea 10.5%, Iran 3.8% (2003)

Imports partners: China 10%, Japan 7.2%, Germany 7.2%, USA 7%, France 6.9%, UK 5.9%, Italy 4.4%, South Korea 4.4%, India 4.1% (2003)

Internet Links

Official Sites of United Arab Emirates

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

United Arab Emirates

UAE Interact

Diplomatic Missions
United Arab Emirates Mission to the United Nations

Embassy of the United Arab Emirates

Visas and Immigration

Maps
Map of the United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates City Maps

Map of the Middle East region

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 not far below 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: 82,880 sq km land: 82,880 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: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

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% permanent crops: 1% other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 720 sq km (1998 est.)

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, 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: 2,445,989 note: includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July
2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.7% (male 345,077; female 331,545) 15-64
years: 69.7% (male 1,069,443; female 635,275) 65 years and over: 2.6%
(male 45,989; female 18,660) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.58% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 18.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
2.46 male(s)/female total population: 1.48 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:   77.1 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.16 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.18% (1999 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%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 79.2% male: 78.9% female: 79.8% (1995 est.)

Government United Arab Emirates

Country name:   United Arab Emirates conventional short form: UAE former:
Trucial Oman, Trucial States local short form: none

Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE
federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Capital: Abu Dhabi

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

Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution: 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

Legal system: federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates
except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah have joined the federal
system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal,
and high courts

Suffrage: none

Executive branch: chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al
Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since
6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since
8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai) 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
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8
October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin
Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers
appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected
by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election
last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister
and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results:
ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote -
NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected
vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous

Legislative branch: unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis
al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of
the constituent states to serve two-year terms) elections: none 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, AL, AMF, CAEU,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC,
OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 telephone: [1] (202)
243-2400 chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Marcelle M. WAHBA (since 4 Oct. 2001) embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi
mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note - work week
is Saturday through Wednesday telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971]
(2) 4435441 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. Its wealth is based on oil and
gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate
with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, 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. At
present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more
than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation
and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater
private sector involvement.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $51 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 46% services: 51%
(2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 1.6 million (2000 est.) note: 73.9% of the population in
the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7%
(2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $20 billion expenditures: $22 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials,
some boat building, handicrafts, pearling

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2000)

Electricity - production: 38.7 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 35.991 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs,
dairy products; fish

Exports: $47.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried
fish, dates

Exports - partners: Japan 30%, India 7%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 4%,
Oman, Iran (1999)

Imports: $28.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports - partners: Japan 9%, UK 8%, US 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South
Korea (1999)

Debt - external: $12.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor: $NA

Currency: Emirati dirham (AED)

Currency code: AED

Exchange rates: Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point
rate: 3.6725 (since 1997), 3.6710 (1995-96)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications United Arab Emirates

Telephones - main lines in use: 915,223 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1 million (1999)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern system of microwave radio
relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic:
microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric
scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 820,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 15 (1997)

Televisions: 310,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ae

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 735,000 (2001)

Transportation United Arab Emirates

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,835 km paved: 4,835 km unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids,
870 km

Ports and harbors: 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan,
Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid,
Umm al Qaywayn

Merchant marine: total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 833,401
GRT/1,251,015 DWT ships by type: cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, container 7,
liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll
off 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag
of convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.)

Airports: 38 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways:   3 3 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with
unpaved runways:   1 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military United Arab Emirates

Military branches: Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air
Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 773,938 note:
includes non-nationals (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 419,851
(2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 25,482
(2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.6 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY00)

Transnational Issues United Arab Emirates

Disputes - international: Oman signed boundary treaty with the UAE in
1999, but complete UAE-Oman boundary line is not expected until the
end of 2002; undefined segments remain with Ra's al-Khaymah and Ash
Shariqah (Sharjah) emirates, including the Musandam Peninsula, where
an administrative boundary substitutes for an international boundary;
because details of 1974 and 1977 treaties have not been made public, the
exact location of the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is
considered de facto; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international
support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb
al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by
Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE
and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy
completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called
Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)

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 legislation was signed into law by
the president on 25 January 2002

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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