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1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
United Arab Emirates
    n 1: a federation of seven Arab emirates on the eastern Arabian
         peninsula; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in
         1971; rich in oil reserves

2. CIA World Factbook 2002
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
                                        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: 0.48%
                                        permanent crops: 0.49%
                                        other: 99.03% (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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate
                            agreements: 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: total population: 74.52 years
                                        female: 77.1 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 72.06 years
                  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/ NA
                                  AIDS:
                     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: conventional long form: United Arab
                                        Emirates
                                        conventional short form: none
                                        local long form: Al Imarat al
                                        Arabiyah al Muttahidah
                                        abbreviation: 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 NA
                               leaders:
             International organization ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC,
                         participation: 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 chief of mission: Ambassador
                                    US: 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 lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: 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: total: 19 22
                                        over 3,047 m: 8 8
                                        2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 3
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 2 3
                                        under 914 m: 4 4 (2001)
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 4
       Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 19
                                        under 914 m: 5 5 (2001)
                                        over 3,047 m: 1 1
                                        2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 9 9
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 3
                             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 males age 15-49: 419,851 (2002 est.)
                               service:
           Military manpower - reaching males: 25,482 (2002 est.)
                 military age annually:
         Military expenditures - dollar $1.6 billion (FY00)
                                figure:
     Military expenditures - percent of 3.1% (FY00)
                                   GDP:
  
   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
  
                                       



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