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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