| 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 UAE. They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The
UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of the leading
West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and
its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed it to play a
vital role in the affairs of the region. |
| 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 |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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: 0%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 98% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
50 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
frequent sand and
dust storms |
| Environment
- current issues: |
lack of natural
freshwater resources being overcome 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 |
| Population: |
2,407,460
note: includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
28.86% (male 354,298; female 340,498)
15-64 years: 68.74% (male 1,047,839; female
607,020)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 40,626; female
17,179) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.59% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
18.11
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
3.79 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
1.61 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.73 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.36 male(s)/female
total population: 1.5 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
16.68
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 74.29 years
male: 71.84 years
female: 76.86 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.23 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.18% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
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.) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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)
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
note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC)
which is composed of the seven emirate rulers; the council
is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE;
establishes general policies and sanctions federal
legislation, Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers
have effective veto power; meets four times a year
elections: president and vice president elected
by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms;
election last held NA October 1996 (next to be held NA
October 2001); 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,
Inmarsat, 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
chancery: Suite 700, 1255 22nd Street NW,
Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 955-7999 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF
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
thicker vertical red band on the hoist side |
| 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. Despite higher oil revenues in
1999-2000, the government has not drawn back from the
economic reforms implemented during the 1998 oil price
depression. 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 - $54 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $22,800 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
3%
industry: 52%
services: 45% (1996 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: |
1.4 million (1998
est.)
note: 75% of the population in the 15-64 age
group is non-national (July 1998 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 60%,
industry 32%, agriculture 8% (1996 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$6.5 billion
expenditures: $7.3 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: |
36.7 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
34.131 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
dates,
vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish |
| Exports: |
$46 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: |
$34 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
transport equipment, chemicals, food |
| Imports
- partners: |
Japan 9%, US 8%,
UK 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South Korea (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$12.6 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$NA |
| Currency: |
Emirati dirham (AED) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Emirati dirhams
per US dollar - central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (since
1998); 3.6711 (1997), 3.6710 (1995-96) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
915,223 (1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
1 million (1999) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: modern system consisting 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) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
15 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
310,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ae |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
400,000 (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
4,835 km
paved: 4,835 km
unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.) |
| 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:
70 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,094,256 GRT/1,421,333
DWT
ships by type: cargo 16, chemical tanker 3,
container 17, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1,
passenger 1, petroleum tanker 24, roll on/roll off 6,
specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
22
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
18
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy, Air
Force, Air Defense, paramilitary (includes Federal Police
Force) |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 778,842
note: includes non-nationals (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 420,484 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
25,482 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$1.6 billion
(FY00) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
3.1% (FY00) |
| Disputes
- international: |
location and
status of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not final, de facto
boundary reflects 1974 agreement; boundary with Oman has not
been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam
Peninsula is an administrative boundary; claims two islands
in the Persian Gulf occupied by Iran: Lesser Tunb (called
Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek
in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra
in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by
Iran); claims island in the Persian Gulf jointly
administered with Iran (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and
Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran) - over which Iran
has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992,
including access restrictions and a military build-up on the
island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support
in the region in protesting these Iranian actions |
| Illicit
drugs: |
growing role as
heroin transshipment and money-laundering center due to its
proximity to southwest Asian producing countries and the
bustling free trade zone in Dubai |
|
