United Arab Emirates

§1. United Arab Emirates Introduction

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.

§2. United Arab Emirates Geography

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 kmē
  land: 82,880 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

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 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 kmē (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

§3. United Arab Emirates People

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

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.)

§4. United Arab Emirates Government

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:
  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)
  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

§5. United Arab Emirates Economy

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.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

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)

Currency code:
  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

§6. United Arab Emirates Communications

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)

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:
  400,000 (2000)

§7. United Arab Emirates Transportation

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: 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:
  40 (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.)

Heliports:
  2 (2000 est.)

§8. United Arab Emirates Military

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)

§9. United Arab Emirates Transnational Issues

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
