from
CIA World Factbook 2006
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 United Arab
Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al
Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with 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
Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian
Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic 24 00 N, 54 00 E
coordinates:
Map Middle East
references:
Area: total: 82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Maine
comparative:
Land total: 867 km
boundaries: border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Coastline: 1,318 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the
continental margin
Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand
dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Elevation lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
extremes: highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
Natural petroleum, natural gas
resources:
Land use: arable land: 0.77%
permanent crops: 2.27%
other: 96.96% (2005)
Irrigated 760 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural frequent sand and dust storms
hazards:
Environment - lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by
current desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution
issues: from oil spills
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - strategic location along southern approaches to Strait
note: of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
People
Population: 2,602,713 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.9% (male 331,012/female 317,643)
15-64 years: 71.2% (male 1,125,286/female 726,689)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 74,700/female 27,383)
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
non-national (2006 est.)
Median age: total: 28.1 years
male: 34.8 years
female: 23.3 years (2006 est.)
Population 1.52% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 18.96 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 4.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.55 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.73 male(s)/female
total population: 1.43 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 14.09 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 16.57 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 11.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 75.44 years
expectancy at male: 72.92 years
birth: female: 78.08 years (2006 est.)
Total 2.88 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.18% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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: 77.9%
male: 76.1%
female: 81.7% (2003 est.)
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 federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE
type: federal government and other powers reserved to member
emirates
Capital: name: Abu Dhabi
geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu
divisions: Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah),
Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
(Quwayn)
Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK)
National Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
holiday:
Constitution: 2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996
Legal system: federal court system introduced in 1971; applies to all
emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah,
which are not fully integrated into the federal
judicial system; all emirates have secular courts to
adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial matters and
Islamic courts to review family and religious disputes
Suffrage: none
Executive chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan
branch: (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
(since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime
Minister MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January
2006)
head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President
MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006);
Deputy Prime Ministers SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan
(since 20 November 1990) and HAMDAN bin Zayid
al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
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
elections: president and vice president elected by the
FSC for five-year terms (no term limits); election last
held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's
Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al
Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan elected
president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MUHAMMAD bin
Rashid al-Maktum unanimously reaffirmed vice president
Legislative unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis
branch: al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by
the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year
terms)
elections: President KHALIFA in December 2005 announced
that indirect elections would be held in early 2006 for
half of the seats in the FNC; the other half would be
filled by appointment
note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Judicial Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the
branch: president)
Political none
parties and
leaders:
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
organization ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
participation: IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO,
ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Saqr Ghobash Said GHOBASH
representation chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400,
in the US: Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
consulate(s): New York, Houston
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Michele J. SISON
representation embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02,
from the US: Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi
mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200
FAX: [971] (2) 414-2603
consulate(s) general: Dubai
Flag three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and
description: black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
Economy
Economy - The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita
overview: income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth
is based on oil and gas output (about 30% of GDP), and
the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices
of those commodities. Since the discovery of oil in the
UAE more than 30 years ago, 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. Higher oil revenue, strong liquidity, and
cheap credit in 2005 led to a surge in asset prices
(shares and real estate) and consumer inflation. Any
sharp correction to the UAE's equity markets could
damage investor and consumer sentiment and affect bank
asset quality. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade
and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with
Washington and in November 2004 agreed to undertake
negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with
the US.
GDP $115.8 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $98.1 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 8.8% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $45,200 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 4%
composition by industry: 58.5%
sector: services: 37.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 2.8 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 7%
by occupation: industry: 15%
services: 78% (2000 est.)
Unemployment 2.4% (2001)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 10.5% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 20.7% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $34.93 billion
expenditures: $29.41 billion; including capital
expenditures of $3.4 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt: 17.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy
products: products; fish
Industries: petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum,
cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair,
construction materials, some boat building,
handicrafts, textiles
Industrial 4% (2000)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 45.12 billion kWh (2004)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 38.32 billion kWh (2002)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2004)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2004)
imports:
Oil - 2.396 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 310,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved 97.8 billion bbl (2005 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 44.79 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 37.88 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 7.19 billion cu m (2003 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 6.006 trillion cu m (2005)
proved
reserves:
Current $18.54 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $103.1 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish,
commodities: dates
Exports - Japan 24.6%, South Korea 9.8%, Thailand 5.6%, India
partners: 4.3% (2005)
Imports: $60.15 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
commodities:
Imports - UK 10%, China 9.7%, US 9.4%, India 9.2%, Germany 5.9%,
partners: Japan 5.4%, France 4.7%, Singapore 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of $23.53 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $34.47 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund for
donor: Development has given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56
countries (2004)
Currency Emirati dirham (AED)
(code):
Currency code: AED
Exchange Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.6725 (2005), 3.6725
rates: (2004), 3.6725 (2003), 3.6725 (2002), 3.6725 (2001)
note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February
2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 1.237 million (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 4.535 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated
system: services; digital network with rapidly growing use of
mobile cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi
and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 971; 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 AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 820,000 (1997)
Television 15 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 310,000 (1997)
Internet .ae
country code:
Internet 337,092 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 1,397,200 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 37 (2006)
Airports - total: 23
with paved over 3,047 m: 10
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - total: 14
with unpaved over 3,047 m: 2
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Heliports: 4 (2006)
Pipelines: condensate 520 km; gas 2,580 km; liquid petroleum gas
300 km; oil 2,950 km; oil/gas/water 5 km; refined
products 156 km (2006)
Roadways: total: 1,088 km
paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)
(1999)
Merchant total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 656,003 GRT/891,837
marine: DWT
by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5,
container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 6,
petroleum tanker 20, roll on/roll off 6, specialized
tanker 1
foreign-owned: 10 (Greece 2, Kuwait 8)
registered in other countries: 259 (Bahamas 16,
Barbados 1, Belize 5, Cambodia 1, Comoros 6, Cyprus 11,
Dominica 2, Georgia 1, Hong Kong 2, India 6, Iran 1,
Jordan 11, Kiribati 1, North Korea 6, Liberia 18, Malta
5, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Mongolia 5, Norway 1,
Panama 105, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 19,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 11, Saudi Arabia 1,
Sierra Leone 3, Singapore 7, Somalia 1, Sri Lanka 2,
Syria 1, unknown 5) (2006)
Ports and Al Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina'
terminals: Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Sharjan
Military
Military Army, Navy (includes Marines and Coast Guard), Air and
branches: Air Defense Force, paramilitary forces (includes
Federal Police Force)
Military 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
service age
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 653,181
available for females age 18-49: 497,394 (includes non-nationals;
military 2005 est.)
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 526,671
for military females age 18-49: 419,975 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males: 30,706
reaching females age 18-49: 29,617 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $1.6 billion (FY00)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 3.1% (FY00)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - the United Arab Emirate 2006 Yearbook published a map
international: and text rescinding the 1974 boundary with Saudi
Arabia, as stipulated in a treaty filed with the UN in
1993, on the grounds that the agreement was not
formally ratified; boundary agreement was signed and
ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including
Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but
contents of the agreement and maps showing the
alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE dispute
Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies
Trafficking in current situation: the United Arab Emirates is a
persons: destination country for men, women, and children
trafficked from South and East Asia, Eastern Europe,
Africa, and the Middle East for involuntary servitude
and for sexual exploitation; an estimated 10,000 women
from sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, South and East
Asia, Iraq, Iran, and Morocco may be victims of sex
trafficking in the UAE; women also migrate from Africa,
and South and Southeast Asia to work as domestic
servants, but may have their passports confiscated, be
denied permission to leave the place of employment in
the home, or face sexual or physical abuse by their
employers; men from South Asia come to the UAE to work
in the construction industry, but may be subjected to
conditions of involuntary servitude as they are coerced
to pay off recruitment and travel costs, sometimes
having their wages denied for months at a time; victims
of child camel jockey trafficking may still remain in
the UAE, despite a July 2005 law banning the practice;
while all identified victims were repatriated at the
government's expense to their home countries, questions
persist as to the effectiveness of the ban and the true
number of victims
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - UAE is placed on the
Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show increased
efforts to combat trafficking in 2005, particularly in
its efforts to address the large-scale trafficking of
foreign girls and women for commercial sexual
exploitation
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 controls improving, but informal
banking remains unregulated