United Arab Emirates

federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central government andIndependence 2 December 1971 (from UK

United Arab Emirates as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 72 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAbu Dhabi

Area83,600 km2

1992

Every edition of United Arab Emirates

Populationas each edition published it

2.52 million July 1992 · 2.25m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 5.06% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 27.6 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 72 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.7 children per woman 1992 · 4.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

23 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 24 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $13,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 1% in 1994

Geography

13 fields

Total area

83,600km2

Comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine

Coastline

1,448km

Continental shelf: defined by bilateral boundaries or equidistant lineExclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 3 nm (assumed), 12 nm for Ash Shariqah (Sharjah)

Land boundaries

1,016km total

Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 586 km, Qatar 20 km

Disputes

boundary with Qatar is unresolved;
no defined boundary with Saudi Arabia;
no defined boundary with most of Oman, but Administrative Line in far north;
claims two islands in the Persian Gulf occupied by Iran (Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg or Greater Tunb, and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek or Lesser Tunb);
claims island in the Persian Gulf jointly administered with Iran (Jazireh-ye Abu Musa or Abu Musa,)

Terrain

flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert waste- land; mountains in east

Land use

arable land NEGL%;
permanent crops NEGL%;
meadows and pastures 2%;
forest and woodland NEGL%;
other 98%;
includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment

frequent dust and sand storms;
lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants;
desertification

Note

strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People

14 fields

Population

2,522,315

(July 1992), growth rate 5.4% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

29Death

3Net migration

Labor force

580,000

(1986 est.); industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 5%; 80% of labor force is foreign

Literacy

68%

(male 70%, female 63%) age 10 and over but definition of literacy not available (1980)

Ethnic divisions

Emirian 19%, other Arab 23%, South Asian (fluctuating) 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8%;
less than 20% of the population are UAE citizens (1982)

Religions

Muslim 96% (Shi`a 16%); Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Languages

Arabic (official);
Persian and English widely spoken in major cities;
Hindi, Urdu

Government

Federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central government and

19 fields

Long-form name

United Arab Emirates (no short-form name); abbreviated UAE

Type

federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Administrative divisions

7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), `Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

Independence

2 December 1971 (from UK; formerly Trucial States)

Legal system

secular codes are being introduced by the UAE Government and in several member shaykhdoms; Islamic law remains influential

Executive branch

president, vice president, Supreme Council of Rulers, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral Federal National Council (Majlis Watani Itihad)

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Shaykh Zayid bin Sultan Al NUHAYYAN, (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Dhabi;
Vice President Shaykh Maktum bin Rashid al-MAKTUM (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Shaykh Maktum bin Rashid al-MAKTUM (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy;
Deputy Prime Minister Sultan bin Zayid Al NUHAYYAN (since 20 November 1990)

Other political or pressure groups

a few small clandestine groups may be active

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn Al SHAALI;
Chancery at Suite 740, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037;
telephone (202) 338-6500

US:: Ambassador Edward S. WALKER, Jr.;
Embassy at Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi (mailing address is P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi);
telephone [971] (2) 336691, afterhours 338730;
FAX [971] (2) 318441;
there is a US Consulate General in Dubayy (Dubai)

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side

Economy

The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest incomes per | capita outside the OECD nations.

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

5.5%

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

1988

NEGL ( · )

External debt

$11.0billion

(December 1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$3.8 billionExpenditures

$3.7 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)

Overview

The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest incomes per capita outside the OECD nations. This wealth is based on oil and gas, and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, when petroleum prices shot up, 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, crude oil reserves should last for over 100 years.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $33.7 billion, per capita $14,100 (1990); real growth rate 11% (1989)

Exports

$21.3 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:: crude oil 65%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
partners:: Japan 35%, Singapore 6%, US 4%, Korea 3%

Imports

$11.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:: food, consumer and capital goods
partners:: Japan 14%, UK 10%, US 9%, Germany 9%

Industrial production

Electricity

5,800,000 kW capacity; 17,000 million kWh produced, 7,115 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling

Agriculture

accounts for 2% of GDP and 5% of labor force;
cash crop - dates;
food products - vegetables, watermelons, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish;
only 25% self-sufficient in food

Economic aid

donor - pledged $9.1 billion in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89)

Currency

Emirian dirham (plural - dirhams); 1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils

Exchange rates

Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

7 fields

Merchant marine, 55 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 18container 8roll-on/roll-off 3petroleum tanker 20bulk 4refrigerated cargo 1vehicle carrier 155 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,033,866 GRT/1,772,646 DWT

Airports, 37 total, 34 usable

permanent-surface runways

20runways over | 3,659 m

7runways 2,440-3,659 m

5runways 1,220-2,439 m

adequate system of microwave and coaxial cable;
key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubayy;
386,600 telephones;
broadcast stations - 8 AM, 3 FM, 12 TV;
satellite communications ground stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 ARABSAT;
submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan;
tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave to Saudi Arabia

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, Federal Police Force

3 fields

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