United Arab Emirates

Al Imarata al Arabiyah al Muttahidah

federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE centralIndependence 2 December 1971 (from UK)

United Arab Emirates as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 82 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

Area75,581 sq km

LocationMiddle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian

1995

Every edition of United Arab Emirates

Populationas each edition published it

2.92 million July 1995 est. · 2.25m in 1990

Population growth% a year

4.55% 1995 est. · 5.06% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 27.6 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

72.51 years 1995 est. · 72 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.53 children per woman 1995 est. · 4.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

21 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 24 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$22,480 1994 est. · $13,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-0.5% 1994 est. · 1% in 1994

Geography

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian | Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

14 fields

Land useshare of 75,581 sq km

permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 2%forest and woodland 0%other 98%arable land 0% in all · irrigated 50 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

75,581sq km

land area: 75,581 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Maine

Coastline

1,318km

contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

867km

total · Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Location

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

International disputes

location and status of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not final;
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);
in 1992, the dispute over Abu Musa and the Tunb islands became more acute when Iran unilaterally tried to control the entry of third country nationals into the UAE portion of Abu Musa island, Tehran subsequently backed off in the face of significant diplomatic support for the UAE in the region

Terrain

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

Environment

current issues:: lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants;
desertification;
beach pollution from oil spills
natural hazards:: frequent sand and dust storms
international agreements:: party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Note

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

People

15 fields

Population

2,924,594

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 4.55% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

27.02Death

3.03Net migration

21.53

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years72.51

70.42 · 74.71

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy71%

72% · 69%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literary not available (1985)

Ethnic divisions(1982)

Emirian 19%other Arab 23%South Asian 50%other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

Labor force

580,000

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 35% (female 499,559; male 521,415)
15-64 years:: 64% (female 643,819; male 1,229,730)
65 years and over:: 1% (female 10,296; male 19,775) (July 1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Emirian(s)
adjective:: Emirian

Religions

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

Languages

Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Government

Federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central; President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Dhabi; Prime Minister Shaykh MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy

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Names

conventional long form:: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form:: none
local long form:: Al Imarata al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
local short form:: none
former:: Trucial States

Abbreviation

UAE

Digraph

Type

federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central 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, Dubai, Ra's al Khaymah, Sharjah, Umm al Qaywayn

Independence

2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday

National Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution

2 December 1971 (provisional)

Legal system

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

Suffrage

none

Executive branch

chief of state:: President 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)

Supreme Council of Rulers

composed of the seven emirate rulers, the council is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE;
establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation, Abu Dhabi and Dubayy rulers have veto power;
council meets four times a year

cabinet:: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch

unicameral Federal National Council (Majlis Watani Itihad); no elections

Judicial branch

Union Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

none

Other political or pressure groups

Member of

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn al-SHAALI
chancery:: Suite 600, 3000 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:: [1] (202) 338-6500

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador William A. RUGH
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)
telephone:: [971] (2) 436691, 436692

FAX

[971] (2) 434771; consulate(s) general: 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 and with a sizable annual trade surplus.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$22,480

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

-0.5%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 1.7% (1992 est.); accounts for 50% of GDP, including petroleum

Inflation, consumer prices

5.1%

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

1988

NEGL% ( · )

Budget

Revenues

$4.3 billionExpenditures

$4.8 billion (1993 est)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 4,760,000 kW

Electricity production

16.5 billionElectricity consumption per capita

5,796 (1993)

Overview

The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest incomes per capita and with a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 40% 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, crude oil reserves should last for over 100 years. Although much stronger economically than most Gulf states, the UAE faces similar problems with weak international oil prices and the pressures for cuts in OPEC oil production quotas. The UAE government is encouraging increased privatization within the economy.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$24 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: crude oil 66%, natural gas, re-exports, dried fish, dates
partners:: Japan 35%, South Korea 5%, Iran 4%, Oman 4%, Singapore 4% (1993)

Imports

$20 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities:: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, food
partners:: Japan 12%, UK 10%, US 9%, Germany 7%, South Korea 5% (1993)

External debt

$11.6 billion (1994 est.)

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

Illicit drugs

growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center

Economic aid

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

Currency

1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 41 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

2,000Railroads

Highways: paved: 1,800 km · unpaved: gravel, graded earth 200 km

Highways

total:: 2,000 km
paved:: 1,800 km
unpaved:: gravel, graded earth 200 km

total:: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,128,253 GRT/1,938,770 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 1, cargo 18, chemical tanker 1, container 10, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

386,600 telephones;
modern system consisting of microwave and coaxial cable;
key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubayy

local:: NA
intercity:: microwave and coaxial cable
international:: 3 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station;
submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan;
tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia