United Arab Emirates
Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emiratesIndependence 2 December 1971 (from UK)
United Arab Emirates as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 116 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 not far below 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
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
18 fieldsLand useshare of 82,880 sq km
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 compensated 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
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2002 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(1982)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 27.7% (male 345,077; female 331,545)
- 15-64 years:
- 69.7% (male 1,069,443; female 635,275)
- 65 years and over:
- 2.6% (male 45,989; female 18,660) (2002 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.68 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 2.46 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.48 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Government
Federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates; 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); Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
18 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- United Arab Emirates
- conventional short form:
- none
- local long form:
- Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
- abbreviation:
- UAE
- former:
- Trucial Oman, Trucial States
- local short form:
- none
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
Legal system
- federal court system introduced in 1971;
- all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into 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)
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
- 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
- elections:
- president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms;
- election last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
- 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
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, 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
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 243-2432
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 243-2400
- chancery:
- 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA
- embassy:
- Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
- 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 wider vertical red band on the hoist side
Economy
The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus.
32 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2000 est.)
Electricity
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. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement.
Industries
petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Exchange rates
Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (since 1997), 3.6710 (1995-96)
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- modern system 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
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine, 56 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 833,401 GRT/1,251,015 DWT
Networkskm
Ports and harbors
'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
Airports - with paved runways
- total:
- 19 22
- over 3,047 m:
- 8 8; 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 3; 914 to 1,523 m: 2 3
- under 914 m:
- 4 4 (2002); 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 4
Airports - with unpaved runways
- total:
- 19 19
- under 914 m:
- 5 5 (2002)
- over 3,047 m:
- 1 1; 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1; 914 to 1,523 m: 9 9; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 3
Military
Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)
7 fieldsMilitary branches
Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- Oman signed boundary treaty with the UAE in 1999, and the UAE-Oman boundary line was formally recognized in June 2000;;
- because details of 1974 and 1977 treaties have not been made public, the exact location of the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is considered de facto;
- UAE seeks United Arab League and other international support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)
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 legislation was signed into law by the president on 25 January 2002
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “United Arab Emirates.” The World Factbook 2002. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/united-arab-emirates/2002.