United Arab Emirates

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



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GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Total area: 75,581 sq km
Land area: 75,581 sq km
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine

Land Boundaries

Total 867 km, 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

International Disputes

Location and status of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not final, defacto boundary reflects 1974 agreement; no defined boundary with most of Oman, but Administrative Line in far north; 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); 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

Climate

Desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain

Flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
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%
Meadows and pastures: 2%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 98%

Irrigated Land

50 sq km (1989 est.)

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, Biodiversity, Law of the sea

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

PEOPLE

Population

3,057,337 (July 1996 est.)
2,924,594 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

35% (male 542,848; female 519,952) (July 1996 est.)
35% (male 521,415; female 499,559) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

64% (male 1,277,829; female 683,282) (July 1996 est.)
64% (male 1,229,730; female 643,819) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

1% (male 22,246; female 11,180) (July 1996 est.)
1% (male 19,775; female 10,296) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

4.33% (1996 est.)
4.55% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

26.43 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
27.02 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

3.03 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
3.03 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

19.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
21.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.99 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.52 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

20.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
21 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 72.74 years (1996 est.), 72.51 years 91995 est.)
Male: 70.64 years (1996 est.), 70.42 years (1995 est.)
Female: 74.94 years (1996 est.), 74.71 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

4.46 children born/woman (1996 est.)
4.53 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Emirian(s)
Adjective: Emirian

Ethnic Divisions

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)

Religions

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

Languages

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

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write but definition of literary not available (1995 est.)

Total population: 79.2%
Male: 78.9%
Female: 79.8%

Labor Force

794,400 (1993 est.)

By occupation:

Industry and commerce 56%
Agriculture 6%
Services 38% (1990 est.)

Note: 80% of labor force is foreign (est.)

GOVERNMENT

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 U.K.)

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

National Anthem

National anthem

Flag

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

ECONOMY

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 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, 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 - $70.1 billion (1995 est.), $62.7 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

3.3% (1995 est.)
-0.5% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$24,000 (1995 est.)
$22,480 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

4.6% (1994 est.)
5.1% (1994 est.)

Unemployment Rate

NEGL% (1988)

Budget

Revenues: $4.6 billion (1995 est.), $4.3 billion (1993 est.)
Expenditures: $4.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.), $4.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1993 est)

Exports

$25.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

Commodities:

Crude oil 66%
Natural gas
Re-exports
Dried fish
Dates

Partners:

Japan 45%
India 6%
South Korea 5%
Iran 5%
Oman 6% (1994)

Imports

$21.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

Commodities:

Manufactured goods
Machinery and transport equipment
Food

Partners:

Japan 11%
U.K. 8%
U.S. 8%
Germany 8%
Italy 7% (1994)

External Debt

$11.6 billion (1994 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate -1.1% (1994 est.), 1.7% (1992 est.); accounts for 55% of GDP, including petroleum

Electricity

Capacity: 4,760,000 kW
Production: 16.5 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 5,796 kWh (1993)

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

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Total: 3,000 km
Paved: 3,000 km
Unpaved: 0 km (1993 est.)

Pipelines

Crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km

Ports

Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal' Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qiwain

Merchant Marine

Total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,068,980 GRT/1,876,504 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 17, chemical tanker 2, container 7, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3 (1995 est.)

Airports

Total: 36
With paved runways over 3,047 m: 9
With paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 10
With unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

677,793 telephones (1993 est.); 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

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 545,000 (1992 est.)

Television

Broadcast stations: 12
Televisions: 170,000 (1993 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Federal Police Force)

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 1,102,080; males fit for military service 599,439; males reach military age (18) annually 21,250 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $1.59 billion, 4.3% of GDP (1994)

History
World Atlas

last updated: 30 november 1997

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