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
- United Arab Emirates [UAE]
Location
Middle
East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between
Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Ccoordinates
24 00
N, 54 00 E
Map References
Middle
East
Area
Total
: 82,880 sq km
Land : 82,880 sq km
Water : 0 sq km
Boundaries
total:
867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Coastline
1,318
km
Climate
desert;
cooler iun eastern mountains
Terrain
flat,
barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast
desert wasteland; mountains in east
Elevations
lowest
point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
2,484,818 note: includes an estimated
1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December 1995 census presents
a total population figure of 2,377,453, and there are estimates
of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2003 est.)
Total:
27.6 years
Male: 36.1 years
Female: 21.9 years (2002)
Pop.
Growth Rate
1.57% (2003 est.)
Birth
Rate
18.48 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death
Rate
4.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Migration
Rate
1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun:
Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati
Ethic
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
- United Arab Emirates [UAE]
Country
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
Capital
Abu Dhabi
Admin.
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
Independence
2 December 1971 (from UK)
National
holiday
Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Constitution
2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
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
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black
with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
Economy
- United Arab Emirates [UAE]
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.
Japan
29.1%, South Korea 10.2%, India 5.4%, Oman 3.7%, Singapore 3.1%,
Iran 2.2% (chiefly re-exports) (2001)
Imports
$30.8
billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Imports
- partners
US 6.7%,
Germany 6.6%, Japan 6.5%, France 6.3%, China 6.1%, UK 5.9%,
South Korea 5.5% (2001)
Currency
Emirati
dirham (AED)
Currency
code
AED
Fiscal
year
calendar
year
Communications
- United Arab Emirates [UAE]
Telephones
- main lines in use
915,223
(1998)
Telephones
- mobile cellular
1 million
(1999)
Telephone
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
Internet
country code
.ae
Internet
Service Providers
1 (2000)
Internet
users
900,000
(2002)
Transportation
- United Arab Emirates [UAE]
Railways
0 km
Highways
total:
4,835 km
paved: 4,835 km
unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)
Waterways
none
Pipelines
crude
oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids 870 km
Ports
and harbors
'Ajman,
Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina'
Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
Merchant
marine
total:
61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 815,428 GRT/1,207,346 DWT
ships by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 4, container 7, liquefied
gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll
off 6, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 1 note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag
of convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.)
Airports
41 (2002)
Airports
- with paved runways
total:
22
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
Airports
- with unpaved runways
total:
19
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
Heliports
2 (2002)
Military
- United Arab Emirates [UAE]
Military
branches
Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, Air
Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)
Military
age
18 years
of age (2003 est.)
Availability
males
age 15-49: 764,413 note: includes
non-nationals (2003 est.)
Fit for
military service
males
age 15-49: 416,963 (2003 est.)
Reaching
military age annually
males:
26,636 (2003 est.)
Expenditures
- dollar figure
$1.6
billion (FY00)
Expenditures
- percent of GDP
3.1%
(FY00)
Transitional
Issues - United Arab Emirates [UAE]
Disputes
- international
Because
the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment
of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still unknown and labeled
approximate; boundary agreement signed and ratified with Oman
in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula
and Al Madhah enclaves; UAE engage direct talks and Arab League
support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Lesser
and Greater Tunb islands and Abu Musa island
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
Cities of the United Arab Emirates
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