1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 75,581 km2 land area: 75,581 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine
Climate
desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Coastline
1,318 km
Environment
frequent dust and sand storms; lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification
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 Tumb 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
Irrigated land
50 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
total 867 km, Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 0% other: 98%
Location
Middle East, along the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Map references
Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
continental shelf: defined by bilateral boundaries or equidistant line exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm assumed for most of country, 12 nm for Ash Shariqah (Sharjah)
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas
Note
strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Terrain
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
People and Society
Birth rate
28.4 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
3.07 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
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)
Infant mortality rate
22.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
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
Languages
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72 years male: 69.91 years female: 74.2 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 10 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 68% male: 70% female: 63%
Nationality
noun:
Net migration rate
25.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
2,657,013 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
5.06% (1993 est.)
Religions
Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Total fertility rate
4.67 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Abbreviation
UAE
Administrative divisions
7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy, Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Capital
Abu Dhabi
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
Constitution
2 December 1971 (provisional)
Digraph
TC
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn Al SHAALI chancery: Suite 740, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 338-6500
Elections
none
Executive branch
president, vice president, Supreme Council of Rulers, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers
Flag
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side
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)
Independence
2 December 1971 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Union Supreme Court
Legal system
secular codes are being introduced by the UAE Government and in several member emirates; Islamic law remains influential
Legislative branch
unicameral Federal National Council (Majlis Watani Itihad)
Member of
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
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
National holiday
National Day, 2 December (1971)
Other political or pressure groups
a few small clandestine groups may be active
Political parties and leaders
none
Suffrage
none
Type
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central government and other powers reserved to member emirates
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador William RUGH embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 336691, afterhours 338730 FAX: [971] (2) 318441 consulate general: Dubayy (Dubai)
Economy
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
Budget
revenues $4.3 billion; expenditures $4.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993)
Currency
1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils
Economic aid
donor - pledged $9.1 billion in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89)
Electricity
6,090,000 kW capacity; 17,850 million kWh produced, 6,718 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)
Exports
$21.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: crude oil 66%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates partners: Japan 39%, Singapore 5%, Korea 4%, Iran 4%, India
External debt
$11 billion (December 1989 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$13.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: capital goods, consumer goods, food partners: Japan 15%, US 10%, UK 9%, Germany 7%, Korea 4%
Industrial production
growth rate 30% (1990 est.); accounts for 56% of GDP, including petroleum
Industries
petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1% (1990 est.)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $34.9 billion (1992)
National product per capita
$13,800 (1992)
National product real growth rate
NA%
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, 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.
Unemployment rate
NEGL% (1988)
Communications
Airports
total: 37 usable: 34 with permanent-surface runways: 20 with runways over 3,659 m: 7 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5
Highways
2,000 km total; 1,800 km bituminous, 200 km gravel and graded earth
Merchant marine
56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,197,306 GRT/2,153,673 DWT; includes 15 cargo, 8 container, 3 roll-on/roll-off, 23 oil tanker, 4 bulk, 1 refrigerated cargo, 1 liquified gas, 1 chemical tanker
Pipelines
crude oil 830 km, natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km
Ports
Al Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid
Telecommunications
modern system consisting of microwave and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubayy; 386,600 telephones; satellite 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 radio relay to Saudi Arabia; broadcast stations - 8 AM, 3 FM, 12 TV
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Federal Police Force
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $1.47 billion, 5.3% of GDP (1989 est.)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 1,008,076; fit for military service 550,965; reach military age (18) annually 15,499 (1993 est.)