1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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
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
Airports
total: 39 usable: 36 with permanent-surface runways: 22 with runways over 3,659 m: 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 6
Area
total area: 75,581 sq km land area: 75,581 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine
Birth rate
27.68 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Federal Police Force
Budget
revenues: $4.3 billion expenditures: $4.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est)
Capital
Abu Dhabi
Climate
desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Coastline
1,318 km
Constitution
2 December 1971 (provisional)
Currency
1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils
Death rate
3.05 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $1.47 billion, 5.3% of GDP (1989 est.)
Digraph
TC
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn al-SHAALI chancery: Suite 600, 3000 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 338-6500
Economic aid
donor: pledged in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89) $9.1 billion
Electricity
capacity: 6,090,000 kW production: 17.85 billion kWh consumption per capita: 6,718 kWh (1992)
Environment
current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills natural hazards: frequent dust and sand storms international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
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)
Exchange rates
Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)
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)
Exports
$22.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: crude oil 66%, natural gas, re-exports, dried fish, dates partners: Japan 39%, Singapore 5%, Korea 4%, Iran 4%, India 4% (1991)
External debt
$11 billion (1993 est.)
FAX
[971] (2) 318441 consulate(s) general: Dubayy (Dubai)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Flag
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side
Highways
total: 2,000 km paved: 1,800 km unpaved: gravel, graded earth 200 km
Illicit drugs
growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center
Imports
$18 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, food partners: Japan 14%, UK 9%, US 8%, Germany 6% (1992)
Independence
2 December 1971 (from UK)
Industrial production
growth rate 1.7% (1992 est.); accounts for 50% of GDP, including petroleum
Industries
petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Infant mortality rate
21.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.5% (1992 est.)
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
Irrigated land
50 sq km (1989 est.)
Judicial branch
Union Supreme Court
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.)
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%
Languages
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
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); no elections
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.26 years male: 70.16 years female: 74.46 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
age 10 and over but definition of literacy not available (1980) total population: 68% male: 70% female: 63%
Location
Middle East, along the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 1,040,828; fit for military service 567,766; reach military age (18) annually 17,303 (1994 est.)
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)
Member of
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, 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, UNOSOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Merchant marine
57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 909,041 GRT/1,512,741 DWT, bulk 1, cargo 18, chemical tanker 2, container 9, liquified gas 1, oil tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3
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)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $63.8 billion (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$24,000 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
1% (1993 est.)
Nationality
noun: Emirian(s) adjective: Emirian
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas
Net migration rate
23.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Note
strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Other political or pressure groups
NA
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.
Pipelines
crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km
Political parties and leaders
none
Population
2,791,141 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
4.79% (1994 est.)
Ports
Al Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid
Religions
Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Suffrage
none
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
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
Terrain
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Total fertility rate
4.6 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central government and other powers reserved to member emirates
Unemployment rate
NEGL% (1988)
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador William A. RUGH embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 336691