1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 75,581 sq km land area: 75,581 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine
Climate
desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Coastline
1,318 km
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, Law of the Sea
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.)
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, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Map references
Middle East
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
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
Age structure
0-14 years: 35% (female 499,559; male 521,415) 15-64 years: 64% (female 643,819; male 1,229,730) 65 years and over: 1% (female 10,296; male 19,775) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
27.02 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
3.03 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
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
21 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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 (est.)
Languages
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.51 years male: 70.42 years female: 74.71 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literary not available (1985) total population: 71% male: 72% female: 69%
Nationality
noun: Emirian(s) adjective: Emirian
Net migration rate
21.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
2,924,594 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
4.55% (1995 est.)
Religions
Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Total fertility rate
4.53 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Abbreviation
UAE
Administrative divisions
7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Dubai, Ra's al Khaymah, Sharjah, Umm al Qaywayn
Capital
Abu Dhabi
Constitution
2 December 1971 (provisional)
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: [1] (202) 338-6500
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)
FAX
[971] (2) 434771 consulate(s) general: Dubayy (Dubai)
Flag
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side
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); no elections
Member of
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, 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
NA
Political parties and leaders
none
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
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 A. RUGH embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch) telephone: [971] (2) 436691, 436692
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 est)
Currency
1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils
Economic aid
donor: pledged in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89) $9.1 billion
Electricity
capacity: 4,760,000 kW production: 16.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,796 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)
Exports
$24 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: crude oil 66%, natural gas, re-exports, dried fish, dates partners: Japan 35%, South Korea 5%, Iran 4%, Oman 4%, Singapore 4% (1993)
External debt
$11.6 billion (1994 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center
Imports
$20 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, food partners: Japan 12%, UK 10%, US 9%, Germany 7%, South Korea 5% (1993)
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
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.1% (1994 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$22,480 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
-0.5% (1994 est.)
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.
Unemployment rate
NEGL% (1988)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
386,600 telephones; 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
Television
broadcast stations: 12 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 41 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: 12 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 3 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8
Highways
total: 2,000 km paved: 1,800 km unpaved: gravel, graded earth 200 km
Merchant marine
total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,128,253 GRT/1,938,770 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 18, chemical tanker 1, container 10, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3
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
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Federal Police Force)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $1.59 billion, 4.3% of GDP (1994) ________________________________________________________________________ UNITED KINGDOM
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 1,072,261; males fit for military service 583,967; males reach military age (18) annually 19,266 (1995 est.)