2021 Edition

Background

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 Dhabi, '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 on par with those of leading West European nations. For more than three decades, oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. In 2008-09, the confluence of falling oil prices, collapsing real estate prices, and the international banking crisis hit the UAE especially hard. The UAE did not experience the "Arab Spring" unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East in 2010-11, partly because of the government's multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates, and its aggressive pursuit of advocates of political reform. The UAE in recent years has played a growing role in regional affairs. In addition to donating billions of dollars in economic aid to help stabilize Egypt, the UAE was one of the first countries to join the Defeat-ISIS coalition, and to participate as a key partner in a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. On 15 September 2020, the UAE and Bahrain signed a peace agreement (the Abraham Accords) with Israel – brokered by the US – in Washington DC. The UAE and Bahrain thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel.

Area

land

83,600 sq km

total

83,600 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine

Climate

desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Coastline

1,318 km

Elevation

highest point

Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

lowest point

Persian Gulf 0 m

mean elevation

149 m

Geographic coordinates

24 00 N, 54 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

923 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Oman 609 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

total

1,066 km

Land use

agricultural land

4.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.6% (2018 est.)

forest

3.8% (2018 est.)

other

91.6% (2018 est.)

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 hazards

frequent sand and dust storms

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas

Population distribution

population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population

Terrain

flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert; mountains in east

Age structure

0-14 years

14.45% (male 745,492/female 698,330)

15-24 years

7.94% (male 431,751/female 361,804)

25-54 years

68.03% (male 5,204,618/female 1,592,987)

55-64 years

7.68% (male 658,892/female 108,850)

65 years and over

1.9% (male 146,221/female 43,138) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

10.87 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

4.2% (2018)

Death rate

1.51 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

1.5

potential support ratio

66.4 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

19.2

youth dependency ratio

17.7

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

Emirati 11.6%, South Asian 59.4% (includes Indian 38.2%, Bangladeshi 9.5%, Pakistani 9.4%, other 2.3%), Egyptian 10.2%, Filipino 6.1%, other 12.8% (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2020)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100

Hospital bed density

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

5.82 deaths/1,000 live births

total

5.25 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian

major-language sample(s)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.78 years (2021 est.)

male

78.04 years

total population

79.37 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.9% (2019)

male

98%

total population

97.6%

Major infectious diseases

note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout UAE; as of 6 October 2021, UAE has reported a total of 737,073 cases of COVID-19 or 7,452.41 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 21.27 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 6 October 2021, 93.95% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Major urban areas - population

2.921 million Dubai, 1.737 million Sharjah, 1.512 million ABU DHABI (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

31.5 years (2020 est.)

male

40.4 years

total

38.4 years

Nationality

adjective

Emirati

noun

Emirati(s)

Net migration rate

-3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

31.7% (2016)

Physicians density

2.53 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

9,856,612 (July 2021 est.)

note

note: the UN estimated the country's total population was 9,771,000 as of mid-year 2019; immigrants make up 87.9% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Population distribution

population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population

Population growth rate

0.62% (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 76%, Christian 9%, other (primarily Hindu and Buddhist, less than 5% of the population consists of Parsi, Baha'i, Druze, Sikh, Ahmadi, Ismaili, Dawoodi Bohra Muslim, and Jewish) 15% (2005 est.)

note

note: data represent the total population; as of 2019, immigrants make up about 87.9% of the total population, according to UN data

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 98.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.4% of population (2017 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2020)

male

15 years

total

16 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.19 male(s)/female

25-54 years

3.27 male(s)/female

55-64 years

6.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

3.39 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

2.56 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.65 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

15% (2019 est.)

male

4.9%

total

7.2%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

87.3% of total population (2021)

Administrative 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

Capital

etymology

in Arabic, "abu" means "father" and "dhabi" refers to "gazelle"; the name may derive from an abundance of gazelles that used to live in the area, as well as a folk tale involving the "Father of the Gazelle," Shakhbut bin Dhiyab al Nahyan, whose hunting party tracked a gazelle to a spring on the island where Abu Dhabi was founded

geographic coordinates

24 28 N, 54 22 E

name

Abu Dhabi

time difference

UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

30 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the Supreme Council and submitted to the Federal National Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote of Federal National Council members present and approval of the Supreme Council president; amended 2009

history

previous 1971 (provisional); latest drafted in 1979, became permanent May 1996

Country name

abbreviation

UAE

conventional long form

United Arab Emirates

conventional short form

none

etymology

self-descriptive country name; the name "Arabia" can be traced back many centuries B.C., the ancient Egyptians referred to the region as "Ar Rabi"; "emirates" derives from "amir" the Arabic word for "commander," "lord," or "prince"

former

Trucial Oman, Trucial States

local long form

Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah

local short form

none

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sean MURPHY (since August 2020)

consulate(s) general

Dubai

email address and website

abudhabiacs@state.govhttps://ae.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Embassies District, Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi

FAX

[971] (2) 414-2241

mailing address

6010 Abu Dhabi Place, Washington DC 20521-6010

telephone

[971] (2) 414-2200

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Yusif bin Mani bin Said al-UTAYBA (since 28 July 2008)

consulate(s) general

Boston, Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

info@uaeembassy-usa.orghttps://www.uae-embassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 243-2432

telephone

[1] (202) 243-2400

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers announced by the prime minister and approved by the president

chief of state

President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (since 2 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006)

election results

KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan reelected president; FSC vote NA

elections/appointments

president and vice president indirectly elected by the Federal Supreme Council - composed of the rulers of the 7 emirates - for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held 3 November 2009 (next election NA); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Vice President MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers SAIF bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan, MANSUR bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (both since 11 May 2009)

note

note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the 7 emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets 4 times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side; the flag incorporates all four Pan-Arab colors, which in this case represent fertility (green), neutrality (white), petroleum resources (black), and unity (red); red was the traditional color incorporated into all flags of the emirates before their unification

Government type

federation of monarchies

Independence

2 December 1971 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

Federal Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 4 judges; jurisdiction limited to federal cases)

judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the federal president following approval by the Federal Supreme Council, the highest executive and legislative authority consisting of the 7 emirate rulers; judges serve until retirement age or the expiry of their appointment terms

subordinate courts

Federal Court of Cassation (determines the constitutionality of laws promulgated at the federal and emirate level; federal level courts of first instance and appeals courts); the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra's al Khaymah have parallel court systems; the other 4 emirates have incorporated their courts into the federal system; note - the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts and the Dubai International Financial Center Courts, the country’s two largest financial free zones, both adjudicate civil and commercial disputes.

Legal system

mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law and civil law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members indirectly elected using single non-transferable vote by an electoral college whose members are selected by each emirate ruler proportional to its FNC membership, and 20 members appointed by the rulers of the 7 constituent states; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

all candidates ran as independents; seats by emirate - Abu Dhabi 4, Dubai 4, Sharjah 3, Ras al-Khaimah 3, Ajman 2, Fujairah 2, Umm al-Quwain 2; composition (preliminary) - 13 men, 7 women, percent of elected women 35%; note - to attain overall FNC gender parity, 13 women and 7 men will be appointed; overall FNC percent of women 50%

elections

last held for indirectly elected members on 5 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)

National anthem

lyrics/music

AREF Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB

name

"Nashid al-watani al-imarati" (National Anthem of the UAE)

note

note: music adopted 1971, lyrics adopted 1996; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of Tunisia

National holiday

Independence Day (National Day), 2 December (1971)

National symbol(s)

golden falcon; national colors: green, white, black, red

Political parties and leaders

none; political parties are banned

Suffrage

limited; note - rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that together account for about 12 percent of Emirati citizens

Agricultural products

dates, cucumbers, tomatoes, goat meat, eggs, milk, poultry, carrots/turnips, goat milk, milk

Budget

expenditures

111.1 billion (2017 est.)

note

note: the UAE federal budget does not account for emirate-level spending in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

revenues

110.2 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AA- (2020)

Moody's rating

Aa2 (2007)

Standard & Poors rating

AA (2007)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

$13.23 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$26.47 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$218.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$237.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP from the oil and gas sector to 30%.Since the discovery of oil in the UAE nearly 60 years ago, the country has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. The country's free trade zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors.The global financial crisis of 2008-09, tight international credit, and deflated asset prices constricted the economy in 2009. UAE authorities tried to blunt the crisis by increasing spending and boosting liquidity in the banking sector. The crisis hit Dubai hardest, as it was heavily exposed to depressed real estate prices. Dubai lacked sufficient cash to meet its debt obligations, prompting global concern about its solvency and ultimately a $20 billion bailout from the UAE Central Bank and Abu Dhabi Government that was refinanced in March 2014.The UAE’s dependence on oil is a significant long-term challenge, although the UAE is one of the most diversified countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Low oil prices have prompted the UAE to cut expenditures, including on some social programs, but the UAE has sufficient assets in its sovereign investment funds to cover its deficits. The government reduced fuel subsidies in August 2015, and introduced excise taxes (50% on sweetened carbonated beverages and 100% on energy drinks and tobacco) in October 2017. A five-percent value-added tax was introduced in January 2018. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on economic diversification, promoting the UAE as a global trade and tourism hub, developing industry, and creating more job opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment.

Exchange rates

currency

Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

3.673 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

3.673 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

3.67315 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

3.67315 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

3.67315 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2016

$298.6 billion (2016 est.)

Exports 2017

$308.5 billion (2017 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, jewelry, broadcasting equipment (2019)

Exports - partners

India 11%, Japan 10%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Switzerland 6%, China 6%, Iraq 6% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

100.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption

12.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

34.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-72.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1.8% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.9% (2017 est.)

industry

49.8% (2017 est.)

services

49.2% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$421.077 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

32.5 (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2016

$226.5 billion (2016 est.)

Imports 2017

$229.2 billion (2017 est.)

Imports - commodities

gold, broadcasting equipment, jewelry, refined petroleum, diamonds (2019)

Imports - partners

China 15%, India 12%, Untied States 7% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, commercial ship repair, construction materials, handicrafts, textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1.9% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

3% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

-1.9% (2019 est.)

Labor force

5.344 million (2017 est.)

note

note: expatriates account for about 85% of the workforce

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

7%

industry

15%

services

78% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line

19.5% (2003 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

20.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

19.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$637.384 billion (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$644.97 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$655.79 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

5.1% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

3% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

0.8% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2017

$67,184 (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2018

$67,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$67,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$85.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$95.37 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

28.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2014

3.6% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate 2016

1.6% (2016 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

15% (2019 est.)

male

4.9%

total

7.2%

Crude oil - exports

2.552 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

3.216 million bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

97.8 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

113.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

99% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

1.141 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

28.91 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

121.8 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

74.48 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

7.504 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

20.22 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

62.01 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

6.091 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

896,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

817,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

392,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

943,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

32.81 (2020 est.)

total

3,245,123 (2020)

Broadcast media

except for the many organizations now operating in media free zones in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, most TV and radio stations remain government-owned; widespread use of satellite dishes provides access to pan-Arab and other international broadcasts; restrictions since June 2017 on some satellite channels and websites originating from or otherwise linked to Qatar (2018)

Internet country code

.ae

Internet users

percent of population

100% (2020 est.)

total

9.94 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

microwave radio relay, fiber-optic and coaxial cable; fixed-line 24 per 100 and mobile-cellular 201 per 100 (2019)

general assessment

one of the world’s most connected countries with modern infrastructure and record Internet, broadband, and mobile use; low-cost smartphones drive mobile-broadband penetration; LTE networks cover most of the population with launch of 5G in partnership with Chinese company ZTE; submarine cables connect to South Africa, Middle East, Pakistan, and Europe; ISPs are fully or partially owned by state, allowing control over flow of information; during pandemic, there was a surge of Internet use from home, with temporary government relaxation of restrictions on streaming such as Zoom, Skype, and Microsoft Teams; government censorship and surveillance of online platforms; service prices are highest in the region, yet affordable for population’s affluent users; government launched free digital platforms for students; Dubai and Abu Dhabi are smart cities with government plan to digitize services across country; major importer of broadcasting equipment from China and exporter of broadcasting equipment to Iraq and Saudi Arabia (2020)

international

country code - 971; landing points for the FLAG, SEA-ME-WE-3 ,-4 & -5, Qater UAE Submarine Cable System, FALCON, FOG, Tat TGN-Gulf, OMRAN/EPEG Cable System, AAE-1, BBG, EIG, FEA, GBICS/MENA, IMEWE, Orient Express, TEAMS, TW1 and the UAE-Iran submarine cables, linking to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian) (2020)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

24.07 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

2,380,866 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

185.8 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

18,374,332 (2020)

Airports

total

43 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

5

2,438 to 3,047 m

3

914 to 1,523 m

3

over 3,047 m

12

total

25

under 914 m

2 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

4

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

6

over 3,047 m

1

total

18

under 914 m

6 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

A6

Heliports

5 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 1, container ship 3, general cargo 117, oil tanker 19, other 483 (2021)

total

623

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

15,962,900,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

95,533,069 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

497

number of registered air carriers

10 (2020)

Pipelines

533 km condensate, 3277 km gas, 300 km liquid petroleum gas, 3287 km oil, 24 km oil/gas/water, 218 km refined products, 99 km water (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Dubai Port (14,111,000) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (export)

Das Island

major seaport(s)

Al Fujayrah, Mina' Jabal 'Ali (Dubai), Khor Fakkan (Khawr Fakkan) (Sharjah), Mubarraz Island (Abu Dhabi), Mina' Rashid (Dubai), Mina' Saqr (Ra's al Khaymah)

Roadways

paved

4,080 km (includes 253 km of expressways) (2008)

total

4,080 km (2008)

Military - note

as of 2021, the UAE was closely aligned with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on regional security issues; it hosted a multipurpose air, ground, and naval French military base, which included the French naval command for the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN); the UAE has a defense cooperation agreement with the US and, as of 2021, hosted about 3,500 US troops, mostly air and naval personnel in 2015, UAE intervened militarily in Yemen as part of the Saudi-led coalition in support of the Republic of Yemen Government with about 3,500 troops, as well as supporting air and naval forces; UAE withdrew its main military force from Yemen in 2019, but has retained a small military presence while working with proxies in southern Yemen, most notably the Southern Transitional Council (STC); as of 2021, UAE had recruited, trained, and equipped an estimated 150-200,000 Yemeni fighters and formed them into dozens of militia and paramilitary units

Military and security forces

United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy Forces, Air Force, Presidential Guard; Ministry of Interior: Critical Infrastructure Coastal Patrol Agency (CICPA) (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces have approximately 65,000 total active personnel (45,000 Land Forces; 3,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force; 12,000 Presidential Guard) (2021)

Military deployments

estimates vary; reportedly a few hundred remain in Yemen (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the UAE Armed Forces inventory is comprised of wide variety of mostly modern imported equipment; since 2010, the UAE has acquired military equipment from more than 20 countries with France, Russia, and the US as the leading suppliers; in recent years, the UAE has tried to boost its domestic defense industry (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

6% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

5.2% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

5% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 17 years of age for male volunteers with parental approval; 24-month general service obligation, 16 months for secondary school graduates; women can volunteer to serve for 9 months regardless of education (2019)

Disputes - international

boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies

Illicit drugs

a transshipment point for illegal narcotics and a pass-through for drug proceeds; numerous exchange houses and general trading companies increase potential for money; major source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

206.32 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

56.55 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

39.44 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Environment - current issues

air pollution; rapid population growth and high energy demand contribute to water scarcity; lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; land degradation and desertification; waste generation, beach pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Land use

agricultural land

4.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.6% (2018 est.)

forest

3.8% (2018 est.)

other

91.6% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout UAE; as of 6 October 2021, UAE has reported a total of 737,073 cases of COVID-19 or 7,452.41 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 21.27 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 6 October 2021, 93.95% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

150 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

3.312 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

69 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

617 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

87.3% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

5,413,453 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

1,082,691 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

20% (2015 est.)