Statistical information United Arab Emirates 1992

United Arab Emirates in the World
top of pageBackground: 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 on par with 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.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 83,600 km²
Land: 83,600 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: 1,016 km total; Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 586 km, Qatar 20 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: defined by bilateral boundaries or equidistant line
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 3 nm (assumed), 12 nm for Ash Shariqah (Sharjah)
Disputes:boundary with Qatar is unresolved; no defined boundary with
Saudi Arabia; 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,)
Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert waste- land; mountains in east
ElevationNatural resources: crude oil and natural gas
Land use: arable land: NEGL%; permanent crops: NEGL%; meadows and pastures 2%; forest and woodland NEGL%; other 98%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 2,522,315 (July 1992), growth rate 5.4% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Emirian(s), adjective - Emirian
Ethnic groups: Emirian 19%, other Arab 23%, South Asian (fluctuating) 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8%; less than 20% of the population are UAE citizens (1982)
Languages: Arabic (official; Persian and English widely spoken in major cities; Hindi, Urdu
Religions: Muslim 96% (Shi`a 16%; Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 29 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 3 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 27 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: frequent dust and sand storms; lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification
Current issues note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 23 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 74 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 4.7 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 68% (male 70%, female 63%) age 10 and over but definition of literacy not available (1980)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form:United Arab Emirates (no short-form name); abbreviated
UAE
Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central government and other powers reserved to member emirates
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Administrative divisions:
7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu
Zaby (Abu Dhabi), `Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, Ra's al
Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Dependent areasIndependence: 2 December 1971 (from UK; formerly Trucial States)
National holiday: National Day, 2 December (1971)
Constitution: 2 December 1971 (provisional)
Legal system: secular codes are being introduced by the UAE Government and in several member shaykhdoms; Islamic law remains influential
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: none
Executive branch: president, vice president, Supreme Council of Rulers, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral Federal National Council (Majlis Watani
Itihad)
Judicial branch: Union Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
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
Diplomatic representation:Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn Al SHAALI;
Chancery at Suite 740, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,037; telephone (202) 338-6,500
US:Ambassador Edward S. WALKER, Jr.; Embassy at Al-Sudan Street, Abu
Dhabi (mailing address is P. O. Box 4,009, Abu Dhabi); telephone 971 (2) 336,691, afterhours 338,730; FAX 971 (2) 318,441; there is a US Consulate
General in Dubayy (Dubai)
Diplomatic representationFlag description
: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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, when petroleum prices shot up, 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.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $33.7 billion, per capita $14,100 (1990); real growth rate 11% (1989)
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: 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
Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Industrial production growth rate: NA
Labor force: 580,000 (1986 est.); industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 5%; 80% of labor force is foreign
Organized labor: trade unions are illegal
Unemployment rate: NEGL (1988)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $3.8 billion; expenditures $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $21.3 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: crude oil 65%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
Partners: Japan 35%, Singapore 6%, US 4%, Korea 3%
Imports: $11.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: food, consumer and capital goods
Partners: Japan 14%, UK 10%, US 9%, Germany 9%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 5,800,000 kW capacity; 17,000 million kWh produced, 7,115 kWh per capita (1991)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp:exchange rate conversion - $1.47 billion, 5.3% of
GDP (1989 est.)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports:
37 total, 34 usable; 20 with permanent-surface runways; 7 with runways over 3,659 m; 5
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 830 km, natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine:
55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,033,866
GRT/1,772,646 DWT; includes 18 cargo, 8 container, 3 roll-on/roll-off, 20 petroleum tanker, 4 bulk, 1 refrigerated cargo, 1 vehicle carrier
Civil air: 10 major transport aircraft
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs