Map of United Arab Emirates | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 83,600 km²
Land: 83,600 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine
Country comparison total: 1,066 km
Country comparison border countries: (2) Oman 609 km; Saudi Arabia 457 km

Land boundaries
Total: 1,066 km
Border countries: (2) Oman 609 km; Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline: 1,318 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains

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

Elevation
Highest point: Jabal Bil 'Ays 1,905 m
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Mean elevation: 149 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas

Land use
Agricultural land: 4.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 3.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 3.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 91.6% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 898 km² (2020)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 2.63 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 69 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 2.32 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 150 million m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms

Geography
Note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) together account for over 90% of the area of the country and two-thirds of the population


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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
Total: 10,032,213
Male: 6,824,131
Female: 3,208,082 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.6% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Emirati(s)
Adjective: Emirati

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

Languages: Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian
Major-language samples: دليل جيوس العالمي، المصدر الذي لا غنى عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim 74.5% (official) (Sunni 63.3%, Shia 6.7%, other 4.4%), Christian 12.9%, Hindu 6.2%, Buddhist 3.2%, agnostic 1.3%, other 1.9% (2020 est.)
Note: data represent the total population; as of 2020, immigrants make up about 88.1% of the total population, according to UN data

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.4% (male 842,577/female 802,302)
15-64 years: 81.4% (male 5,812,470/female 2,353,750)
65 years and over: 2.2% (2024 est.) (male 169,084/female 52,030)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 20.3
Youth dependency ratio: 18.2
Elderly dependency ratio: 2.1
Potential support ratio: 47.3 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 35.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 38.1 years
Female: 29.8 years

Population growth rate: 0.6% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 1.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 3.008 million Dubai, 1.831 million Sharjah, 1.567 million ABU DHABI (capital) (2023)

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 41.75 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 206.32 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 56.55 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.47 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 3.25 male(s)/female
Total population: 2.13 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 9 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78.6 years
Female: 81.4 years

Total fertility rate: 1.61 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: NA

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 31.7% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 2.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 1.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.1%
Male: 98.8%
Female: 97.2% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 17 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 10.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 6.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 22.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
Conventional short form: none
Local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
Local short form: none
Former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States; abbreviation: UAE
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'

Government type: federation of monarchies

Capital
Name: Abu Dhabi
Geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E
Time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 2 December 1971 (from the UK)

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

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

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

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID Al Nuhayyan (since 14 May 2022)
Head of government: Prime Minister and Co-Vice President MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al Maktum (since 5 January 2006)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers announced by the prime minister and approved by the president
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); unscheduled election held on 14 May 2022, following the death of President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (next election expected in 2,027); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: 2022: MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID Al-Nuhayyan elected president; Federal Supreme Council vote - NA
Note: the Federal Supreme Council (FSC) is composed of the 7 emirate rulers and is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; the FSC establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets 4 times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power

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)
Elections: last held for indirectly elected members on 7 October 2023 (next to be held in October 2,027); last held for appointed members in October 2023 (next appointments expected in late 2,027)
Elections results: seats by emirate - Abu Dhabi 4, Dubai 4, Sharjah 3, Ras al-Khaimah 3, Ajman 2, Fujairah 2, Umm al-Quwain 2; composition - 13 men, 7 women, percentage elected women 35%
Note: to attain overall FNC gender parity, 13 women and 7 men were appointed; total FNC percentage of women 50%

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.

Political parties and leaders: none; political parties are banned; all candidates run as independents

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, BRICS, 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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Yousif AL OTAIBA (since 28 July 2008)
In the us chancery: 3,522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 243-2,400
In the us fax: [1] (202) 243-2,408
In the us email address and website: info@uaeembassy-usa.org; [link]
In the us consulates general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Martina A. STRONG (since 4 October 2023)
From the us embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi
From the us mailing address: 6,010 Abu Dhabi Place, Washington DC 20,521-6,010
From the us telephone: [971] (2) 414-2,200
From the us fax: [971] (2) 414-2,241
From the us email address and website: abudhabiacs@state.gov; [link]
From the us consulates general: Dubai

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

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

National anthem
Name: 'Nashid al-watani al-imarati' (National Anthem of the UAE)
Lyrics/music: AREF Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB
Note: music adopted 1971, lyrics adopted 1996; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of Tunisia

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: historically oil-driven Middle Eastern economy; diversifying into a trade-oriented logistics and supply chain leader; strong foreign direct investment orientation; building trade and investment ties through partnership agreements; growing banking sector; recent economic linkages with Israel slowing due to Gaza conflict

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $719.733 billion (2023 est.); $696.041 billion (2022 est.); $645.376 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 3.4% (2023 est.); 7.85% (2022 est.); 4.35% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $75,600 (2023 est.); $73,700 (2022 est.); $68,900 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 40.2% (2020 est.)
Government consumption: 14.5% (2020 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 20.2% (2020 est.)
Investment in inventories: 2.6% (2020 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 95.9% (2020 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -70.6% (2020 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.8% (2022 est.)
Industry: 51.5% (2022 est.)
Services: 47.7% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: dates, cucumbers/gherkins, camel milk, goat milk, tomatoes, eggs, goat meat, milk, chicken, camel meat (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 8.49% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 6.668 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 2.71% (2023 est.); 2.87% (2022 est.); 3.11% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 10.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 6.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 22.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $20.165 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $19.483 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 0.57% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 19.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.83% (2022 est.); -0.01% (2021 est.); -2.08% (2020 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $26.47 billion (2017 est.); $13.23 billion (2016 est.)

Exports: $335.238 billion (2020 est.); $404.046 billion (2019 est.); $392.863 billion (2018 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: India 13%, Japan 10%, China 8%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Iraq 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $246.886 billion (2020 est.); $295.6 billion (2019 est.); $281.536 billion (2018 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 18%, India 10%, US 6%, UK 4%, Saudi Arabia 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: gold, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, diamonds, cars (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $189.491 billion (2023 est.); $138.433 billion (2022 est.); $131.117 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 39.915 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 161.89 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 657 million kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 868 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 7.524 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 84.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 11.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 3.273 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 99,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 3.538 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 4.146 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 939,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 97.8 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 56.683 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 66.091 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 6.991 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 19.29 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 6.091 trillion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 268.041 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 8.274 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 130.114 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 129.653 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 496.365 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2.286 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 20.036 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 212 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 4% of GDP (2023 est.); 4% of GDP (2022 est.); 5% of GDP (2021 est.); 5.6% of GDP (2020 est.); 5.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy Forces, Air Force, Presidential Guard (includes special operations forces); Ministry of Interior: Coast Guard Forces, Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Patrol Agency (CICPA) (2024)
Note: each emirate maintains a local police force called a general directorate, which is officially a branch of the federal Ministry of Interior; all emirate-level general directorates of police enforce their respective emirate’s laws autonomously; they also enforce federal laws within their emirate in coordination with one another under the federal ministry; the State Security Directorate (SSD) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai State Security (DSS) have primary responsible for counterterrorism law enforcement efforts; local, emirate-level police forces, especially the Abu Dhabi Police and Dubai Police, are the first responders in such cases and provide technical assistance to SSD and DSS

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men (compulsory service initiated in 2014); 18-40 for voluntary service; 36-month service obligation for men without a secondary education and 11 months for secondary school graduates; women may volunteer (11-month service obligation regardless of education) (2023)
Note 1: compulsory service may be completed in the uniformed military, the Ministry of Interior, or other security institutions designated by the military leadership
Note 2: the UAE military employs a considerable number of foreign personnel on contracted service

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 10 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 497
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 95,533,069 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 15,962,900,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A6

Airports: 42 (2024)

Heliports: 203 (2024)

Pipelines: 533 km condensate, 3,277 km gas, 300 km liquid petroleum gas, 3,287 km oil, 24 km oil/gas/water, 218 km refined products, 99 km water (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 4,080 km
Paved: 4,080 km (2008) (includes 253 km of expressways)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 5 (mid-year 2021)

Illicit drugs: major source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics