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

top of page


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). Ra's al Khaymah joined in 1972. 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 for 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. In 2020, the UAE and Bahrain signed a peace agreement (the Abraham Accords) with Israel -- brokered by the US -- in Washington, D.C. The UAE and Bahrain thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel.


top of page


Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 83,600 km²
Land: 83,600 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries
Total: 1,066 km
Border countries (2): (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

Land use
Agricultural land: 5.5% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 4.2% (2023 est.)
Forest: 4.6% (2023 est.)
Other: 89.7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 940 km² (2022)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms

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


top of page


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

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian
Major-language sample(s): دليل غيوس العالمي: المصدر الذي لا غنى عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); Gheos Worldguide, 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: 22.9 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 20.1 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 2.7 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 36.9 (2024 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

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

Air pollutants

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: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.2% (2024 est.); 2.2% (2023 est.); 2.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


top of page


Country name

Government type

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 a personal name, Dhabi or Zabi, that comes from the word zab, or 'gazelle'

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

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: mixed 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

Suffrage

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
Election/appointment process: 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); prime minister appointed by the president
Most recent election date: unscheduled election held on 14 May 2022, after the death of President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan
2022: MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID Al-Nuhayyan elected president; Federal Supreme Council vote - NA
Expected date of next election: 2,027
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
Legislature name: Federal National Council (Majlis Watani Itihadi)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 40 (20 indirectly elected; 20 appointed)
Electoral system: other systems
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 10/7/2023
Percentage of women in chamber: 50%
Expected date of next election: October 2,027

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black, with a wider vertical red band on the left side

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Nashid al-watani al-imarati' (National Anthem of the UAE)
Lyrics/music: AREF Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB
History: music adopted 1971, lyrics adopted 1986; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for Tunisia's and Libya's anthem

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 2 ( both cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


top of page


Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3.8% (2024 est.); 3.6% (2023 est.); 7.5% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3.8% (2024 est.); 3.6% (2023 est.); 7.5% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 45.6% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 12.4% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 27.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 108.6% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -93.7% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Industry: 47.7% (2023 est.)
Services: 51.6% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

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

Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 7.09 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 2.2% (2024 est.); 2.2% (2023 est.); 2.9% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.2% (2024 est.); 2.2% (2023 est.); 2.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $23.248 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $19.349 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 0.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate 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

Exports: $558.402 billion (2023 est.); $521.897 billion (2022 est.); $425.156 billion (2021 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $481.852 billion (2023 est.); $427.992 billion (2022 est.); $347.529 billion (2021 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: gold, broadcasting equipment, cars, refined petroleum, diamonds (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


top of page


Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 44.462 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 157.974 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 613 million kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 501.067 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 7.914 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 75.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 4.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 5.411 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 82,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 5.512 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 4.146 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 846,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 97.8 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 55.8 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 67.734 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 6.863 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 18.938 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 6.091 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 271.703 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 12.788 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 126.038 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 132.876 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 450.432 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2.259 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 21.2 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 212 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 3.95 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.)


top of page


Military expenditures: 4% of GDP (2024 est.); 4.3% of GDP (2023 est.); 4% of GDP (2022 est.); 4.5% of GDP (2021 est.); 6.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 42 (2025)

Heliports: 204 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 655 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 2, container ship 3, general cargo 122, oil tanker 16, other 512

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs