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 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.

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 1,448 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: defined by bilateral boundaries or equidistant line
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains

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

Natural resources: crude oil and natural gas

Land use: NEGL% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 98% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Geography
Note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil geoad0.gif" border="0" geoad1

Population: 2,115,109 (July 1989), growth rate 6.4% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Emirian(s), adjective - Emirian

Ethnic groups: 19% Emirian, 23% other Arab, 50% South Asian (fluctuating), 8% other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians; less than 20% of the population are UAE citizens (1982)

Languages: Arabic (official; Farsi and English widely spoken in major cities; Hindi, Urdu

Religions: 96% Muslim (16% Shia; 4% Christian, Hindu, and other

Birth rate: 32 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 4 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 36 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Environment
Current issues: frequent dust and sand storms; lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification

Infant mortality rate: 29 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 72 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 5.0 children born/woman (1989)

Literacy: 68%

Country name: conventional 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 shaykhdoms

Capital: Abu Dhabi

Administrative divisions: 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah; Abu Zaby, Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, Ras al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

Independence: 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

Suffrage: none

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force, Central Military Command, Federal Police Force

International organization participation: Arab League, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB - Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Ahmed S. AL-MOKARRAB; Chancery at Suite 740, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,037; telephone (202) 338-6,500; US - Ambassador David L. MACK; Embassy at Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi (mailing address is P. O. Box 4,009, Abu Dhabi; telephone Õ971å (2) 336,691; there is a US Consulate General in Dubai

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

Economy overview: The UAE has one of the world's higher levels of income per capita. 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.

Agriculture products: some dates, alfalfa, vegetables, fruit, tobacco; most food imported;

Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling

Industrial production growth rate: - 9.3% (1986)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: NEGL (1987)

Budget: revenues $3.0 billion; expenditures $3.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $0.27 billion (1987)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $11.6 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.)
Commodities: crude oil 75%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
Partners: US, EC, Japan

Imports: $6.4 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.)
Commodities: food, consumer and capital goods
Partners: EC, Japan, US

Debt external: $9.3 billion (December 1988)

Exchange rates: Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)

Electricity
Capacity: 5,520,000 kW capacity; 14,503 million kWh produced, 7,320 kWh per capita (1988)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.59 billion, 40% of central government budget (1987)

Airports: 39 total, 33 usable; 19 with permanent-surface runways; 7 with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: 830 km crude oil; 870 km natural gas, including natural gas liquids

Merchant marine: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 721,485 GRT/1,171,268 DWT; 13 cargo, 8 container, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 20 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 3 bulk

Disputes international: boundary with Qatar is in dispute; no defined boundary with Saudi Arabia; no defined boundary with most of Oman, but Administrative Line in far north; claims three islands in the Persian Gulf occupied by Iran (Jazireh-ye Abu Musa or Abu Musa, Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg or Greater Tunb, and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek or Lesser Tunb)