Statistics United Arab Emirates 
United Arab Emirates in the World
United Arab Emirates - Introduction 2016
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 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. Its high oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. For more than three decades oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. However 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 has essentially avoided the 'Arab Spring' unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East though in March 2011 political activists and intellectuals signed a petition calling for greater public participation in governance that was widely circulated on the Internet. In an effort to stem potential further unrest the government announced a multi-year $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates and aggressively pursued advocates of political reform.
Area
Total: 83,600 km²
Land: 83,600 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 115
Comparative: slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine
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
Terrain: flat barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert; mountains in east
Elevation
Mean elevation: 149 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m: highest point: Jabal Yibir 1527 m
Land use
Agricultural land: 4.6%
arable land: 0.5%
permanent crops: 0.5%
permanent pasture: 3.6%
permanent crops: 0.5%
permanent pasture: 3.6%
Forest: 3.8%
Other: 91.6%
Geography
Note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz a vital transit point for world crude oil
United Arab Emirates - People 2016
top of pagePopulation
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: 5,927,482 (July 2016 est.)
Note: the UN estimated the country's total population was 9,267,000 as of mid-year 2016; immigrants make up almost 85% of the total population according to 2015 UN data
Rank: 112
Growth rate: 2.47% (2016 est.)
Growth rate rank: 23
Below poverty line: 19.5% (2003 est.)
Ethnic groups: Emirati 19% other Arab and Iranian 23% South Asian 50% other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8%
Note: less than 20% are UAE citizens
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%
Note: represents the total population; about 85% of the population consists of noncitizens
Age structure
0-14 years: 20.94%
15-24 years: 13.53%
25-54 years: 61.27%
55-64 years: 3.23%
65 years and over: 1.04% (2016 est.)
Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 17.8%
Youth dependency ratio: 16.4%
Elderly dependency ratio: 1.3%
Potential support ratio: 74.6%
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: 85.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.87% annual rate of change
Major urban areas
Population: Dubai 2.415 million; Sharjah 1.279 million; ABU DHABI (capital) 1.145 million (2015)
Environment
Current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.47 male/female
25-54 years: 3.2 male/female
55-64 years: 2.93 male/female
65 years and over: 1.69 male/female
Total population: 2.18 male/female
Infant mortality rate
Total: 10.3 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 12 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.5 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 132
Drinking water source:
urban: 99.6% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 99.6% of population
urban: 0.4% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0.4% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 100% of population
total: 99.6% of population
urban: 0.4% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0.4% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 98% of population
rural: 95.2% of population
total: 97.6% of population
urban: 2% of population
rural: 4.8% of population
total: 2.4% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 95.2% of population
total: 97.6% of population
urban: 2% of population
rural: 4.8% of population
total: 2.4% of population (2015 est.)
Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 93.8%
Male: 93.1%
Female: 95.8%
United Arab Emirates - Government 2016
top of pageCountry 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'
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
Constitution: previous 1971 (provisional); latest drafted in 1979 became permanent May 1996; amended 2009 (2016)
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 KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006)
Head of government: Prime Minister Vice President MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al-Maktum ; Deputy Prime Ministers SAIF bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan MANSUR bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (both since 11 May 2009)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the Federal Supreme Council - composed of the rulers of the 7 emirates - for a 5-year term ; election last held 3 November 2009 (next election NA); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan reelected president; FSC vote NA
Note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council 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
Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members appointed by the rulers of the 7 constituent states and 20 indirectly elected by an electoral college whose members are selected by each emirate ruler proportional to its FNC membership; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 3 October 2015 ; note - the electoral college was expanded from 129,274 electors in the December 2011 election to 224,279 in the October 2015 election; elections for candidates rather than political parties; 347 candidates including 78 women ran for 20 contested seats in the 40-member FNC; 80,000 voters or 35% of eligible voters turned out to vote and 19 men and one woman were elected
Election results: elected FNC seats by emirate - Abu Dhabi 4 Dubai 4 Sharjah 3 Ras al-Khaimah 3 Ajman 2 Fujairah 2 Umm al-Quwain 2; note - only 1 woman won an FNC seat
Judicial branch
Highest court: Federal Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the federal president following approval by the Federal Supreme Council which includes the rulers of the 7 emirates; judges serve until retirement age or the expiry of their appointment term
Subordinate courts: Federal Court of Cassation level; federal level courts of first instance and appeals courts; each emirate has its own court system
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
Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Yusif bin Mani bin Said al-UTAYBA
In the us chancery: 3,522 International Court NW Suite 400 Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 243-2,400
In the us FAX: [1] 243-2,432
In the us consulate general: Los Angeles
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara A. LEAF
From the us embassy: Embassies District Plot 38 Sector W59-02 Street No. 4 Abu Dhabi
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 4,009 Abu Dhabi
From the us telephone: [971] 414-2,200
From the us FAX: [971] 414-2,603
From the us consulate 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 anthem
Name: 'Nashid al-watani al-imarati'
Lyrics and 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
United Arab Emirates - Economy 2016
top of pageEconomy 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 based on oil and gas output to 25%.
Since the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 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.
Dependence on oil a large expatriate workforce and growing inflation pressures are significant long-term challenges. Low oil prices have prompted the UAE to take steps to reduce its social spending including eliminating fuel subsidies in August 2015 but the UAE has sufficient assets to cover its deficits with money from its sovereign investment funds. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on economic diversification and creating more job opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment.
Since the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 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.
Dependence on oil a large expatriate workforce and growing inflation pressures are significant long-term challenges. Low oil prices have prompted the UAE to take steps to reduce its social spending including eliminating fuel subsidies in August 2015 but the UAE has sufficient assets to cover its deficits with money from its sovereign investment funds. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on economic diversification and creating more job opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment.
Real gdp purchasing power parity:
$647.8 billion (2015 est.)
$623.3 billion (2014 est.)
$596.1 billion (2013 est.)
$623.3 billion (2014 est.)
$596.1 billion (2013 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 33
Real gdp per capita:
$67,600 (2015 est.)
$67,000 (2014 est.)
$66,000 (2013 est.)
$67,000 (2014 est.)
$66,000 (2013 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 12
Gross national saving:
33.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
39% of GDP (2014 est.)
42.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
39% of GDP (2014 est.)
42.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 49
Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 56%
Government consumption: 8.7%
Investment in fixed capital: 27.4%
Investment in inventories: -3.1%
Exports of goods and services: 90%
Imports of goods and services: -79%
Industries: petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing aluminum cement fertilizers commercial ship repair construction materials handicrafts textiles
Labor force: 5.087 million
Note: expatriates account for about 85% of the workforce
Rank: 81
By occupation agriculture: 7%
By occupation industry: 15%
By occupation services: 78%
Budget
Revenues: $102.8 billion
Expenditures: $116.5 billion
Note: the UAE federal budget does not account for emirate-level spending in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Surplus or deficit: -4% of GDP (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 142
Stock of narrow money:
$124.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$118.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$118.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 30
Stock of broad money:
$343.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$287.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$287.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 30
Stock of domestic credit:
$370.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$331.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$331.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 29
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$67.95 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$71.33 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$77.08 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$71.33 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$77.08 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 32
Exports:
$333.3 billion (2015 est.)
$367.5 billion (2014 est.)
$367.5 billion (2014 est.)
Rank: 17
Commodities: crude oil 45% natural gas reexports dried fish dates (2012 est.)
Partners: Iran 14.5% Japan 9.8% India 9.2% China 4.7% Oman 4.3% (2015)
Imports:
$243.9 billion (2015 est.)
$239.8 billion (2014 est.)
$239.8 billion (2014 est.)
Rank: 20
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment chemicals food
Partners: China 15.7% India 12.8% US 9.7% Germany 6.8% UK 4.4% (2015)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$93.93 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$78.42 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$78.42 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 26
Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
$126.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$116.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$116.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 42
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
$90.86 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$81.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$81.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 33
Exchange rates:
Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar -
3.673 (2015 est.)
3.673 (2014 est.)
3.673 (2013 est.)
3.67 (2012 est.)
3.673 (2011 est.)
3.673 (2015 est.)
3.673 (2014 est.)
3.673 (2013 est.)
3.67 (2012 est.)
3.673 (2011 est.)
United Arab Emirates - Energy 2016
top of pageElectricity
Access population without electricity: 177,824
Access electrification total population: 98%
Access electrification urban areas: 99%
Access electrification rural areas: 93%
Production: 103 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Production rank: 33
Consumption: 96 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 34
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 97
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 114
Installed generating capacity: 28 million kW (2014 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 31
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 40
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 36
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 156
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 112
Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 2.82 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 8
Crude oil exports: 2.637 million bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 4
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 152
Crude oil proven reserves: 98 billion bbl (1 January 2016 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 8
Refined petroleum
Products production: 503,200 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products production rank: 33
Products consumption: 744,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products consumption rank: 29
Products exports: 384,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products exports rank: 21
Products imports: 365,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products imports rank: 20
Natural gas
Production: 54.24 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Production rank: 18
Consumption: 66.32 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 12
Exports: 8.066 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 26
Imports: 20.14 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 17
Proven reserves: 6.091 trillion m³ (1 January 2016 es)
Proven reserves rank: 7
Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 245 million Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 26
United Arab Emirates - Communication 2016
top of pageTelephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,208,425
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38
Fixed lines rank: 56
Mobile cellular total: 17.943 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 310
Mobile cellular rank: 64
Telephone system
General assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Domestic: microwave radio relay fiber-optic and coaxial cable
International: country code - 971; linked to the international submarine cable FLAG ; landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia (2015)
Broadcast media: except for the many organizations now operating in Dubai's Media Free Zone most TV and radio stations remain government-owned; widespread use of satellite dishes provides access to pan-Arab and other international broadcasts (2007)
United Arab Emirates - Military 2016
top of pageMilitary service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men optional service for women; 17 years of age for male volunteers with parental approval; 2-year general obligation 9 months for secondary school graduates; women may train for 9 months regardless of education (2014)
United Arab Emirates - Transportation 2016
top of pageNational air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 12
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 498
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 84,738,479
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 16.647 billion mt-km
Airports: 43 (2013)
Rank: 100
With paved runways total: 25
With paved runways over 3047 m: 12
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 2
With unpaved runways total: 18
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 6
Pipelines: condensate 533 km; gas 3,277 km; liquid petroleum gas 300 km; oil 3,287 km; oil/gas/water 24 km; refined products 218 km; water 99 km (2013)
Merchant marine
Total: 61
By type: bulk carrier 3 cargo 13 chemical tanker 8 container 7 liquefied gas 1 passenger/cargo 1 petroleum tanker 24 roll on/roll off 4
Foreign owned: 13
Registered in other countries: 253 (2010)
Rank: 65
Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Al Fujayrah Mina' Jabal 'Ali Khor Fakkan (Khawr Fakkan) Mubarraz Island Mina' Rashid (Dubai) Mina' Saqr (Ra's al Khaymah)
Container port: Dubai Port (12,617,595) Khor Fakkan (Khawr Fakkan) (3,234,101)
LNG terminal: Das Island
United Arab Emirates - Transnational issues 2016
top of pageDisputes 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: the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug-producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving but informal banking remains unregulated
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