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NAVIGATION
United Arab Emirates
Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah abbreviation: UAE former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States local short form: none |
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Government type:
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federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates |
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Capital:
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Abu Dhabi |
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Administrative divisions:
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7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn |
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Independence:
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2 December 1971 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 2 December (1971) |
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Constitution:
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2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996) |
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Legal system:
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federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts |
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Suffrage:
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none |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: none note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto |
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Judicial branch:
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Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI
FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA
embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971] (2) 4435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai |
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Flag description:
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three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, 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, oil and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $53 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.4% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3%
industry: 46% services: 51% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.8% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.6 million (2000 est.)
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $20 billion
expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4% (2000) |
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Electricity - production:
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37.74 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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35.1 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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2.566 million bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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310,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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80.31 billion bbl (January 2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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5.892 trillion cu m (January 2002 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish |
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Exports:
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$44.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates |
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Exports - partners:
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Japan 29.1%, South Korea 10.2%, India 5.4%, Oman 3.7%, Singapore 3.1%, Iran 2.2% (chiefly re-exports) (2001) |
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Imports:
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$30.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food |
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Imports - partners:
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US 6.7%, Germany 6.6%, Japan 6.5%, France 6.3%, China 6.1%, UK 5.9%, South Korea 5.5% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$18.5 billion (2002 est.) |
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Currency:
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Emirati dirham (AED) |
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Currency code:
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AED |
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Exchange rates:
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Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.6725 (2002), 3.6725 (2001), 3.6725 (2000), 3.6725 (1999), 3.6725 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |