Names:
conventional long form:
United Arab Emirates
conventional short form:
none
local long form:
Al Imarata al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
local short form:
none
former:
Trucial States
Abbreviation:
UAE
Digraph:
TC
Type:
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central government and
other powers reserved to member emirates
Capital:
Abu Dhabi
Administrative divisions:
7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al
Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy, Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Independence:
2 December 1971 (from UK)
Constitution: 2 December 1971 (provisional)
Legal system:
secular codes are being introduced by the UAE Government and in several
member emirates; Islamic law remains influential
National holiday:
National Day, 2 December (1971)
Political parties and leaders:
none
Other political or pressure groups:
a few small clandestine groups may be active
Suffrage:
none
Elections:
none
Executive branch:
president, vice president, Supreme Council of Rulers, prime minister, deputy
prime minister, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral Federal National Council (Majlis Watani Itihad)
Judicial branch:
Union Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Zayid bin Sultan Al NUHAYYAN, (since 2 December 1971), ruler of
Abu Dhabi; Vice President Shaykh Maktum bin Rashid al-MAKTUM (since 8
October 1990), ruler of Dubayy
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Shaykh Maktum bin Rashid al-MAKTUM (since 8 October 1990),
ruler of Dubayy; Deputy Prime Minister Sultan bin Zayid Al NUHAYYAN (since
20 November 1990)

*United Arab Emirates, Government

Member of:
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn Al SHAALI
chancery:
Suite 740, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:
(202) 338-6500
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador William RUGH
embassy:
Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi
mailing address:
P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
telephone:
[971] (2) 336691, afterhours 338730 FAX:
[971] (2) 318441
consulate general:
Dubayy (Dubai)
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker
vertical red band on the hoist side

*United Arab Emirates, Economy

Overview:
The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest incomes per
capita outside the OECD nations. This wealth is based on oil and gas, 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, crude oil reserves
should last for over 100 years.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $34.9 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$13,800 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NEGL% (1988)
Budget:
revenues $4.3 billion; expenditures $4.8 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1993)
Exports:
$21.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
crude oil 66%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
partners:
Japan 39%, Singapore 5%, Korea 4%, Iran 4%, India
Imports:
$13.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
capital goods, consumer goods, food
partners:
Japan 15%, US 10%, UK 9%, Germany 7%, Korea 4%
External debt:
$11 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 30% (1990 est.); accounts for 56% of GDP, including petroleum
Electricity:
6,090,000 kW capacity; 17,850 million kWh produced, 6,718 kWh per capita
(1992)
Industries:
petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat
building, handicrafts, pearling
Agriculture: accounts for 2% of GDP and 5% of labor force; cash crop - dates; food
products - vegetables, watermelons, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish; only 25%
self-sufficient in food
Economic aid:
donor - pledged $9.1 billion in bilateral aid to less developed countries
(1979-89)
Currency:
1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils
Exchange rates:
Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

*United Arab Emirates, Communications

Highways:
2,000 km total; 1,800 km bituminous, 200 km gravel and graded earth
Pipelines:
crude oil 830 km, natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km
Ports:
Al Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid,
Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid
Merchant marine:
56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,197,306 GRT/2,153,673 DWT; includes
15 cargo, 8 container, 3 roll-on/roll-off, 23 oil tanker, 4 bulk, 1
refrigerated cargo, 1 liquified gas, 1 chemical tanker
Airports:
total:
37
usable:
34
with permanent-surface runways:
20
with runways over 3,659 m:
7
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
5
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
5
Telecommunications:
modern system consisting of microwave and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu
Dhabi and Dubayy; 386,600 telephones; satellite ground stations - 1 Atlantic
Ocean INTELSAT, 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 ARABSAT; submarine cables to
Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; broadcast stations - 8 AM, 3 FM, 12
TV

*United Arab Emirates, Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Federal Police Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,008,076; fit for military service 550,965; reach military
age (18) annually 15,499 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1.47 billion, 5.3% of GDP (1989 est.)

*United Kingdom, Geography