The 1994 CIA World Factbook

by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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)
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 emirates; Islamic law remains influential
Suffrage:
none
Executive branch:
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)
Supreme Council of Rulers:
composed of the seven emirate rulers, the council is the highest
constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and
sanctions federal legislation, Abu Dhabi and Dubayy rulers have veto
power; council meets four times a year
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral Federal National Council (Majlis Watani Itihad); no
elections
Judicial branch:
Union Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Other political or pressure groups:
NA
Member of:
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, 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, UNOSOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn al-SHAALI
chancery:
Suite 600, 3000 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
(202) 338-6500
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador William A. RUGH
embassy:
Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi
mailing address:
P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
telephone:
[971] (2) 336691
FAX:
[971] (2) 318441
consulate(s) 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 and with a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is
based on oil and gas output (about 40% 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, crude
oil reserves should last for over 100 years. Although much stronger
economically than most Gulf states, the UAE faces similar problems
with weak international oil prices and the pressures for cuts in OPEC
oil production quotas. The UAE government is encouraging increased
privatization within the economy.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $63.8 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
1% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$24,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NEGL% (1988)
Budget:
revenues:
$4.3 billion
expenditures:
$4.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est)
Exports:
$22.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
crude oil 66%, natural gas, re-exports, dried fish, dates
partners:
Japan 39%, Singapore 5%, Korea 4%, Iran 4%, India 4% (1991)
Imports:
$18 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, food
partners:
Japan 14%, UK 9%, US 8%, Germany 6% (1992)
External debt:
$11 billion (1993 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 1.7% (1992 est.); accounts for 50% of GDP, including
petroleum
Electricity:
capacity:
6,090,000 kW
production:
17.85 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
6,718 kWh (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
Illicit drugs:
growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center
Economic aid:
donor:
pledged in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89) $9.1
billion
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:
total:
2,000 km
paved:
1,800 km
unpaved:
gravel, graded earth 200 km
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:
57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 909,041 GRT/1,512,741 DWT, bulk
1, cargo 18, chemical tanker 2, container 9, liquified gas 1, oil
tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3
Airports:
total:
39
usable:
36
with permanent-surface runways:
22
with runways over 3,659 m:
6
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
6
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
6
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 1,040,828; fit for military service 567,766; reach
military age (18) annually 17,303 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1.47 billion, 5.3% of GDP (1989 est.)

@United Kingdom, Geography

Location:
Western Europe, bordering on the North Atlantic Ocean and the North
Sea, between Ireland and France
Map references:
Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
244,820 sq km
land area:
241,590 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Oregon
note:
includes Rockall and Shetland Islands
Land boundaries:
total 360 km, Ireland 360 km
Coastline:
12,429 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed
upon boundaries
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
Northern Ireland question with Ireland; Gibraltar question with Spain;
Argentina claims Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island
of Diego Garcia in British Indian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental
shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the
UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial
claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory)
Climate:
temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North
Atlantic Current; more than half of the days are overcast
Terrain:
mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east
and southeast
Natural resources:
coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay,
chalk, gypsum, lead, silica
Land use:
arable land:
29%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
48%
forest and woodland:
9%
other:
14%
Irrigated land:
1,570 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues:
sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contribute to air
pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes and coastal
waters polluted because of large-scale disposal of sewage at sea
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic
Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not
ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity
Note:
lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and
now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily
indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters

@United Kingdom, People