Irrigated land:
720 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
frequent sand and dust storms
Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a
vital transit point for world crude oil
People United Arab Emirates
Population:
2,563,212
note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December
1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and
there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.3% (male 331,269; female 317,977)
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 1,115,826; female 707,058)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 66,404; female 24,678) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.9 years
male: 35.2 years
female: 22.9 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.54% (2005 est.)