United Arab Emirates
General InformationGeographyGovernmentEconomyPopulationHealthCommunications and mediaChronology
GENERAL INFORMATION
National name Dawlat Imarat al-'Arabiyya al Muttahida/State of the Arab Emirates (UAE)
Area 83,657 sq km/32,299 sq mi
Capital Abu Dhabi
Language Arabic (official), Farsi, Hindi, Urdu, English
Religion Muslim 96% (of which 80% Sunni); Christian, Hindu
Time difference GMT +4
Major holidays 1 January, 6 August, 2 December (2 days); variable: Eid-ul-Adha (3 days), end of Ramadan (4 days), New Year (Muslim), Prophet's Birthday, Lailat al-Miraj (March/April)
GEOGRAPHY
Major towns/cities Dubai, Sharjah, Ras al Khaimah, Ajman, Al 'Ayn
Major ports Dubai
Physical features desert and flat coastal plain; mountains in east
Airports six international airports and several smaller ones; total passengers carried: 11.3 million (2003 est)
Railways none
Roads total road network: 1,088 km/676 mi, of which 100% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 11.4 per 1,000 people (1996 est)
GOVERNMENT
Head of state Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan of Abu Dhabi from 1971
Head of government Sheikh Muhammad ibn Rashid Al Maktum of Dubai from 2006
Supreme council of rulers Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, president (1966);
Ajman Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid al-Nuami (1981);
Dubai Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum (1990);
Fujairah Sheikh Hamad bin Muhammad al-Sharqi (1974);
Ras al Khaimah Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad al-Quasimi (1948);
Sharjah Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad al-Quasimi (1972);
Umm al Qaiwain Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad al-Mu'alla (1981)
Political system absolutist
Political executive absolute
Administrative divisions seven emirates
Political parties none
Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes
Armed forces 50,500 (2006 est)
Conscription military service is voluntary
Defence spend (% GDP) 2.4 (2005 est)
Education spend (% GDP) 1.6 (2003 est)
Health spend (% GDP) 2.5 (2004)
ECONOMY
Currency UAE dirham
GDP (US$) 104.2 billion (2005 est)
Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 11.5 (2006 est)
GNI (US$) 102.7 billion (2005 est)
GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 24,090 (2005 est)
Consumer price inflation 7.7% (2006 est)
Unemployment 2.3% (2001)
Labour force 7.7% agriculture, 33% industry, 59.3% services; 80% of workforce were non-UAE nationals (2003)
Foreign debt (US$) 33.9 billion (2005 est)
Major trading partners Japan, China, UK, South Korea, Thailand, USA, India
Resources petroleum and natural gas
Industries petroleum production and refining, gas handling, petrochemicals and other petroleum products, aluminium products, cable, cement, chemicals, fertilizers, rolled steel, plastics, tools, clothing
Exports crude petroleum, natural gas, re-exports (mainly machinery and transport equipment). Principal market: Japan 25.6% (2005)
Imports machinery and electrical equipment, precious stones and precious metals, vehicles and other transport equipment, food and live animals, consumer goods, basic manufactures. Principal source: China 9.9% (2005)
Arable land 0.8% (2006 est)
Agricultural products dates, tomatoes, aubergines, other vegetables and fruits; livestock rearing; fishing
POPULATION
Population 4,657,100 (2006 est)
Population growth rate 2.3% (2005–10)
Population density (per sq km) 55 (2006 est)
Urban population (% of total) 86 (2005 est)
Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 22%, 15–59 76%, 60+ 2% (2005 est)
Ethnic groups 75% non-Arab immigrants, mainly Iranians, Indians, and Pakistanis; about 25% Arabs (UAE nationals)
Life expectancy 77 (men); 82 (women) (2005–10)
Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 8 (2004)
Education (compulsory years) 9
Literacy rate 76% (men); 81% (women) (2004 est)
HEALTH
Physicians (per 10,000 people) 20.2 (2004 est)
Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 2.2 (2003 est)
HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) <0.1 (2005 est)
COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA
Landline telephones (per 100 people) 27.5 (2005 est)
Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 100.9 (2005 est)
Radios (per 1,000 people) 345 (1998)
TV sets (per 1,000 people) 197 (2004 est)
Personal computer users (per 100 people) 19.8 (2005 est)
Internet users (per 100 people) 31.1 (2005 est)
CHRONOLOGY
7th century AD Islam introduced.
early 16th century Portuguese established trading contacts with Gulf states.
18th century Rise of trade and seafaring among Qawasim and Bani Yas, respectively in Ras al Khaimah and Sharjah in north and Abu Dhabi and Dubai in desert of south. Emirates' current ruling families are descended from these peoples.
early 19th century Britain signed treaties (‘truces’) with local rulers, ensuring that British shipping through the Gulf was free from ‘pirate’ attacks and bringing Emirates under British protection.
1892 Trucial Sheiks signed Exclusive Agreements with Britain, agreeing not to cede, sell, or mortgage territory to another power.
1952 Trucial Council established by seven sheikdoms of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al Qawain, with a view to later forming a federation.
1958 Large-scale exploitation of oil reserves led to rapid economic progress.
1968 Britain's announcement that it would remove its forces from the Gulf by 1971 led to an abortive attempt to arrange federation between seven Trucial States and Bahrain and Qatar.
1971 Bahrain and Qatar ceded from the Federation of Arab Emirates, which was dissolved. Six Trucial States formed the United Arab Emirates, with the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed, as president. A provisional constitution was adopted. The UAE joined the Arab League and the United Nations (UN).
1972 Seventh state, Ras al Khaimah, joined the federation.
1976 Sheikh Zayed threatened to relinquish presidency unless progress towards centralization became more rapid.
1985 Diplomatic and economic links with Soviet Union and China established.
1987 Diplomatic relations with Egypt restored.
1990 Sheikh Maktum bin Rashid al-Maktum of Dubai appointed prime minister.
1990–91 UAE opposed Iraqi invasion of Kuwait; UAE troops fought as part of UN coalition.
1991 Bank of Commerce and Credit International (BCCI), partly owned and controlled by Abu Dhabi's ruler Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, collapsed at cost to UAE of $10 billion.
1992 Border dispute with Iran.
1994 Abu Dhabi agreed to pay BCCI creditors $1.8 billion.
1996 Two BCCI executives cleared of fraud charges on appeal.
1998 Diplomatic relations with Iraq, severed at outbreak of 1991 Gulf War, restored.
1999 UAE backed by Gulf Cooperation Council in territorial dispute with Iran over Greater and Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa.
2001 President Sheikh Zayed pardoned 6,000 prisoners. government ordered country's banks to freeze assets of 62 individuals and organizations suspected by USA of funding terrorism.
2004 President Sheikh Zayed Bin-Sulan Al Nahyan died; succeeded his son, Sheikh Khalifa.
2005 Plans for country's first elections announced by Shekh Khalifa; limited number of citizens allowed to elect half of members of consultative National Council.
2006 Political flare-up in USA forced state-owned Dubai Ports to give up control of terminals at six major US ports; move came amid fears of increased risk of terrorist attack; two 9/11 hijackers from UAE. Economic changes announced; introduction of laws to reduce dependence on immigrant labour. First (highly limited) elections held.
2007 UAE unveiled new development strategy aimed at making UAE world leader.
© RM 2013. Helicon Publishing is division of RM.
