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National Map
Of |
United Arab Emirates |
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National Flag
Of |
United Arab Emirates |
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Flag Description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and
black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
United Arab Emirates |
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National Anthem
Of |
United Arab Emirates |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
United Arab Emirates |
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Background:
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The
Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK
control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th
century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu
Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm
al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates
(UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The
UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading
West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues
and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the
UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.
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Location:
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Middle
East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf,
between Oman and Saudi Arabia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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24 00 N,
54 00 E |
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Map references:
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Middle
East |
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Area:
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total:
82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Maine |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457
km |
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Coastline:
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1,318 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the
continental margin |
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Climate:
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desert;
cooler in eastern mountains |
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Terrain:
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flat,
barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of
vast desert wasteland; mountains in east |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 0.6%
permanent crops: 2.25%
other: 97.15% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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720 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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frequent
sand and dust storms |
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Environment - current issues:
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lack of
natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination
plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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strategic
location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz,
a vital transit point for world crude oil |
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Population:
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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.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total:
27.9 years
male: 35.2 years
female: 22.9 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.54%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.78
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.26
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.84
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.58 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.691 male(s)/female
total population: 1.442 male(s)/female (2005
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
14.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 75.24 years
male: 72.73 years
female: 77.87 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.94
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.18%
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati |
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Ethnic groups:
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Emirati
19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other
expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8%
(1982)
note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982) |
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Religions:
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Muslim
96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4% |
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Languages:
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Arabic
(official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77.9%
male: 76.1%
female: 81.7% (2003 est.) |
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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
local short form: none
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
abbreviation: UAE |
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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; applies to all emirates
except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah, which are not
fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates
have secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and
commercial matters and Islamic courts to review family
and religious disputes |
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Suffrage:
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none |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid
al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby
(Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004) and Vice President
MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990),
ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
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); Deputy Prime
Minister HAMDAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
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
elections: president and vice president elected
by the Federal Supreme Council (composed of rulers of
the seven emirates) for five-year terms; election last
held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's
Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al
Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid Al
Nuhayyan elected president by a unanimous vote of the
FSC; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum unanimously reaffirmed
vice president |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) 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, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM,
OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI
chancery: 3522 International Court NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
note: consulates in New York and Houston |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Michele SISON
embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector
W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi
mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200
FAX: [971] (2) 414-2469
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 |
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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 30% of GDP), and the fortunes of
the economy fluctuate with the prices of those
commodities. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE more
than 30 years ago, 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. In
April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment
Framework Agreement (TIFA) with Washington and in
November 2004 agreed to undertake negotiations toward a
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$63.67
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.7%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4%
industry: 58.5%
services: 37.5% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.36
million
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age
group is non-national (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 7%, industry 15%, services 78% (2000 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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2.4%
(2001) |
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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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3.2%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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20.8% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $23.68 billion
expenditures: $25.45 billion, including capital
expenditures of $3.4 billion (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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17.6% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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dates,
vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products;
fish |
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Industries:
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petroleum, fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers,
commercial ship repair, petrochemicals, construction
materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4% (2000)
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Electricity - production:
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45.12
billion kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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36.51
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2004) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2004) |
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Oil - production:
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2.335
million bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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310,000
bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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2.5
million bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - imports:
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0 bbl/day
(2004) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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97.8
billion bbl (2004 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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44.4
billion cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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33.7
billion cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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7.19
billion cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m
(2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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6.06
trillion cu m (2004) |
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Current account balance:
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$6.3
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$69.48
billion f.o.b. (2004 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
24.9%, South Korea 9.9%, India 5.4%, Thailand 5.2%
(2004) |
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Imports:
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$45.66
billion f.o.b. (2004 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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China
10%, India 9.8%, Japan 6.8%, Germany 6.5%, UK 6.2%,
France 6.1%, US 6% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$18.64
billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$5.9
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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since its
founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has
given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries (2004)
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Currency (code):
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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 (2004), 3.6725 (2003),
3.6725 (2002), 3.6725 (2001), 3.6725 (2000)
note: officially pegged to the US dollar since
February 2002 |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1,135,800
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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2,972,300
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated
services; digital network with rapidly growing use of
mobile cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi
and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 971; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2
Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar,
Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to
Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 13, FM
8, shortwave 2 (2004) |
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Radios:
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820,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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15 (2004)
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Televisions:
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310,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ae |
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Internet hosts:
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56,283
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000)
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Internet users:
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1,110,200
(2003) |
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Highways:
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total:
1,088 km
paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.) |
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Pipelines:
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condensate 469 km; gas 2,655 km; liquid petroleum gas
300 km; oil 2,936 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Al
Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Rashid,
Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Sharjan |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 578,477 GRT/739,823 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, chemical
tanker 5, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo
4, petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 7
foreign-owned: 14 (Greece 2, Kuwait 6)
registered in other countries: 200 (2005) |
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Airports:
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35 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
22
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
13
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
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2 (2004
est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army,
Navy (includes Marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air
Defense Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal
Police Force) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age (est.); no conscription (2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 653,181
note: includes non-nationals (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 526,671 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
30,706 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$1.6
billion (FY00) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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3.1%
(FY00) |
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Disputes - international:
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because
the treaties have not been made public, the exact
alignment of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still
unknown; boundary agreement was signed and ratified with
Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's
Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents
of the agreement and maps showing the alignment have not
been published; UAE engage in direct talks and solicit
Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's
occupation of Lesser and Greater Tunb Islands and Abu
Musa Island |
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Illicit drugs:
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the UAE
is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its
proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries;
the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it
vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering
controls improving |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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