*United Arab Emirates, Geography Location: Middle East, along the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia Map references: Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 75,581 km2 land area: 75,581 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine Land boundaries: total 867 km, Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km Coastline: 1,318 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: defined by bilateral boundaries or equidistant line exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm assumed for most of country, 12 nm for Ash Shariqah (Sharjah) International disputes: location and status of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not final; no defined boundary with most of Oman, but Administrative Line in far north; claims two islands in the Persian Gulf occupied by Iran (Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg or Greater Tunb, and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek or Lesser Tunb); claims island in the Persian Gulf jointly administered with Iran (Jazireh-ye Abu Musa or Abu Musa); in 1992, the dispute over Abu Musa and the Tumb islands became more acute when Iran unilaterally tried to control the entry of third country nationals into the UAE portion of Abu Musa island, Tehran subsequently backed off in the face of significant diplomatic support for the UAE in the region Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 0% other: 98% Irrigated land: 50 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: frequent dust and sand storms; lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification *United Arab Emirates, Geography Note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil *United Arab Emirates, People Population: 2,657,013 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 5.06% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 28.4 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 3.07 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 25.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 22.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72 years male: 69.91 years female: 74.2 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.67 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Emirian(s) adjective: Emirian Ethnic divisions: Emirian 19%, other Arab 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982) note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982) Religions: Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4% Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu Literacy: age 10 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 68% male: 70% female: 63% Labor force: 580,000 (1986 est.) by occupation: industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 5% note: 80% of labor force is foreign *United Arab Emirates, Government 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.)