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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 not far below
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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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:
0.48%
permanent crops: 0.49%
other: 99.03% (1998 est.) |
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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, 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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2,523,915
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 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
25.9% (male 333,661; female 320,368)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 1,103,385; female 685,281)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 58,862; female 22,358)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
27.7 years
male: 35.7 years
female: 22.4 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.57% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.65
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.14 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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1.03 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 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: 1.61 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.63 male(s)/female
total population: 1.46 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
15.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 17.71 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 74.99 years
male: 72.51 years
female: 77.6 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.18% (2001 est.) |
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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
abbreviation: UAE
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
local short form: none |
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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; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai)
and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into the federal
system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil,
criminal, and high courts |
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Suffrage:
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none |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2
December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August
1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8
October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
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
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)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president and vice president elected by the
FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election
last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime
minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan
reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed
to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice
president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be
unanimous |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
Federal National Council 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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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Al Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHRI
FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC
20037 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA
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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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 33% 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, 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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $57.7 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.2% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $23,200 (2003 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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Population below poverty line:
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NA% (2003 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.2% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.1 million
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
non-national (2001) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 78%,
industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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2.4% (2001) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$15.6 billion
expenditures: $23.5 billion, including capital
expenditures of $3.4 billion (2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum,
fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat
building, handicrafts, pearling |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4% (2000) |
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Electricity - production:
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37.74 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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35.1 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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2.566 million
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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310,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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44.94 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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37.86 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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dates,
vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish |
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Exports:
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$56.73 billion
f.o.b. (2003 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 27.3%,
South Korea 9.9%, Iran 4.3% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$37.16 billion
f.o.b. (2003 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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Japan 8.7%, China
8.2%, US 7.7%, UK 7.4%, Germany 7.1%, India 6.7%, France 6.6%,
South Korea 5.3%, Italy 5.1% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$20.7 billion
(2003 est.) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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$NA |
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Currency:
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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 - 3.67 (2003), 3.67 (2002), 3.67 (2001), 3.67
(2000), 3.67 (1999) |
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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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1,093,700 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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2,428,100 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: modern system of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay 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 7,
shortwave 2 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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15 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ae |
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Internet hosts:
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52,332 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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1,175,600 (2002) |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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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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Waterways:
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none |
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Pipelines:
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condensate 383
km; gas 1,765 km; liquid petroleum gas 186 km; oil 1,266 km
(2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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'Ajman, Al
Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina'
Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 59
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 578,477 GRT/739,823 DWT
by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 5, container 7,
liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 8,
short-sea/passenger 4, specialized tanker 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports:
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35 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 21
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 14
under 914 m: 4 (2003 est.)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 |
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Heliports:
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2 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army, Navy
(including Marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense
Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force) |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 751,707
note: includes non-nationals (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 412,490 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
29,183 (2004 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 and labeled
approximate; boundary agreement signed and ratified with Oman
in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula
and Al Madhah enclaves; 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 |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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