Facts About The United Arab Emirates

Country Name:

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

area:

total: 83,600 sq km

land:

83,600 sq km

water:

0 sq km

Land Boundaries:

total: 867 km

Border Countries:

Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline:

1,318 km

Climate:

desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain:

flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

Geography:

strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Population:

4,621,399
note: estimate is based on the results of the 2005 census that included a significantly higher estimate of net immigration of non-citizens than previous estimates (July 2008 est.)

Age Structure:

note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2008 est.)

0-14 Years:

20.5% (male 484,102/female 462,405)

15-64 Years:

78.6% (male 2,663,702/female 970,672)

65 Years and Over:

0.9% (male 26,244/female 14,274)

Average Age:

(2008 est.)

Total:

30.1 years

Male:

32 years

Female:

24.6 years

Ethnic Groups:

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)

Religions:

Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), other (includes Christian, Hindu) 4%

General

Languages:

Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Government

Type:

federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Capital:

Abu Dhabi

Provincial:

7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn (Quwayn)

Independence:

2 December 1971 (from UK)

Economy

Currency:

Emirati dirham (AED)

GDP Growth Rate:

7.4% (2007 est.)

Labour Occupations:

agriculture: 7%
industry: 15%
services: 78% (2000 est.)

Unemployment Rate:

2.4% (2001)

Inflation Rate:

11% (2007 est.)

Agriculture Produce:

dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish

Transportation

Roads:

total: 1,088 km
paved: 1,088 km (includes 253 km of expressways) (1999)

Airports:

39 (2007)
22 paved, 17 unpaved

Ports & Harbours:

Mina' Zayid (Abu Dhabi), Al Fujayrah, Mina' Jabal 'Ali (Dubai), Mina' Rashid (Dubai), Mina' Saqr (Ra's al Khaymah), Khawr Fakkan (Sharjah)

Communications

Mains Telephones:

1.31 million (2006)

Mobile Telephones:

5.519 million (2006)

Television Stations:

15 (2004)

Internet Users:

1.709 million (2006)

Country Internet Code:

.ae