United Arab Emirates
National name: Al-Imarat al-'Arabiyah al-Muttahidah

President: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan (2004)

Prime Minister: Sheikh Muhammad ibn Rashid al-Maktoum (2006)

Total area: 32,000 sq mi (82,880 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 2,602,713 (growth rate: 1.5%); birth rate: 19.0/1000; infant mortality rate: 14.1/1000; life expectancy: 75.4; density per sq mi: 81

Capital (2003 est.): Abu Dhabi, 539,800

Largest city: Dubai, 1,511,700 (metro. area), 906,100 (city proper)

Monetary unit: U.A.E. dirham

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

Ethnicity/race: Emiri 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)

Religions: Islam 96% (Sunni 80%, Shiite 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Literacy rate: 78% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $74.67 billion; per capita $29,100. Real growth rate: 6.7%. Inflation: 4.5%. Unemployment: 2.4% (2001). Arable land: 1%. Agriculture: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish. Labor force: 2.8 million; note: 73.9% of the population in the 15–64 age group is nonnational; services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.). Industries: petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles. Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas. Exports: $103.1 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates. Imports: $60.15 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food. Major trading partners: Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand, China, Germany, UK, France, U.S. (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 915,223 (1998); mobile cellular: 1 million (1999). Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998). Radios: 820,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 15 (1997). Televisions: 310,000 (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000). Internet users: 900,000 (2002).

Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 4,835 km; paved: 1,088 km; unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.). Ports and harbors: 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn. Airports: 41 (2002).

International disputes: 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 direct talks and Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Lesser and Greater Tunb islands and Abu Musa island.

 

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