STATISTICS ABOUT THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Geography: Location: Middle East, bordering
the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Area:
total: 82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries:
total: 867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Coastline: 1,318 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert
wasteland;
mountains in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 98% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 50 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms
Environment—current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by
desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
Geography—note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a
vital
transit point for world crude oil
People
Population: 2,303,088 (July 1998 est.)
note: includes 1,561,840 non-nationals (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 372,413; female 356,834)
15-64 years: 66% (male 995,798; female 535,014)
65 years and over: 2% (male 29,169; female 13,860) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.78% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 18.61 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 3.06 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.1 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.93 years
male: 73.5 years
female: 76.44 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.56 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Emirian(s)
adjective: Emirian
Ethnic groups: Emiri 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%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literacy not available
total population: 79.2%
male: 78.9%
female: 79.8% (1995 est.)
Government
Country conventional name: United Arab Emirates
Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government
and other powers reserved to member emirates
National capital: Abu Dhabi
Economy
Economy—overview: The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest per
capita
incomes and with 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 over 100 years. The UAE Government is
encouraging increased privatization within the economy, and industrial development is
expected to
pick up in 1997-98.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$54.2 billion (1997 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 5% (1997 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$24,000 (1997 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 55%
services: 42% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate—consumer price index: 3.6% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1.05 million (1996 est.)
by occupation: services 65%, industry and commerce 30%, agriculture 5% (1996 est.)
note: 75% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $5.1 billion
expenditures: $5.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $294 million (1997 est.)
Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat
building,
handicrafts, pearling
Industrial production growth rate: 6.1% (1995 est.)
Agriculture—products: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products;
fish
Exports:
total value: $33.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: crude oil 66%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
partners: Japan 38%, South Korea 7%, Singapore 7%, India 6%, Oman 4%, Iran 3% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $23.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
partners: US 10%, Japan 9%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, South Korea 6%, India 6% (1996)
Debt—external: $14 billion (1996 est.)
Currency: 1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils
More
information About UAE
PEOPLE GROUPS OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Eastern Pathan AD2000, Bethany
Saudi Arab Bethany
Southern Baluch AD2000, Bethany
Sudanese Arab Bethany
Western Pathan AD2000, Bethany
Zott Gypsy Bethany
