Country name: United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Political system: Constitutional federation of seven emirates, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ra’s al-Khaimah and Fujairah, formed in 1971.
President: H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Vice President & Prime Minister: Federal supreme Council, comprising the Rulers of the seven emirates; a Cabinet or Council of Ministers; and a partially elected parliamentary body, the Federal National Council.
Administrative divisions: Each of the seven emirates has its own local government, with respective municipalities and departments.
Capital: Abu Dhabi.
National Day: 2 December.
Time: Four hours ahead of GMT.
Currency: Emirati dirham (Dh or AED).
Exchange rate: Dh3.67 per US dollar.
Flag: Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side.
Location: South-east of the Arabian Peninsula, on the south and south-eastern shores of the Arabian Gulf and western shores of the Gulf of Oman; land borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Latitude/Longitude: Approx from 26.08 to 22.5 0N and 55.50 to 58.370E.
Area: Approx 82,880 square kilometers.
Topography: Low-lying coastal plain merges into the sand dunes of the Rub al-Khali desert, rugged mountains along eastern border with Oman.
Elevation extremes: Lowest point is at sea level and highest point is on the peak of Jebel Yibir, at 1527 metres.
Climate: Arid desert, warm and sunny in winter, hot and humid in summer, generally cooler in the eastern mountains. Average annual rainfall is approx 100 mm.
Natural resources: Most important are oil and natural gas, more than 90% of which are located in Abu Dhabi Population: 5.06 million (est. 2009).
Annual Population growth rate: 6.3% (approx).
Language: Arabic.
Religion: Islam, practice of all religious beliefs is allowed.
Life expectancy at birth: 78.5 years.
GDP per capita: Dh195,000 (US$53,133.5) (2008).
UN Human Development Index ranking: 35th out of 182 countries (2009).
Human rights conventions to which the country is a party: International convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights; Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; Convention of the Rights of the Child; Convention on the Rights of People with Diabilities; International Labour Organisation Convention on Minimum Age; signatory to the Arab Charter on the Human Rights.
Fiscal year: 1 January to 31 December.
Industries: Oil & gas, petrochemicals, aluminium, cement, ceramics, ship repair, pharmaceuticals, tourism, transport, real estate, financial services.
Oil exports: 2.3 million barrels of crude oil per day (2009), world’s fourth largest exporter of crude oil.
Gas Production: 7 billion standard cubic feet per day (2009).
Oil reserves: 97.8 billion barrels, sixth largest in the world, of which Abu Dhabi holds 92.2 billion barrels or 94%.
Natural gas reserves: 227.1 trillion cubic feet, seventh largest in the world, Abu Dhabi holds over 90%.
Total GDP at current prices: Dh934 billion (2008).
Real GDP growth rate: 7.4% (2008).
Non-oil sector contribution to nominal GDP: 63.2% (2008).
Trade balance: Dh231.09 billion (2008), up 35.3% on 2007.
Free-zone exports: Dh97.46 billion (2008), 16.4% increase on 2007.
Re-exports: Dh345.78 billion (2008), up 33.4% on 2007.
Total imports (FOB): Dh735.70 billion (2008), up 33.4% on 2007.
Value of oil exports: Dh313.74 billion (2008), an increase of 39.7% on 2007.
Value of gas exports: Dh39.08 billion (2008), up 37.1% on 2007.
Weekend: Friday and Saturday for government institutions, many private companies operate a six-day week.
International country code: 971.
Internet country code: ae.
Fixed-line penetration rate: 30%.
Mobile Phone subscribers: 10.3 million (est. 2009).
Ports: Mina Zayed, Jebel Ali, Mina Rashid, Fujairah, Khor Fakkan, Mina Saqr, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi is building a major new port, Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone, at Taweelah.
International airports: 7. |
