UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Conventional name: United Arab Emirates ( Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah)
Capital: Abu Dhabi.
Surface area: 83.600 km².
Comparison with a European country: 1/5 Luxembourg
Administrative divisions: 7 emirates (imarah/imarat).
Population (2007) : 4 496 000
Population density (2005): 53.8 inhabitants/km²
Young people under 15 Years old (2004): 25.9%
Population growth (2000-2005): 2.53
Fecundity rate (2000-2005): 2.53
Life expectancy (2000-2005): 77,9
Infant mortality (2000-2005): 8.9%o
Urban population (2004): 85,3%
Illiteracy rate (2005): men: 24.3%; women: 19.3%
Ethnic background: Arabs (99% of nationals)
Language: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu.
HDI (Human Development Indicator, 2007): within the 177 countries selected the United Arab Emirates are ranked 39 (rate 0.868, high developemnt)
Currency: 1 Emirian dirham (AED) = 100 Fils. (1 Dirham = 0.29Euro on 31.05.2002)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (2007) : 130 844 millions $
G.D.P. per capita (2007) : 27 957
Labour Force by Economic Sector (2002): services 37.5%, industry 58.5%, agriculture 4%
Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Agricultural products: tomatoes, aubergines, dates, watermelons, cucumbers and gherkins
Exports (2005) : 89 336 millions $
Imports (2005) : 97 432 millions $
Major Trading Partners: Japan, USA, UK, India, South Korea, Singapore
Major Export Products: crude oil, natural gas, re-exports, aluminum, dried fish
Major Import Products: Manufactured goods, machinery, and transportation equipment, food.
Total External Debt (2005) : 108 millions de $
Independency: 2 December 1971 (from the UK)
Admitted in the UN: 1971
Member i.a. of: League of Arab States, Gulf Cooperation Council, OPEC, WTO
Parties to i.a. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
State nature: Federation of seven autonomous emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubaï, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaywayn, Ras al-Khaima, Fajarah)
Regime nature: Absolute monarchies
Head of State (President) : Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Dhabi(since 4 November 2004)
Prime Minister: Maktum bin Rashid al-MAKTUM.
Minister for Foreign Affairs: Rashid bin Abdallah al-NUAYMI.
Minister of Interior: SAIF bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan
Territorial Disputes : With Saudi Arabia for the ownership of the oilfield of Shayba, located at a non defined border between the two states and holding reserves of about 14 billion barrels of crude oil, and with Iran for three small islands, Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tumb, which are strategically located in the Strait of Hormuz and rich in oil and natural gas.
Sources (données): L’Etat du Monde 2003 (La Découverte), CIA World Factbook 2004, Arab Human Development Report 2002, L’Etat du monde 2007 (La Découverte)