Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.
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Location:
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Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
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Geographic coordinates:
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24 00 N, 54 00 E
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Map references:
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Middle East
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Area:
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total: 82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maine
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Land boundaries:
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total: 867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
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Coastline:
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1,318 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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Climate:
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desert; cooler in eastern mountains
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Terrain:
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flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas
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Land use:
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arable land: 0.6%
permanent crops: 2.25%
other: 97.15% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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720 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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frequent sand and dust storms
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Environment - current issues:
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lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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Geography - note:
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strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
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Population:
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2,523,915
note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December 1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2004 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 25.9% (male 333,661; female 320,368)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 1,103,385; female 685,281)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 58,862; female 22,358) (2004 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 27.7 years
male: 35.7 years
female: 22.4 years (2004 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.57% (2004 est.)
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Birth rate:
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18.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Death rate:
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4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.61 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.63 male(s)/female
total population: 1.46 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 15.06 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 74.99 years
male: 72.51 years
female: 77.6 years (2004 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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3.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.18% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati
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Ethnic groups:
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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)
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Religions:
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Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
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Languages:
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Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77.9%
male: 76.1%
female: 81.7% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none
local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
local short form: none
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
abbreviation: UAE
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Government type:
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federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates
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Capital:
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Abu Dhabi
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Administrative divisions:
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7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
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Independence:
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2 December 1971 (from UK)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
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Constitution:
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2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
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Legal system:
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federal court system introduced in 1971; appliea to all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah, which are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial matters and Islamic courts to review family and religious disputes
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Suffrage:
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none
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister HAMDAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (composed of rulers of the seven emirates) for five-year terms; election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: KHALIFA bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan elected president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum unanimously reaffirmed vice president
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: none
note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
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Judicial branch:
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Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
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Political parties and leaders:
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none
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI
chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
note: also a consulate or representative office in New York, NY
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Michele SISON
embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi
mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200
FAX: [971] (2) 414-2469
consulate(s) general: Dubai
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Flag description:
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three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
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Economy - overview:
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The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and 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 more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $57.7 billion (2003 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.2% (2003 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2003 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4%
industry: 58.5%
services: 37.5% (2002 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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22% of GDP (2003)
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Population below poverty line:
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NA
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.2% (2003 est.)
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Labor force:
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2.16 million
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2003)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 7%, industry 15%, services 78% (2000 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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2.4% (2001)
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Budget:
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revenues: $17.35 billion
expenditures: $23.85 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.4 billion (2003 est.)
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Public debt:
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18.1% of GDP (2003)
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Agriculture - products:
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dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
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Industries:
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petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4% (2000)
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Electricity - production:
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37.74 billion kWh (2001)
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Electricity - consumption:
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35.1 billion kWh (2001)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001)
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Oil - production:
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2.566 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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310,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001)
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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80.31 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
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Natural gas - production:
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44.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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37.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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7.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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5.892 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
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Current account balance:
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$12.47 billion (2003)
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Exports:
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$56.73 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
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Exports - partners:
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Japan 26.2%, South Korea 10.5%, Iran 3.8% (2003)
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Imports:
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$37.16 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
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Imports - partners:
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China 10%, Japan 7.2%, Germany 7.2%, US 7%, France 6.9%, UK 5.9%, Italy 4.4%, South Korea 4.4%, India 4.1% (2003)
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Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
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$15.79 billion (2003)
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Debt - external:
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$20.71 billion (2003 est.)
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Economic aid - donor:
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NA
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Currency:
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Emirati dirham (AED)
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Currency code:
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AED
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Exchange rates:
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Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.67 (2003), 3.6725 (2002), 3.6725 (2001), 3.6725 (2000), 3.6725 (1999)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1,135,800 (2003)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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2,972,300 (2003)
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable
international: country code - 971; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)
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Television broadcast stations:
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15 (2004)
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Internet country code:
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.ae
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Internet hosts:
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56,283 (2004)
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Internet users:
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1,110,200 (2003)
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Highways:
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total: 1,088 km
paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)
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Pipelines:
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condensate 469 km; gas 2,655 km; liquid petroleum gas 300 km; oil 2,936 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2004)
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Ports and harbors:
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'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
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Merchant marine:
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total: 59 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 578,477 GRT/739,823 DWT
by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 5, container 7, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 4, specialized tanker 1 (2003 est.)
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Airports:
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35 (2003 est.)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 22
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 13
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
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Heliports:
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2 (2003 est.)
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This page was last updated on 27 January, 2005
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