The
Trucial States of the 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 UAE. They were joined in
1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not
far below those of the leading West European nations.
Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate
foreign policy stance have allowed it to play a vital
role in the affairs of the region.
local long form:
Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
local short form:
none
former:
Trucial Oman, Trucial States
abbreviation:
UAE
Government type:
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE
federal government and other powers reserved to member
emirates
Capital:
Abu
Dhabi
Administrative
divisions:
7
emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu
Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah),
Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Independence:
2
December 1971 (from UK)
Constitution:
2
December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Legal system:
federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates
except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah have joined
the federal system; all emirates have secular and
Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts
Suffrage:
none
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December
1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August
1966) 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)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
note:
there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) which is
composed of the seven emirate rulers; the council is the
highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes
general policies and sanctions federal legislation, Abu
Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have
effective veto power; meets four times a year
elections:
president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group
of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last
held NA October 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001);
prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by
the president
election results:
ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president;
percent of FSC vote - NA, but believed to be unanimous;
MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president;
percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous
Legislative branch:
unicameral Federal National Council 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
Judicial branch:
Union
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Flag description:
three
equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black
with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side
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. Despite higher oil revenues in
1999-2000, the government has not drawn back from the
economic reforms implemented during the 1998 oil price
depression. The government has increased spending on job
creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up
its utilities to greater private-sector involvement.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $54 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4%
(2000 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$6.5 billion
expenditures:
$7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)
Industries:
petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction
materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Industrial production
growth rate:
4%
(2000)
Currency:
Emirati dirham (AED)
Currency code:
AED
Exchange rates:
Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point
rate: 3.6725 (since 1998); 3.6711 (1997), 3.6710
(1995-96)
general assessment:
modern system consisting of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic:
microwave radio relay and coaxial cable
international:
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
