Country name

conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none
local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
abbreviation: UAE
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
local short form: none

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

Suffrage

none

Location

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates

24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references

Middle East

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 - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions)

territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 0.6%
permanent crops: 2.25%
other: 97.15% (2001)

GDP

$201.4 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
$208.7 billion (2008 est.)
$194.2 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

-3.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
7.4% (2008 est.)
6% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita

$42,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
$45,200 (2008 est.)
$43,700 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1.1%
industry: 48.5%
services: 50.4% (2009 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 7%
industry: 15%
services: 78% (2000 est.)

Industries:

petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles

Agriculture - products

dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish

Exports

$174.7 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
$239.2 billion (2008 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates

Exports - partners

Japan 26.5%, South Korea 10.9%, India 10.7%, Iran 7.5%, Thailand 6.1% (2008)

Imports

$144.5 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
$176.3 billion (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports - partners

China 12.9%, India 12%, US 8.6%, Germany 6.4%, Japan 6%, Turkey 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2008)

Currency

Emirati dirham (AED)

Currency code

AED

Exchange rates

Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar - 3.673 (2009), 3.6725 (2008), 3.6725 (2007), 3.6725 (2006), 3.6725 (2005)
note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002

Fiscal year

calendar year