United Arab Emirates
(Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah)

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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 

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 )

Population: 2,344,402 (July 1999 est.) 
note: includes 1,576,589 non-nationals (July 1999 est.) 

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (male 368,844; female 353,183) 
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,015,690; female 558,902) 
65 years and over: 2% (male 32,935; female 14,848) (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Emirian(s) 
adjective: Emirian 

Ethnic groups: Emiri 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) 

Religions: Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4% 

Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu 

Coastline: 1,318 km 

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 

 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) 

National holiday: National Day, 2 December (1971) 

Economy—overview: The UAE has an open economy with one of the world's highest per capita incomes and with 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 over 100 years. The UAE Government is encouraging increased privatization within the economy. Industrial development has picked up in 1997-98, but lower world oil prices caused GDP to drop 5% in 1998. 

Currency: 1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils 

Exchange rates: Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1—central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (January 1999), 3.6725 (1998); fixed rate: 3.6710 (1994-1997)