United Arab Emirates - Economic Indicators

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Mar 08, 2024

Download the latest Geopolitical Tracker update In his State of the Union address on Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced he would be directing the U.S. military to build a port on the Mediterranean coast of Gaza to improve the timeliness and efficiency of bringing humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Also, ASEAN and Australia called for restraint in the South China Sea, an area where tensions have been rising. The National Electoral Council...

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GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Investment 2022 443,944,597,353 393,795,963,275 AED Annual
Real Investment 2017 398,390,000,000 402,361,000,000 NCU Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Dec 2022 118.81 118.49 2010=100, NSA Monthly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 22,693 10,650 # Annual
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Industrial Production Oct 2016 18,600,000,000 18,200,000,000 2010 USD, SA Monthly
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Net Migration 2017 301,000 # Annual
Death Rate 2016 1.59 1.56 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Birth Rate 2016 9.59 9.88 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
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 Dhabi, '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. For more than three decades, oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. However, in 2008-09, the confluence of falling oil prices, collapsing real estate prices, and the international banking crisis hit the UAE especially hard. The UAE essentially avoided the "Arab Spring" unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East in 2010-11 and in an effort to stem potential unrest, the government announced a multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates and aggressively pursued advocates of political reform. The UAE in recent years has played a growing role in regional affairs. In addition to donating billions of dollars in economic aid to help stabilize Egypt, the UAE was one of the first countries to join the Defeat-ISIS coalition, and is a key partner in a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.

Geography

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: 83,600 sq km
land: 83,600 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 116
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine
Area comparison map:
Land boundaries:
total: 1,066 km
border countries (2): Oman 609 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Coastline:
1,318 km
Maritime claims:
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
Climate:
desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain:
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert; mountains in east
Elevation:
mean elevation: 149 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas
Land use:
agricultural land: 4.6%
arable land 0.5%; permanent crops 0.5%; permanent pasture 3.6%
forest: 3.8%
other: 91.6% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
923 sq km (2012)
Population - distribution:
population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population
Natural hazards:
frequent sand and dust storms
Environment - current issues:
lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People & Society

Population:
6,072,475 (July 2017 est.)
note: the UN estimated the country's total population was 9,400,145 as of mid-year 2017; immigrants make up more than 88% of the total population, according to UN data (2017)
country comparison to the world: 110
Nationality:
noun: Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati
Ethnic groups:
Emirati 11.6%, South Asian 59.4% (includes Indian 38.2%, Bangladeshi 9.5%, Pakistani 9.4%, other 2.3%), Egyptian 10.2%, Philippine 6.1%, other 12.8% (2015 est.)
Languages:
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Religions:
Muslim (official) 76%, Christian 9%, other (primarily Hindu and Buddhist, less than 5% of the population consists of Parsi, Baha'i, Druze, Sikh, Ahmadi, Ismaili, Dawoodi Bohra Muslim, and Jewish) 15%
note: represents the total population; about 85% of the population consists of noncitizens (2005 est.)
religious affiliation:
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.01% (male 652,718/female 622,850)
15-24 years: 13.51% (male 487,558/female 332,829)
25-54 years: 61.14% (male 2,828,731/female 884,233)
55-64 years: 3.27% (male 147,429/female 51,097)
65 years and over: 1.07% (male 40,226/female 24,804) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 17.4
youth dependency ratio: 16.2
elderly dependency ratio: 1.2
potential support ratio: 83.4 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.3 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 25 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Population growth rate:
2.37% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Birth rate:
15.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
Death rate:
1.9 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 225
Net migration rate:
10.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Population distribution:
population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population
Urbanization:
urban population: 86.1% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 2.32% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
Dubai 2.415 million; Sharjah 1.279 million; ABU DHABI (capital) 1.145 million (2015)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.47 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 3.2 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 2.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.69 male(s)/female
total population: 2.18 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
6 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Infant mortality rate:
total: 10 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.7 years
male: 75 years
female: 80.4 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Total fertility rate:
2.32 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Health expenditures:
3.6% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 171
Physicians density:
1.56 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Hospital bed density:
1.2 beds/1,000 population (2013)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 99.6% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 99.6% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.4% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0.4% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 98% of population
rural: 95.2% of population
total: 97.6% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2% of population
rural: 4.8% of population
total: 2.4% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
31.7% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 20
Education expenditures:
NA
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.8%
male: 93.1%
female: 95.8% (2015 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 12.1%
male: 7.9%
female: 21.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108

Government

Country name:
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
etymology: self-descriptive country name; the name "Arabia" can be traced back many centuries B.C., the ancient Egyptians referred to the region as "Ar Rabi"; "emirates" derives from "amir" the Arabic word for "commander," "lord," or "prince"
Government type:
federation of monarchies
Capital:
name: Abu Dhabi
geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E
time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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 the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day (National Day), 2 December (1971)
Constitution:
history: previous 1971 (provisional); latest drafted in 1979, became permanent May 1996
amendments: proposed by the Supreme Council and submitted to the Federal National Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote of Federal National Council members present, and approval by the Supreme Council president; amended 2009 (2016)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of Islamic law and civil law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 30 years
Suffrage:
limited; note - rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that together account for about 12 percent of Emirati citizens
Executive branch:
chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Vice President MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers SAIF bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan, MANSUR bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (both since 11 May 2009)
cabinet: Council of Ministers announced by the prime minister and approved by the president
elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the Federal Supreme Council - composed of the rulers of the 7 emirates - for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held 3 November 2009 (next election NA); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan reelected president; FSC vote NA
note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the 7 emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets 4 times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
Legislative branch:
description: unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members indirectly elected by an electoral college whose members are selected by each emirate ruler proportional to its FNC membership, and 20 members appointed by the rulers of the 7 constituent states; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 3 October 2015 (next to be held in 2019); note - the electoral college was expanded from 129,274 electors in the December 2011 election to 224,279 in the October 2015 election; 347 candidates including 78 women ran for 20 contested seats in the 40-member FNC
election results: 19 men and 1 woman were elected; seats by emirate - Abu Dhabi 4, Dubai 4, Sharjah 3, Ras al-Khaimah 3, Ajman 2, Fujairah 2, Umm al-Quwain 2; note - only 1 woman (from Ras Al Khaimah) won an FNC seat
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 4 judges; jurisdiction limited to federal cases)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the federal president following approval by the Federal Supreme Council, the highest executive and legislative authority consisting of the 7 emirate rulers; judges serve until retirement age or the expiry of their appointment terms
subordinate courts: Federal Court of Cassation (determines the constitutionality of laws promulgated at the federal and emirate level; federal level courts of first instance and appeals courts; the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra's al Khaymah have parallel court systems; the other 4 emirates have incorporated their courts into the federal system; note - the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts and the Dubai International Financial Center Courts both adjudicate civil and commercial disputes.
Political parties and leaders:
none; political parties are banned
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yusif bin Mana bin Said al-UTAYBA (since 28 July 2008)
chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
consulate(s) general: Boston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Steven C. BONDY (since 22 March 2018)
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) 414-2603
consulate(s) general: Dubai
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side; the flag incorporates all four Pan-Arab colors, which in this case represent fertility (green), neutrality (white), petroleum resources (black), and unity (red); red was the traditional color incorporated into all flags of the emirates before their unification
National symbol(s):
golden falcon; national colors: green, white, black, red
National anthem:
name: "Nashid al-watani al-imarati" (National Anthem of the UAE)
lyrics/music: AREF Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB
note: music adopted 1971, lyrics adopted 1996; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of Tunisia

Economy

Economy - overview:
The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP from the oil and gas sector to 30%.
Since the discovery of oil in the UAE nearly 60 years ago, the country has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. The country's free trade zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors.
The global financial crisis of 2008-09, tight international credit, and deflated asset prices constricted the economy in 2009. UAE authorities tried to blunt the crisis by increasing spending and boosting liquidity in the banking sector. The crisis hit Dubai hardest, as it was heavily exposed to depressed real estate prices. Dubai lacked sufficient cash to meet its debt obligations, prompting global concern about its solvency and ultimately a $20 billion bailout from the UAE Central Bank and Abu Dhabi Government that was refinanced in March 2014.
The UAE’s dependence on oil is a significant long-term challenge, although the UAE is one of the most diversified countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Low oil prices have prompted the UAE to cut expenditures, including on some social programs, but the UAE has sufficient assets in its sovereign investment funds to cover its deficits. The government reduced fuel subsidies in August 2015, and has announced plans to introduce excise and value-added taxes by January 1, 2018. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on economic diversification, promoting the UAE as a global trade and tourism hub, developing industry, and creating more job opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$691.9 billion (2017 est.)
$682.8 billion (2016 est.)
$662.7 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 33
GDP (official exchange rate):
$378.7 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2017 est.)
3% (2016 est.)
3.8% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$68,200 (2017 est.)
$69,300 (2016 est.)
$69,200 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 14
Gross national saving:
24.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
27.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
29.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 50.5%
government consumption: 12.1%
investment in fixed capital: 20.4%
investment in inventories: 1.3%
exports of goods and services: 94.9%
imports of goods and services: -79.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 0.9%
industry: 49.8%
services: 49.2% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
Industries:
petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, commercial ship repair, construction materials, handicrafts, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.1% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Labor force:
5.344 million
note: expatriates account for about 85% of the workforce (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 15%
services: 78% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.6% (2014 est.)
2.4% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Population below poverty line:
19.5% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $83.44 billion
expenditures: $112.4 billion
note: the UAE federal budget does not account for emirate-level spending in Abu Dhabi and Dubai (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
22% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-7.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Public debt:
60.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
62.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2017 est.)
1.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Central bank discount rate:
NA%
Stock of narrow money:
$134.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$129 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Stock of broad money:
$355.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$333.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Stock of domestic credit:
$412.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$389.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$195.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$201.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$180.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Current account balance:
$7.878 billion (2017 est.)
$8.412 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
Exports:
$314.7 billion (2017 est.)
$298.6 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Exports - commodities:
crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates (2012 est.)
Exports - partners:
India 9.9%, Iran 8.9%, Japan 8.8%, Switzerland 8.5%, Oman 5.4%, China 5.1% (2016)
Imports:
$241.3 billion (2017 est.)
$230.3 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Imports - partners:
China 7.4%, US 6.9%, India 6.8%, Germany 4.4% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$89.79 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$85.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Debt - external:
$239.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$218.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$144.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$134.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$124.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$114.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Exchange rates:
Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar -
3.67 (2017 est.)
3.67 (2016 est.)
3.67 (2015 est.)
3.67 (2014 est.)
3.67 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 177,824
electrification - total population: 98%
electrification - urban areas: 99%
electrification - rural areas: 93% (2012)
Electricity - production:
119.7 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Electricity - consumption:
110.6 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
28.9 million kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
99.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Crude oil - production:
3.106 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
Crude oil - exports:
2.684 million bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Crude oil - proved reserves:
97.8 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Refined petroleum products - production:
479,400 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
901,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Refined petroleum products - exports:
334,900 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Refined petroleum products - imports:
413,700 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Natural gas - production:
60.18 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
Natural gas - consumption:
186 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
Natural gas - exports:
11.08 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Natural gas - imports:
20.53 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
Natural gas - proved reserves:
6.091 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
245 million Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 2,285,809
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 19,905,093
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 328 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Telephone system:
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; linked to the international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); landing point for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian) (2016)
Broadcast media:
except for the many organizations now operating in media free zones in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, most TV and radio stations remain government-owned; widespread use of satellite dishes provides access to pan-Arab and other international broadcasts; restrictions since June 2017 on some satellite channels and websites originating from or otherwise linked to Qatar (2018)
Internet country code:
.ae
Internet users:
total: 5,370,299
percent of population: 90.6% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 12
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 498
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 84,738,479
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 16.647 billion mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
A6 (2016)
Airports:
43 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 100
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 6 (2013)
Heliports:
5 (2013)
Pipelines:
condensate 533 km; gas 3,277 km; liquid petroleum gas 300 km; oil 3,287 km; oil/gas/water 24 km; refined products 218 km; water 99 km (2013)
Roadways:
total: 4,080 km
paved: 4,080 km (includes 253 km of expressways) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 157
Merchant marine:
total: 618
by type: general cargo 97, oil tanker 26, other 495 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 34
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Al Fujayrah, Mina' Jabal 'Ali (Dubai), Khor Fakkan (Khawr Fakkan) (Sharjah), Mubarraz Island (Abu Dhabi), Mina' Rashid (Dubai), Mina' Saqr (Ra's al Khaymah)
container port(s) (TEUs): Dubai Port (15,585,000), Khor Fakkan (Khawr Fakkan) (Sharjah) (4,414,000) (2015)
LNG terminal(s) (export): Das Island

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
4.86% of GDP (2017)
4.99% of GDP (2016)
5.66% of GDP (2014)
6.06% of GDP (2013)
country comparison to the world: 6
Military branches:
United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Critical Infrastructure Coastal Patrol Agency (CICPA), Land Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense, Presidential Guard, Joint Aviation Command (2018)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men, optional service for women; 17 years of age for male volunteers with parental approval; 2-year general obligation, 12 months for secondary school graduates; women may train for 9 months regardless of education (2016)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies
Illicit drugs:
the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug-producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving, but informal banking remains unregulated

Economic Indicators for United Arab Emirates including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the United Arab Emirates economy.