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. 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 did not experience the “Arab Spring” unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East in 2010-11, partly because of the government’s multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates, and its aggressive pursuit of 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 to participate as a key partner in a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. On 15 September 2020, the UAE and Bahrain signed a peace agreement (the Abraham Accords) with Israel – brokered by the US – in Washington DC. The UAE and Bahrain thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel.
land: 83,600 sq km
water: 0 sq km
border countries (2): Oman 609 km; Saudi Arabia 457 km
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
mean elevation: 149 m
arable land: 0.5% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 3.6% (2018 est.)
forest: 3.8% (2018 est.)
other: 91.6% (2018 est.)
9,973,449 (2023 est.)
note: the UN estimated the country’s total population was 10,082,000 as of 2022; immigrants make up 88.1% of the total population, according to UN data (2020)
noun: Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati
Emirati 11.6%, South Asian 59.4% (includes Indian 38.2%, Bangladeshi 9.5%, Pakistani 9.4%, other 2.3%), Egyptian 10.2%, Filipino 6.1%, other 12.8% (2015 est.)
note: data represent the total population; as of 2019, immigrants make up about 87.9% of the total population, according to UN data
Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
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% (2005 est.)
note: data represent the total population; as of 2020, immigrants make up about 88.1% of the total population, according to UN data
0-14 years: 16.23% (male 829,266/female 789,187)
15-64 years: 81.77% (male 5,840,920/female 2,314,683)
65 years and over: 2% (2023 est.) (male 15,1340/female 48,053)
total dependency ratio: 20.3
youth dependency ratio: 18.2
elderly dependency ratio: 2.1
potential support ratio: 47.3 (2021 est.)
total: 35.7 years (2023 est.)
male: 37.9 years
female: 29.9 years
0.58% (2023 est.)
10.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
1.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
-3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
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
urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
3.008 million Dubai, 1.831 million Sharjah, 1.567 million ABU DHABI (capital) (2023)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.52 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 3.15 male(s)/female
total population: 2.16 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
9 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
total: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 79.8 years (2023 est.)
male: 78.4 years
female: 81.2 years
1.62 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.79 (2023 est.)
NA
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
5.5% of GDP (2020)
2.6 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
1.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
31.7% (2016)
total: 2.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
NA
72.4% (2023 est.)
3.9% of GDP (2020 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.1%
male: 98.8%
female: 97.2% (2021)
total: 16 years
male: 15 years
female: 17 years (2020)
air pollution; rapid population growth and high energy demand contribute to water scarcity; lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; land degradation and desertification; waste generation, beach pollution from oil spills
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
desert; cooler in eastern mountains
agricultural land: 4.6% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0.5% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 3.6% (2018 est.)
forest: 3.8% (2018 est.)
other: 91.6% (2018 est.)
urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 41.75 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 206.32 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 56.55 megatons (2020 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 5,413,453 tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,082,691 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20% (2015 est.)
municipal: 2.63 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 69 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 2.32 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
historically oil-driven Middle Eastern economy; diversifying into a trade-oriented logistics and supply chain leader; weak domestic business growth; declining real estate sector; new Israeli technology trade improving resilience; key aid donor
$653.067 billion (2021 est.)
$628.455 billion (2020 est.)
$661.233 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
3.92% (2021 est.)
-4.96% (2020 est.)
1.11% (2019 est.)
$69,700 (2021 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
$67,700 (2020 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
$71,800 (2019 est.)
$421.077 billion (2019 est.)
-2.08% (2020 est.)
-1.93% (2019 est.)
3.07% (2018 est.)
Fitch rating: AA- (2020)
Moody’s rating: Aa2 (2007)
Standard & Poors rating: AA (2007)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
agriculture: 0.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 49.8% (2017 est.)
services: 49.2% (2017 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 34.9% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 12.3% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 23% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.8% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 100.4% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -72.4% (2017 est.)
dates, cucumbers, tomatoes, goat meat, eggs, milk, poultry, carrots/turnips, goat milk, sheep milk
petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, commercial ship repair, construction materials, handicrafts, textiles
2.54% (2021 est.)
6.074 million (2021 est.)
note: expatriates account for about 85% of the workforce
3.36% (2021 est.)
3.19% (2020 est.)
2.23% (2019 est.)
total: 10.7% (2021 est.)
male: 7.9%
female: 19.9%
19.5% (2003 est.)
26 (2018 est.)
on food: 13.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.4% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
revenues: $129.741 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $127.262 billion (2019 est.)
note: the UAE federal budget does not account for emirate-level spending in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
-0.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
19.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
20.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
0.68% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
calendar year
$26.47 billion (2017 est.)
$13.23 billion (2016 est.)
$335.238 billion (2020 est.)
$308.5 billion (2017 est.)
$298.6 billion (2016 est.)
India 14%, Japan 8%, China 8%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Iraq 5% (2021)
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, diamonds, natural gas, jewelry, aluminum (2021)
$246.886 billion (2020 est.)
$229.2 billion (2017 est.)
$226.5 billion (2016 est.)
China 17%, India 9%, United States 6%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Germany 3% (2021)
gold, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, diamonds, cars, jewelry, computers (2021)
$131.117 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$106.702 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$108.359 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
$237.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$218.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
3.673 (2021 est.)
3.673 (2020 est.)
3.673 (2019 est.)
3.673 (2018 est.)
3.673 (2017 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
installed generating capacity: 35.173 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 122.386 billion kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 257 million kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 245 million kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 7.011 billion kWh (2019 est.)comparison rankings:
fossil fuels: 95.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 3 (2023)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 4.01GW (2023)
Percent of total electricity production: 1.3% (2021)
Percent of total energy produced: 0.17% (2021)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 0
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 2.563 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 2,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 2.565 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
total petroleum production: 3,769,100 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 863,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 2,427,200 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 172,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 97.8 billion barrels (2021 est.)
943,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
817,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)
392,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
production: 62,889,064,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
consumption: 73,750,936,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 7,673,768,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
imports: 20,041,951,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 6,090,887,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
276.236 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.032 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 126.524 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 144.681 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
471.788 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 10 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 497
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 95,533,069 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 15,962,900,000 (2018) mt-km
A6
43 (2021)
25
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
18
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
5 (2021)
533 km condensate, 3,277 km gas, 300 km liquid petroleum gas, 3287 km oil, 24 km oil/gas/water, 218 km refined products, 99 km water (2013)
total: 4,080 km (2008)
paved: 4,080 km (2008) (includes 253 km of expressways)
total: 636 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 2, container ship 3, general cargo 121, oil tanker 16, other 494
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 (13,742,000) (2021)
LNG terminal(s) (export): Das Island
manyapis