United Arab Emirates

Full name of country: United Arab Emirates

Region: Middle East

Official language: Arabic

Population: 10,032,213 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Emirati(s) (noun), Emirati (adjective)

Land area: 83,600 sq km

Capital: Abu Dhabi

National anthem: "Nashid al-watani al-imarati" (National Anthem of the UAE), by Aref Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan/Mohamad Abdel Wahab

National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), December 2 (1971)

Population growth: 0.6% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +4

Flag: The national flag consists of a vertical red band on the left (hoist) side, with equal horizontal bands of green (top), white (middle), and black (bottom). Green symbolizes fertility, white symbolizes neutrality, black represents oil prosperity, and red is symbolic of unity. The four colors also stand for the pan-Arab colors, representing Arab unity.

Independence: December 2, 1971 (from the UK)

Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Suffrage: limited; the rulers of the seven emirates name a number of voters who then select members of the Federal National Council (FNC)

Legal system: mixed legal system of Islamic law and civil law

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a collection of seven small emirates located in the Middle East on the eastern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Musandam Peninsula. The country is bordered by Qatar to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west and south, and Oman in the east and the northeast. The Arabic name for the United Arab Emirates is Dawlat Al-Imarat al-’Arabiyah al-Muttahidah.

The seven emirates (so named because they are ruled by emirs) are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah, and Fujairah. These once-independent sheikdoms became the United Arab Emirates in 1971, after gaining independence from Great Britain. The emirates were formerly known as the Trucial Sheikdoms, the Trucial Oman, and the Trucial States. The largest emirate by far is Abu Dhabi, which lies along the Persian Gulf. The remaining emirates are located on the Musandam Peninsula, the body of land that separates the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Since the land in the UAE is almost entirely desert, the population density is highest along the coast or near the interior oases. Most of the people living in the emirates (approximately 88 percent in 2020) are not actually citizens. Many are foreign workers or citizens of nearby Arab countries.

Almost 60 percent of the population of the United Arab Emirates consists of a combination of South Asians (2015 estimate). Emiratis account for 11.6 percent of the population, Egyptians comprise 10.2 percent, and Filipinos, 6.1 percent (2015 estimate). The country’s foreign residents are mostly male workers and their families.

Arabic is the official language, though English and Persian are also widely spoken. Other languages include Hindi and Urdu. The birth rate, at 10.7 births per 1,000 people, is among the lowest of the states bordering the Persian Gulf, and the infant mortality rate is also relatively low, with 5 deaths per 1,000 live births (2024 estimates).

Most of the country’s people are Sunni Muslims. However, there are also some Shia Muslims in Dubai and Sharjah. In all, Muslims account for about 76 percent of the population. Another 9 percent are Christian and the remaining 5 percent are Parsis, Baha’is, Druzes, Sikhs, Ahmadis, Ismailis, Dawoodi Bohra Muslims, and Jews (2005 estimates).

Although a strictly religious state, the UAE is generally not as conservative as neighboring Saudi Arabia. It is considered the most liberal of the Persian Gulf states, though it is still conservative by Western standards. Since 1971, when the union was formed, it has also been one of the most stable countries in the Arab world, enjoying both economic prosperity and peaceful international relations.

Indigenous People: For centuries, the region’s Bedouin Arab tribes were involved in disputes with one another. During the early nineteenth century, the area was a haven for pirates, and was often referred to as the “Pirate Coast.” The most powerful groups during this period were the Al-Qawasim and the Banu Yas, located near the Al-Ayn and Al-Liwa oases near Abu Dhabi, setting the stage for that emirate’s eventual dominance of the region.

To protect their ships from piracy, the British signed a series of truces with the region’s independent sheikdoms. The first of these was a general peace treaty in 1820, followed in 1853 with a perpetual maritime truce. As a result, the states were originally called the “Trucial States.” In 1952, the sheikdoms became states and organized semiannual meetings.

The British government left the Persian Gulf states in 1971, and the truces ended. Nearby Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain became independent states, and the remaining emirates formed the UAE in 1971. The emirates began to consolidate over the next few years, and by 1976, they had formed a united army.

Today, the region’s native Arabs are a minority in the UAE, due to the country’s oil reserves, which attract a large number of foreign workers.

Education: Public education is free and compulsory for children beginning at the age of six. Basic education lasts for nine years, while secondary education lasts for three. Emirati citizens can also attend the state-run higher education institutions—UAE University, Zayed University, or the Higher Colleges of Technology—for free. There are also a number of private postsecondary institutions.

The adult literacy rate in the United Arab Emirates is 98.1 percent (97.2 percent among women and 98.8 percent among men, according to 2021 estimates).

Health Care: For citizens of the United Arab Emirates, hospital services are free. There are increasing numbers of privately owned clinics and hospitals to provide care for the country’s large population of foreign workers and non-nationals. Most health-care facilities are located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The life expectancy at birth in the United Arab Emirates is 79.9 years overall—81.4 years for women and 78.6 years for men (2024 estimate). United Arab Emirates's HDI value for 2022 is 0.937— which put the country in the Very High human development category—positioning it at 17 out of 193 countries and territories.

Food: The cuisine of the United Arab Emirates is typical of many Middle Eastern countries. Most meals are accompanied by flat bread, similar to pita. Common dishes include hummus, a paste of chickpeas, sesame seeds, and spices; falafel, fried chickpea patties; and ful, a salad made with fava beans.

Meats such as chicken and lamb are often served grilled or as shawarma, marinated and spiced and served with vegetables.

Arts & Entertainment: The culture of the UAE is a mixture of traditional Arabic cultures, similar to the country’s Persian Gulf neighbors.

The United Arab Emirates is less conservative than many Middle Eastern states, due in part to the steady stream of international workers moving through the country, and the growth of urban areas in the desert.

There are also some signs of increasing gender equality UAE. There are growing numbers of professional positions available for Arab women in the country; women are also enjoying greater choices when it comes to marriage and higher education.

Camel racing is a very popular sport in the country, with top racing camels commanding high prices, much like prized thoroughbred horses. The Dubai World Cup thoroughbred horse race is held in the UAE each March. Football (soccer) is also popular.

The country’s media is centered in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah, and includes both Arabic and English papers, as well as television and radio stations.

Holidays: The United Arab Emirates observes three secular holidays: Martyrs' Day (November 30), which honors Emiratis who died for their country; National Day (December 2), which celebrates the formation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971; and New Year’s Day (January 1).

The country’s other holidays reflect the majority Muslim population, and follow the lunar calendar, so the dates vary from year to year. They include the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday, the Hijri New Year, the end of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr), Haj Day, and Eid al-Adha.

Environment and Geography

Topography: Aside from the coast and a few salt flats in the western part of the country, the United Arab Emirates is almost completely desert. The Matti Salt Flat stretches to the south into Saudi Arabia, but otherwise, the country is barren. It is home to some of the largest sand dunes in the world.

The largest oases include Al-’Ayn, which is east of Abu Dhabi. The northern portion of the Al-Hajar Mountains lies east of the Musandam Peninsula, and continues on into Oman. The United Arab Emirates’ highest point is in this range, at Jabal Yibir, 1,905 meters (6,250 feet) above sea level.

There are numerous shoals and islands off the coast. The country’s largest harbors, Dubai’s Port Rashid and the Port Jebel Ali, are both artificially created. There are, however, three natural deepwater harbors in the Gulf of Oman, at Dibba al-Hisn, Khor Fakkan, and Kalba.

Natural Resources: The United Arab Emirates’ most valuable natural resources are oil and natural gas. Oil was discovered in Abu Dhabi in 1958 and later in Dubai in 1969. In each emirate, the government is a controlling interest in the oil companies. However, the British, French, Japanese, and American governments all have interests in these international oil companies.

The main offshore field in Abu Dhabi is Umm ash-Shaif. The emirate also shares an offshore oil field, Al-Bunduq, with neighboring Qatar. Dubai, has offshore oil fields in Haql Fath, Al-Fakah, and Rashid, which contribute a large portion of the country’s oil output. In 1974, natural gas was also discovered in the Sharjah emirate.

Plants & Animals: Since most of the UAE is desert, the country’s plant and animal life is severely limited. The most prevalent animals are donkeys and camels. Aside from date palm groves, most of the vegetation is located on the coast or near the mountains.

Climate: The climate of the United Arab Emirates is overwhelmingly hot and dry, with a slight increase in humidity near the coast. The average monthly rainfall ranges between 0.2 millimeters (0.007 inches) in October and 14.6 millimeters (0.57 inches) in February.

The average temperature in January is 19 degrees Celsius (66.2 degrees Fahrenheit), while in July the temperature averages 34.5 degrees Celsius (94.1 degrees Fahrenheit). However, the temperature in the summer can reach as high as 52.1 degrees Celsius (125.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The coast is generally cooler than the interior desert.

The shamal, a wind that stirs up dust and sand, blows from the north and northwest during the winter and early summer.

Economy

The economy of the United Arab Emirates is dominated by oil production. The wealthiest emirates are Abu Dhabi and Dubai. According to the US Energy Information Administration, as of 2022, the United Arab Emirates had the world's seventh-largest proven oil reserves and the seventh-largest proven natural gas reserves. It was also the third largest producer in OPEC of petroleum and petrochemicals that year. Such dependence on oil makes the UAE economy vulnerable when oil prices fall, however, and the country has developed a strategic plan to diversify its economy.

The UAE is a relatively wealthy country. In 2023, the per capita gross domestic product (GDP, purchasing power parity) was estimated at US$718.95. An estimated 85 percent of the labor force consisted of foreign workers in 2021. The unemployment rate is low and was estimated at 2.71 percent in 2023.

Industry: Petroleum plants and refineries dominate the United Arab Emirates’ industrial landscape. Major manufactured goods include aluminum, cement, fertilizers, building materials, and textiles and handicrafts. Ship repair is another significant industry in the United Arab Emirates.

The Mina’ Jebel ’Ali free trade zone was developed in the 1980s to encourage foreign industry. To counter the large percentage of non-nationals in the workforce, the UAE government has begun to offer incentives to companies that hire citizens.

Historically, Dubai was a route for smuggling gold into India. Today, it is an important trading center for the Persian Gulf. Many of the country’s major imports, including machinery, chemicals, and food, are re-exported to neighboring countries.

Agriculture: Agricultural production in the United Arab Emirates is a constant struggle against the region’s lack of water. The country can nearly meet its own domestic demand for fruits and vegetables, and now produces enough poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy to feed its population, but still must import grains.

Agricultural production is concentrated in Ra’s al-Khaimah, Fujairah, Ajman, and Al-Ayn. Commercial crops include dates, watermelons, and vegetables. There is also commercial fishing in Umm al-Quwain.

Irrigation using wells and pumps is very important to agriculture in the United Arab Emirates. The Arid Lands Research Center in Al-Ayn is studying methods for raising crops in desert conditions.

Tourism: The United Arab Emirates, especially Dubai, is a popular destination for tourists. In 2019, 11.9 percent of the GDP came from travel and tourism. As in the rest of the world, the tourism industry was severely disrupted due to the global COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. By 2022, however, international travel was returning to pre-pandemic levels, and the travel and tourism sector made up 9 percent of the UAE's total GDP.

Despite the decentralized character of the emirates, there is a highly developed inter-emirate highway system to facilitate travel throughout the country. There are also five international airports.

In Dubai, tourists enjoy desert safaris, traveling across the dunes in all-terrain vehicles and skiing down the sand dunes. The annual government–sponsored Dubai Shopping Festival provides a gigantic duty-free market for tourists.

Government

The government of the United Arab Emirates is a federation led by the ancestral families of the seven emirates. On the national level, it is made up of the Federal Supreme Council, composed of the rulers of the seven emirates. The council elects a president and a vice president for the union; these officials serve five-year terms. The president then appoints a prime minister and a cabinet.

The United Arab Emirates has a unicameral legislature called the Federal National Council, which consists of forty members who serve four-year terms. Half of the members are appointed by the emirates. The other half are elected by an electoral college. A provisional constitution was ratified in 1971 and was made permanent in 1996. It was amended in 2009. There are no political parties within the country, and there is no citizen voting.

The Federal Supreme Court deals with national-level cases. There are also lower, local courts to deal with emirate-specific issues. However, domestic and religious disputes are resolved in a separate Islamic court.

In 1976, the emirates combined their military forces, creating the Union Defense Force. The deployment of this force is at the discretion of the Supreme Council. The two most powerful emirates are Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and consequently their armed forces are somewhat more independent.

Although the United Arab Emirates supported the United States in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, it did not support the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Despite its lack of support for the United States’ War on Terror, the UAE has maintained good international relationships.

Interesting Facts

• Ajman, the smallest of the seven emirates, has an area of only about 460 square kilometers (178 square miles).
• The United Arab Emirates consumes more water per capita than any country in the world.
• Ski Dubai is the Middle East's first indoor ski resort, with 22,500 meters of snow.
• Between 2013 and 2018, the country constructed the Dubai suburb of Sustainable City, which features electric driverless cars and electrified public transit for transportation, solar power installations on every home, numerous green spaces, and greenhouses and urban farms. The project is part of the broader UAE transition to renewable energy.

Bibliography

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"United Arab Emirates." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 13 Mar. 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/ARE. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

"United Arab Emirates." US Energy Information Administration, 28 Aug. 2023, www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/are. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.

"United Arab Emirates." The World Bank, 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/united-arab-emirates. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

"United Arab Emirates." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 18 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/united-arab-emirates/. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.