Saudi Arabia (2004) | United Arab Emirates (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | 13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk | 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 38.3% (male 5,039,578; female 4,845,937)
15-64 years: 59.3% (male 8,810,705; female 6,494,770) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 327,047; female 277,901) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 25.3% (male 331,269; female 317,977)
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 1,115,826; female 707,058) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 66,404; female 24,678) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk | dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish |
Airports | 204 (2003 est.) | 35 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 72
over 3,047 m: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 129
over 3047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.) |
total: 13
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 1,960,582 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US | slightly smaller than Maine |
Background | In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. Today, the monarchy is ruled by a son of ABD AL-AZIZ, and the country's Basic Law stipulates that the throne shall remain in the hands of the aging sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after Operation Desert Storm remained a source of tension between the royal family and the public until the US military's near-complete withdrawal to neighboring Qatar in 2003. The first major terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia in several years, which occurred in May and November 2003, prompted renewed efforts on the part of the Saudi government to counter domestic terrorism and extremism, which also coincided with a slight upsurge in media freedom and announcement of government plans to phase in partial political representation. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns. | 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 Zaby, '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. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. |
Birth rate | 29.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 18.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $78.77 billion
expenditures: $66.76 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
revenues: $23.68 billion
expenditures: $25.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.4 billion (2004 est.) |
Capital | Riyadh | Abu Dhabi |
Climate | harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes | desert; cooler in eastern mountains |
Coastline | 2,640 km | 1,318 km |
Constitution | governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993 | 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996) |
Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah |
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 |
Currency | Saudi riyal (SAR) | - |
Death rate | 2.66 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $39.16 billion (2003) | $5.9 billion (2004 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador James Curtis OBERWETTER
embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah) |
chief of mission: Ambassador Michele SISON
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) 414-2469 consulate(s) general: Dubai |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI
chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 note: consulates in New York and Houston |
Disputes - international | nomadic groups on border region with Yemen resist demarcation of boundary; Yemen protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities in sections of the boundary; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran; because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with the UAE is still unknown and labeled approximate | because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still unknown; 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 maps showing the alignment have not been published; UAE engage in direct talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Lesser and Greater Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island |
Economic aid - donor | pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon; since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq | since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries (2004) |
Economy - overview | This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world (25% of the proved reserves), ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly five and a half million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Priorities for government spending in the short term include additional funds for education and for the water and sewage systems. Economic reforms proceed cautiously because of deep-rooted political and social conservatism. | The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 30% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 years ago, 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 more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with Washington and in November 2004 agreed to undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. |
Electricity - consumption | 113.8 billion kWh (2001) | 36.51 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2004) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2004) |
Electricity - production | 122.4 billion kWh (2001) | 45.12 billion kWh (2004) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m |
Environment - current issues | desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills | lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 |
Ethnic groups | Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% | Emirati 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) |
Exchange rates | Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2003), 3.745 (2002), 3.745 (2001), 3.745 (2000), 3.745 (1999) | Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.6725 (2004), 3.6725 (2003), 3.6725 (2002), 3.6725 (2001), 3.6725 (2000)
note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002 |
Executive branch | chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late 1995); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian National Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early 1996; note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late 1995); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian National Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early 1996; note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and includes many royal family members elections: note - in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to five years; in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005 |
chief of state: President Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister HAMDAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Supreme Council (composed of rulers of the seven emirates) for five-year terms; election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan elected president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum unanimously reaffirmed vice president |
Exports | 7.92 million bbl/day (2003) | 2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products 90% | crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates |
Exports - partners | US 20.6%, Japan 15.4%, South Korea 9.8%, China 5.5%, Taiwan 4.5%, Singapore 4.1% (2003) | Japan 24.9%, South Korea 9.9%, India 5.4%, Thailand 5.2% (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932 | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $287.8 billion (2003 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4.7%
industry: 58.8% services: 36.5% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: 4%
industry: 58.5% services: 37.5% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $11,800 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.3% (2003 est.) | 5.7% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 25 00 N, 45 00 E | 24 00 N, 54 00 E |
Geography - note | extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal | strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil |
Heliports | 5 (2003 est.) | 2 (2004 est.) |
Highways | total: 151,470 km
paved: 45,592 km unpaved: 105,878 km (1999) |
total: 1,088 km
paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin, cocaine, and hashish; not a major money-laundering center, improving anti-money-laundering legislation | 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 |
Imports | 0 bbl/day (2003) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles | machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food |
Imports - partners | US 9.4%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 7.3%, UK 6.2%, China 4.4%, France 4.1% (2003) | China 10%, India 9.8%, Japan 6.8%, Germany 6.5%, UK 6.2%, France 6.1%, US 6% (2004) |
Independence | 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom) | 2 December 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 7.7% (2003 est.) | 4% (2000) |
Industries | crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics | petroleum, fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles |
Infant mortality rate | total: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 14.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.5% (2003 est.) | 3.2% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) | ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 16,200 sq km (1998 est.) | 720 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Council of Justice | Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 6.43 million
note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2003) |
2.36 million
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.) | agriculture 7%, industry 15%, services 78% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km |
total: 867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km |
Land use | arable land: 1.67%
permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2001) |
arable land: 0.6%
permanent crops: 2.25% other: 97.15% (2001) |
Languages | Arabic | Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu |
Legal system | based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | federal court system introduced in 1971; applies to all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah, which are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial matters and Islamic courts to review family and religious disputes |
Legislative branch | Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms) | unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: none note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.23 years
male: 73.26 years female: 77.3 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 75.24 years
male: 72.73 years female: 77.87 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.8% male: 84.7% female: 70.8% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77.9% male: 76.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.) |
Location | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen | Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Middle East | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified |
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 |
Merchant marine | total: 66 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,306,706 GRT/1,963,191 DWT
by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 11, container 4, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea/passenger 6 foreign-owned: Egypt 3, Greece 4, Norway 2, Sudan 1, United Kingdom 3 registered in other countries: 54 (2004 est.) |
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 578,477 GRT/739,823 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, chemical tanker 5, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: 14 (Greece 2, Kuwait 6) registered in other countries: 200 (2005) |
Military branches | Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary) | Army, Navy (includes Marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $18 billion (2002) | $1.6 billion (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 10% (2002) | 3.1% (FY00) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 8,240,714 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 4,725,514 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 246,343 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932) | Independence Day, 2 December (1971) |
Nationality | noun: Saudi(s)
adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian |
noun: Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati |
Natural hazards | frequent sand and dust storms | frequent sand and dust storms |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper | petroleum, natural gas |
Net migration rate | -2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | condensate 212 km; gas 1,780 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,191 km; oil 5,068 km; refined products 1,162 km (2004) | condensate 469 km; gas 2,655 km; liquid petroleum gas 300 km; oil 2,936 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | none | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 25,795,938
note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2004 est.) |
2,563,212
note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December 1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA |
Population growth rate | 2.44% (2004 est.) | 1.54% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah | Al Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Sharjan |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004) |
Railways | total: 1,392 km
standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2003) |
- |
Religions | Muslim 100% | Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.36 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.58 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.691 male(s)/female total population: 1.442 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | none adult male citizens age 21 or older
note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005 |
none |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) |
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; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia |
Telephones - main lines in use | 3,502,600 (2003) | 1,135,800 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 7,238,200 (2003) | 2,972,300 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 117 (1997) | 15 (2004) |
Terrain | mostly uninhabited, sandy desert | flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east |
Total fertility rate | 4.11 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 25% (2003) | 2.4% (2001) |