Compare United Arab Emirates (2004) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2005)

Compare United Arab Emirates (2004) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2005)

	United Arab Emirates (2004)	British Indian Ocean Territory (2005)

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	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 25.9% (male 333,661; female 320,368) 15-64 years: 70.9% (male 1,103,385; female 685,281) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 58,862; female 22,358) (2004 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish	-
Airports	35 (2003 est.)	1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	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.)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	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: 82,880 sq km land: 82,880 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Maine	about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
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 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.	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	18.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $17.35 billion expenditures: $23.85 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.4 billion (2003 est.)	-
Capital	Abu Dhabi	-
Climate	desert; cooler in eastern mountains	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	1,318 km	698 km
Constitution	2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)	-
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	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Currency	Emirati dirham (AED)	-
Death rate	4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Debt - external	$20.71 billion (2003 est.)	-
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	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	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	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: also a consulate or representative office in New York, NY	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still unknown and labeled approximate; boundary agreement signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves; 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	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain
Economic aid - donor	NA	-
Economy - overview	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 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 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.	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.
Electricity - consumption	35.1 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - production	37.74 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues	lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea	-
Ethnic groups	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	Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.67 (2003), 3.6725 (2002), 3.6725 (2001), 3.6725 (2000), 3.6725 (1999)	-
Executive branch	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 FSC (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: KHALIFA bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan elected president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum unanimously reaffirmed vice president	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	NA (2001)	-
Exports - commodities	crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates	-
Exports - partners	Japan 26.2%, South Korea 10.5%, Iran 3.8% (2003)	-
Fiscal year	calendar year	-
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $57.7 billion (2003 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 4% industry: 58.5% services: 37.5% (2002 est.)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2003 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	5.2% (2003 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	24 00 N, 54 00 E	6 00 S, 71 30 E
Geography - note	strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil	archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Heliports	2 (2003 est.)	-
Highways	total: 1,088 km paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)	total: NA km paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	-
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	-
Imports	NA (2001)	-
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food	-
Imports - partners	China 10%, Japan 7.2%, Germany 7.2%, US 7%, France 6.9%, UK 5.9%, Italy 4.4%, South Korea 4.4%, India 4.1% (2003)	-
Independence	2 December 1971 (from UK)	-
Industrial production growth rate	4% (2000)	-
Industries	petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling	-
Infant mortality rate	total: 15.06 deaths/1,000 live births male: 17.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.2% (2003 est.)	-
International organization participation	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	720 sq km (1998 est.)	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)	-
Labor force	2.16 million note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2003)	-
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 7%, industry 15%, services 78% (2000 est.)	-
Land boundaries	total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0.6% permanent crops: 2.25% other: 97.15% (2001)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Languages	Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu	-
Legal system	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	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch	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: 74.99 years male: 72.51 years female: 77.6 years (2004 est.)	-
Literacy	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 Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Middle East	Political Map of the World
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	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 59 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 578,477 GRT/739,823 DWT by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 5, container 7, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 4, specialized tanker 1 (2004 est.)	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches	Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$1.6 billion (FY00)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	3.1% (FY00)	-
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 764,413 note: includes non-nationals (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 412,490 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 29,183 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 2 December (1971)	-
Nationality	noun: Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati	-
Natural hazards	frequent sand and dust storms	NA
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Pipelines	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	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	-
Population	2,523,915 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 2004 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	-
Population growth rate	1.57% (2004 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn	Diego Garcia
Radio broadcast stations	AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Religions	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: 1.61 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.63 male(s)/female total population: 1.46 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	-
Suffrage	none	-
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; 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	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	1,135,800 (2003)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	2,972,300 (2003)	-
Television broadcast stations	15 (2004)	1 (1997)
Terrain	flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east	flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	3.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	2.4% (2001)	-

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