| United Arab Emirates
دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة (Arabic)
Dawlat al-Imārāt al-'Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah | |
|---|---|
Flag
| |
Anthem: عيشي بلادي
"Īšiy Bilādī" "Long Live my Nation" | |
.svg)
Location of United Arab Emirates (green)
in the Arabian Peninsula (white)
| |
_-_ARE_-_UNOCHA.svg) | |
| Capital | Abu Dhabi 24°28′N54°22′E |
| Largest city | Dubai 25°15′N 55°18′E |
| Official languages | Arabic |
| Recognised national languages | |
| Ethnic groups | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Demonym | Emirati[3] |
| Government | Federal Absolute monarchy |
| Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan | |
| Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum | |
| Legislature | Federal National Council |
| Establishment from the United Kingdomand the Trucial States | |
| 1708 | |
• Sharjah
| 1727 |
| 1761 | |
• Ajman
| 1816 |
• Dubai
| 1833 |
• Fujairah
| 1876 |
| 2 December 1971 | |
| 9 December 1971 | |
• Admission of Ras al-Khaimah to the UAE
| 10 February 1972 |
| Area | |
• Total
| 83,600 km2(32,300 sq mi) (114th) |
• Water (%)
| negligible |
| Population | |
• 2016 estimate
| 9,269,612[4] (94th) |
• 2005 census
| 4,106,427 |
• Density
| 99/km2(256.4/sq mi) (110th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2018 estimate |
• Total
| $729.043 billion[5](32nd) |
• Per capita
| $69,896[5] (7th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2018 estimate |
• Total
| $400.902 billion[5](28th) |
• Per capita
| $38,436[5] (19th) |
| Gini (2008) | 36 medium |
| HDI (2015) |  0.840[6]very high · 42nd |
| Currency | UAE dirham (AED) |
| Time zone | GST (UTC+4) |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
| Drives on the | right[7][8] |
| Calling code | +971 |
| ISO 3166 code | AE |
| Internet TLD | |
The United Arab Emirates (/juːˈnaɪtɪd ˈærəb ˈɛmɪrɪts/ (
listen); UAE; Arabic: دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة Dawlat al-Imārāt al-'Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah), sometimes simply called the Emirates (Arabic: الإمارات al-Imārāt), is a federal absolute monarchy sovereign state in Western Asia at the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south, as well as sharing maritime borders with Qatar to the west and Iran to the north. In 2013, the UAE's population was 9.2 million, of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates.[9][10][11]
listen); UAE; Arabic: دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة Dawlat al-Imārāt al-'Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah), sometimes simply called the Emirates (Arabic: الإمارات al-Imārāt), is a federal absolute monarchy sovereign state in Western Asia at the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south, as well as sharing maritime borders with Qatar to the west and Iran to the north. In 2013, the UAE's population was 9.2 million, of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates.[9][10][11]
The country is a federation of seven emirates, and was established on 2 December 1971. The constituent emirates are Abu Dhabi (which serves as the capital), Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. Each emirate is governed by an absolute monarch; together, they jointly form the Federal Supreme Council. One of the monarchs (traditionally always the Emir of Abu Dhabi) is selected as the President of the United Arab Emirates. Islam is the official religion of the UAE.[12]
The UAE's oil reserves are the seventh-largest in the world while its natural gas reserves are the world's seventeenth-largest.[13][14] Sheikh Zayed, ruler of Abu Dhabi and the first President of the UAE, oversaw the development of the Emirates and steered oil revenues into healthcare, education and infrastructure.[15] The UAE's economy is the most diversified in the Gulf Cooperation Council, while its most populous city of Dubai is an important global city and an international aviation hub.[16][17] Nevertheless, the country is much less reliant on oil and gas than in previous years and is economically focusing on tourism and business.
The UAE's rising international profile has led some analysts to identify it as a regional and middle power.[18][19] It is a member of the United Nations, the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, OPEC, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Gulf Cooperation Council.