United Arab Emirates
| Capital: | Abu Dhabi |
| Area size (Land only): | 83600 sq. km Approximately twice the size of Denmark |
| Time zone: | GMT +4 |
| Currency: | Emirati dirham |
| Area code: | (+) 971 |
| Driving: | Right |
| Climate description: | Desert. Cooler in eastern mountains. |
People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
Arabic is the official language. Persian, Hindi and Urdu are also spoken. English is widely spoken by immigrants and in business situations.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide
Population
Future population estimates
8.3 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)
Ethnic groups
Only 19 percent are Arabs from the United Arab Emirates; another 13 percent are Arabs from other countries. Migrant workers from South Asia make up 45 percent of the population, and Iranians number 17 percent.
Source: NI World Guide
Religion
Muslim 95 percent (Sunni 80 percent, Shia 15 percent), Christian 4 percent
Source: NI World Guide
Percentage urban population
Year women granted right to vote
No data available
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.
Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
90 (2007)
Source: UNESCO
Percentage of population under 15
Arabic is the official language. Persian, Hindi and Urdu are also spoken. English is widely spoken by immigrants and in business situations.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide
Population
| 2009 | 4.6 million | U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009) |
| 2007 | 4.4 million | U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006) |
| 2006 | 4.2 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2005 | 4.1 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2004 | 3.9 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2003 | 3.8 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2002 | 3.6 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2001 | 3.4 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2000 | 3.2 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
Future population estimates
8.3 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)
Ethnic groups
Only 19 percent are Arabs from the United Arab Emirates; another 13 percent are Arabs from other countries. Migrant workers from South Asia make up 45 percent of the population, and Iranians number 17 percent.
Source: NI World Guide
Religion
Muslim 95 percent (Sunni 80 percent, Shia 15 percent), Christian 4 percent
Source: NI World Guide
Percentage urban population
| 2007 | 76.7 percent | U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005 |
| 2006 | 76.7 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2005 | 76.7 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2004 | 76.7 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2003 | 76.7 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2002 | 76.9 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2001 | 77.1 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2000 | 77.4 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
Year women granted right to vote
No data available
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.
Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
90 (2007)
Source: UNESCO
Percentage of population under 15
| 2005 | 19.8 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 22.4 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 22.8 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 25.8 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 26.4 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 26.0 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Average life expectancy
Life expectancy - male
Life expectancy - female
Infant mortality
Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
Births attended by skilled personnel
Maternal mortality
Human development index (HDI rank)
Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
Percentage of undernourished population
Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
Population with access to improved sanitation
Literacy - average
Literacy - male
Literacy - female
Landlines telephones
Cellular telephone subscribers
Internet users
Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)
Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
| 2005 | 78.3 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 78.3 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 78.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 74.6 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 74.4 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 75.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Life expectancy - male
| 2005 | 76.8 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 76.7 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 76.4 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 73.2 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 73.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 73.7 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Life expectancy - female
| 2005 | 81.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 81.1 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 80.8 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 77.3 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 77.1 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 78.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Infant mortality
| 2007 | 7 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009 |
| 2006 | 8 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 2005 | 8 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 2004 | 7 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 2003 | 7 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 8 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 8 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 8 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
| 2007 | 8 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009 |
| 2006 | 8 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 2005 | 9 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 2004 | 8 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 2003 | 8 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 9 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2000 | 9 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Births attended by skilled personnel
| 1997-2005 | No data available percent | |
| 1996-2004 | No data available percent | |
| 1995-2003 | 96 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 1995-2002 | 96 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1995-2001 | 99 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 1995-2000 | 99 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Maternal mortality
| 2005 | 37 per 100,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2000 | 54 per 100,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
Human development index (HDI rank)
Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
| 2000-2007 | 14 percent | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009 |
| 2000-2006 | 14 percent | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 1996-2005 | 14 percent | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 1996-2004 | No data available percent | |
| 1995-2003 | 14 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 1995-2002 | 14 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1995-2001 | 14 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 1995-2000 | 14 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Percentage of undernourished population
| 2003-2005 | <5 percent | U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008 |
| 2002-2004average | <2.5 percent | U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006 |
| 2001-2003average | <2.5 percent | FAO 2006 |
| 1999-2001average | No data available percent | |
| 1998-2000average | No data available percent |
Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
| 2006 | 100 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2008 |
| 2004 | 100 percent | UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006 |
| 2002 | No data available percent | |
| 2000 | No data available percent |
Population with access to improved sanitation
| 2006 | 97 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2008 |
| 2004 | 98 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2006 |
| 2002 | 100 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2000 | No data available percent |
Literacy - average
| 2004 | No data available percent | |
| 2003 | 77.3 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 77.3 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 76.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 76.3 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Literacy - male
| 2004 | No data available percent | |
| 2003 | 75.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 75.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 75.2 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 75.0 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Literacy - female
| 2004 | No data available percent | |
| 2003 | 80.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 80.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 79.8 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 79.3 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Landlines telephones
| 2008 | 336 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2007 | 318 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2006 | 309 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2005 | 303 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2004 | 302 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2003 | 302 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2002 | 305 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2001 | 308 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2000 | 315 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
Cellular telephone subscribers
| 2008 | 2087 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2007 | 1772 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2006 | 1304 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2005 | 1109 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2004 | 937 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2003 | 789 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2002 | 676 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2001 | 559 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2000 | 441 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
Internet users
| 2008 | 857 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2007 | 516 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2006 | 367 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2005 | 294 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2004 | 277 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2003 | 275 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2002 | 271 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2001 | 257 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2000 | 236 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)
| 2008 | 35 | Transparency International 2008 |
| 2007 | 34 (joint) | Transparency International 2007 |
| 2006 | 31 | Transparency International |
| 2005 | 30 | Transparency International |
| 2004 | 29 (joint) | Transparency International |
| 2003 | 37 (joint) | Transparency International |
| 2002 | Not ranked | |
| 2001 | Not ranked | |
| 2000 | Not ranked |
Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb
Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent
GNI per capita, Atlas method
The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
Annual GDP growth
Annual inflation
Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available
Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available
No data available percent
GNI per capita, Atlas method
| 2007 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2006 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2005 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2004 | 26270 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2003 | 22540 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2002 | 20260 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2001 | 19990 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2000 | 19270 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
| 2007 | No data available current US$ billions | |
| 2006 | 163.3 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2005 | 133.0 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2004 | 103.8 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2003 | 88.6 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2002 | 75.3 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2001 | 68.7 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2000 | 70.6 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
Annual GDP growth
| 2006 | percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2005 | 8.5 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2004 | 9.7 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2003 | 11.9 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2002 | 2.6 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2001 | 8.0 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2000 | 5.0 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
Annual inflation
| 2007 | No data available percent | |
| 2006 | 12.2 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2005 | 18.4 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2004 | 6.8 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2003 | 5.1 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2002 | 6.8 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2001 | -4.3 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2000 | 21.8 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available
Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available
Physicians
Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent
Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO
TB cases
| 2000-2004 | 202 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 1990-2004 | 202 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 1990-2003 | 177 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1990-2002 | 177 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent
Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO
TB cases
| 2007 | 16 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2006 | 16 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2005 | 16 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2004 | 17 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2003 | 17 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2002 | 18 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2001 | 18 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2000 | 18 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium
Number of refugees originating here
Number of refugees residing here
Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
Landmine casualties per year
Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
No
Source: Landmine Monitor Report
Percentage of GDP spent on military
Percentage of GDP spent on education
Percentage of GDP spent on health
| 2008 | 256 | UNHCR |
| 2007 | 308 | UNHCR |
| 2006 | 265 | Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) |
| 2005 | 30 | UNHCR |
| 2004 | 71 | UNHCR |
| 2003 | 20 | UNHCR |
| 2002 | 31 | UNHCR |
| 2001 | 18 | UNHCR |
| 2000 | 15 | UNHCR |
Number of refugees residing here
| 2008 | 209 | UNHCR |
| 2007 | 159 | UNHCR |
| 2006 | 174 | UNHCR |
| 2005 | 104 | UNHCR |
| 2004 | 105 | UNHCR |
| 2003 | 160 | UNHCR |
| 2002 | 163 | UNHCR |
| 2001 | 556 | UNHCR |
| 2000 | 562 | UNHCR |
Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
| No data available | |||
Landmine casualties per year
| 2004 | 0 | Landmine Monitor Report 2005 |
| 2003 | 0 | Landmine Monitor Report 2004 |
Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
No
Source: Landmine Monitor Report
Percentage of GDP spent on military
| 2005 | 2.0 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 2.4 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 3.1 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
Percentage of GDP spent on education
| 2002-2005 | 1.3 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2002-2004 | 1.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2000-2002 | 1.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 1999-2001 | No data available percent | |
| 1998-2000 | 1.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
Percentage of GDP spent on health
| 2004 | 2.0 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2003-2004 | 2.5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2002 | 2.3 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2001 | 2.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2000 | 2.5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
AlertNet makes every effort to ensure statistics are updated from the relevant sources as soon as they are available.
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