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United Arab Emirates
Arabic:
'ittihādu l-'imārāti l-carabiyya
INTRODUCTION
1. Political situation
2. Defense
2. Economy
3. Health & Education
4. Religions & Peoples
5. History
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| Dubai |
1.35 million |
| Abu Dhabi |
650,000 |
| Sharjah |
610,000 |
| Al Ain |
410,000 |
| Ajman |
260,000 |
| Ras al-Khaima |
120,000 |
All figures are 2005 estimates.
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STATUS
| Independent federation of 7 emirates (imara(t)).
Day of independence: December 2, 1971 (from Britain).
| GOVERNMENT
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Head of state: President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan (Shaykh of Abu Dhabi, since Nov. 4, 2004)
Prime minister: Shaykh Maktum ibn Rashid al-Makrum (shaykh of Dubai). The government (Council of Ministers) consists of 21 ministers and one Deputy Prime minister.
National Assemblies: The Federal National Council consists of 40 members, with members from all emirates. The members are appointed by each and one of the emirates. The council's mandate is to accept or reject new laws or suggest ammendments.
| GEOGRAPHY
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Inhabitants: 4.7 million (2005 estimate).
Includes 3 million non-nationals (65% of total population).
Population growth rate: 1.6
Total area: 82,880 kmē
Density: 57 per kmē
Border: 867 km (Saudi Arabia 457 km, Oman 410 km).
Coastline: 1,318 km.
Highest point: Yibir Mt, 1,527 m
Arable land: 0.5%
Capital: Abu Dhabi
| HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX
| World rank (of 177): 49
Index (1.0 max): 0.839
Explanation
| DEMOGRAPHY
| Ethnic groups: Emirati Arabs, other Arabs, Iranians, South Asians, East Asians, Europeans, Americans.
Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu.
Religions: Sunni Islam, Shi'i Islam, Christianity, Hinduism.
| ECONOMY
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Currency: Dirhams
1 Dirham=US$0.27. US$1=3.67 (June 2003)
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CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHY
United Arab Emirates is not a country, but a federation made out of 7 countries. I addition, areas of the desert inland from the emirates are a part of the federation, but ruled by the central government.
United Arab Emirates is in the northeastern corner of the Arabian peninsula, where most of the settlements are along the Persian Gulf, while some settlements are found on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. The northern tip of the peninsula belongs to Oman, and there is even an Omani enclave inside UAE.
The landscape of the Emirates is very dry, with little rain, vegetation and animal life. Mountains only take up some few percent of the total territory. Connected to the federation are several islands outside the coast along the Persian Gulf.
© Copyright 1996-2008 LookLex Ltd. All rights reserved
By: Tore Kjeilen
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