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The United Arab Emirates is a federal State, comprising the
Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain,
Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
The Federal Capital : Abu Dhabi
Area : 83,600 km2 (including the islands)
Location:
The UAE is located between the latitudes 22-26.5o North and
longitudes 51-56.5o East. It is bordered in the north by the
Arabian Gulf and in the east by the Gulf of Oman and the
Sultanate of Oman; in the south it is bordered by the
Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to the
West by Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Climate:
The United Arab Emirates enjoys warm sunny days during the
period from November to March with an average temperature of
26oc during the day and 15oc at night. The temperature rises
as high as 49oc and the humidity rates increase during the
period between June and August.
International Relations:
The UAE is an active part of the Arab nation. It is a member
of the GCC, the Arab League, the Islamic Conference
Organization, the Non-Alignment Movement, and the United
Nations. It has diplomatic relations with 143 countries.
The National Day: December 2
Sheikh Zayed's Accession Day: August 6
Religion: Islam
Language: Arabic
Timing: 4 hours ahead of GMT
Currency: Dirham (US$ 1 = AED. 3.671)
Population: 2.8 million
Work force: 1.05 million
Public income: 174 billion Dirhams
Oil sector contribution in to GNP: 57 billion Dirhams
Non-oil sector contribution to GNP: 115 billion Dirhams
Inflation: 3-4%
National per capita income: AED. 60,800
Number of hotels: 304
Number of banks: 46
International airports: 6
Commercial ports: 15
TV Stations: 4
Radio Stations: 4
Number of daily newspapers: 9 dailies & 60 periodicals
Number of schools: 1072 government & private schools
Number of students: 512,000
Number of universities: 6
Number of hospitals: 54 Government hospitals
Number of health centers: 115
Number of doctors: 4,000 male and female doctors
Number of Internet subscribers
(the UAE Internet): 48,000
Number of telephone lines: 860,000
Number of mobile phones subscribers: 410,000
Paved roads: 3450 Kms
Government Expenditure:
1995 62 billion Dirhams
1996 73.8 billion Dirhams
1997 63.6 billion Dirhams
Economic, Commercial And Financial Developments
The economic and financial performance during 1997 was
distinguished by high growth rates in most economic sectors in
spite of the decline of the productivity of the oil sector.
This related to the success achieved by the economic and
financial sectors and to the continuity of developing
productive and servicing non-oil sectors, as well as the
improvement in the investment atmosphere, stability of
monetary policies and controlling and directing credit
operations. All this created a balanced growth in the economic
activity. Despite the fall in oil production by 5.9% in 1997,
the Gross National Product (GNP) has grown by 12% to become
176.3 billion dirhams compared to 174.2 billion dirhams in
1996, after the non-oil sectors achieved a growth rate of
4.6%. The contribution of these sectors in the GNP reached
122.8 billion dirhams compared to 117.3 billion dirhams in
1996.
A report released by the Ministry of Planning anticipated that
the GNP would continue to grow during the year 1998 by 3.4% to
reach 180 billion dirhams and the contribution to GNP from the
non-oil sectors would reach 127.5 billion dirhams. The volume
of investment would increase by 3.5% owing to the ambitious
plans being executed by the government, mainly reflected in
establishing high capital investment projects, especially in
the industrial sectors.
The report of the Ministry of Planning expected that the
deficit in the public budget would fall by 5% in 1998, and the
surplus in the trade balance would increase by 20% with the
increase of exported commodities.
Indicators of Economic Performance
The annual report of the UAE Central Bank showed that the drop
in crude oil prices by 4.6% in 1997 had adversely affected the
value of crude oil products which dropped by 5%, oil
by-products dropped by 1%, and the surplus in the trade
balance dropped by 4.8%. As for the current account balance,
it dropped by 4.3% despite the drop in imports in 1997 for the
first time since 1987.
The purchasing power of the dirham improved during the year
1997 as a result of the increase in the exchange rate of the
dirham against all other main currencies, except the sterling
pound, and this helped to maintain the value of imports. The
drop in the value of imports was accompanied by a notable
increase in the number of the population in 1997, 7.4%. This
led to a fall in the average national per capita income in net
imports during 1997 to AED. 17,300 compared to AED. 19,100 in
1996.
The production of the oil sector dropped to 35.5 billion
dirhams in 1997 and its contribution in the GNP was 30.4%
compared to 32.7% in 1996, while the production of non-oil
sectors increased to 122.8 billion dirhams, that is by 69.6%
of the National Product in 1997. The processing industries
sector recorded the highest contribution to the National
Product at the rate of 11.2%, that is by 19.7 billion dirhams
due to the introduction of new industries.
The rate of the Government Services Sector contribution to the
National Product was 11.1%, with a growth rate of 10.1% in
1997. This was represented in the increase in the salaries of
employees and upgrading the health and education services as
well as increasing the cultural activities for both UAE
nationals and expatriates.
The wholesale and retail sector contributed by 10.5% to the
National Product whereas the production of real estate and
business services regressed by 3% in 1997 and its contribution
to general production was 9.3%. The productivity of the
construction and building sector regressed also by 3.4%
compared to its level in 1996 and its contribution to the
National Product was 7.9% in 1997.
The shipping, storage and transport sectors grew by 4.2% to
increase their contribution to the National Product from 6.4%
in 1996 to 6.6% in 1997. The sectors of financial institutions
and insurance grew by 5.8% and its contribution to the
National Product was 5.9%. The revenue of the sector of
agriculture and fisheries rose to 5.2 billion dirhams with a
contribution and growth rate of 3% compared to the year 1996.
The Central Bank report showed that, in spite of the increase
in the value of Gross National Product in 1997, the national
income per capita actually dropped to 67,200 dirhams compared
to 71,300 dirhams in 1996, as a result of an increase in the
population by a rate which exceeded the growth achieved by the
GNP.
Public Budget
The expenses of the public budget of the state in 1998, which
was issued on May 12, 1998, including the budgets of the
authorities and their affiliate independent institutions, were
21.393 billion dirhams, with incomes totaling 19.635 billion
dirhams and a deficit of 1.758 billion dirhams. The expenses
of the public budget in 1997 were 19.863 billion dirhams, with
18.876 billion dirhams as incomes and a deficit of 987 million
dirhams compared with the first Federal Budget issued in 1972,
after the establishment of the UAE Federation whose funds did
not exceed 201 million dirhams.
The increase in the expenses of the public budget relate to
the creation of new jobs in the Ministry of Education and
Health to meet the requirements of schools, hospitals, new
clinics and the expansion in employing new graduates in a
number of other ministries.
International Cooperation
The UAE cooperated with the rest of the world in addressing
the issues of the environment, sustainable development and
nature conservation by signing a number of international
agreements whose aim is to protect the environment by
strengthening regional and international cooperation.
On March 25, 1998, the UAE signed the 'Oceans Charter' with
Canada, which was issued on the occasion of the Year of World
Oceans. The UAE also signed on January 1, 1996 "Montreal
Protocol" along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. The
protocol obligates industrial countries to stop the production
of materials which are harmful to the ozone layer and at the
same time requires developing countries to freeze the
production and consumption of such materials by 1999 and
dispose of them in a final manner in the year 2000.
The UAE participated in the foundation of the Regional
Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment in
the Gulf and signed the Kuwait agreement for cooperation and
protection of the marine environment in 1978. In March 1998,
the United Arab Emirates has also signed the protocol for the
control of the sea freight of dangerous waste which was
promulgated by the Regional Organization for the Protection of
the Marine Environment in Tehran.
Important Agreements
The United Arab Emirates joined the International Treaty for
the Prevention of Sea Pollution by oil for 1954
International Charter of Third Party Liability with respect to
oil pollution for 1969 and the protocol appended thereto, in
1986.
The International Treaty for the right of overseas
intervention owing to oil pollution incidents for 1969.
The Agreement concerning the establishment of a fund for
compensation against oil pollution damages for 1971.
The International Regulations for the prevention of collisions
at high seas for 1972.
The Protocol of Marine Pollution resulting from the
exploration and exploitation of the continental shelf for
1989
Bazel Agreement regarding the control of the transport of
dangerous waste for 1990.
The Protocol for the Protection of the Marine Environment
against pollution caused by the marine sources for 1990.
The Protocol for the Protection of Marine Environment.
Communication Network
Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) was
established in 1976 as part of the efforts directed towards
modernizing the State. The Corporation was able to establish
one of the biggest advanced telecommunications networks of the
world. It linked all the different parts of the State. The
number of telephone exchanges has increased from 28 in 1976 to
230 by the end of 1996. The UAE provides direct calls to 247
countries. The local and international telecommunications
capacity has been upgraded by the use the fiber optic cables.
The UAE also participates in the international sea cable.
In 1986 Etisalat introduced the UAE Data Network and invested
in the application of the latest technology in this field. The
use of the Internet service started in August 1995.
The UAE was also the first country in the region to use the
Global System for Mobile Phones (GSM). Etisalat is connected
with Intelsat and Arabsat and is planning to implement the
Satellite Project Al Thuraya which will cost half a million
dollars.
For A Strong Economy
Shares exchange and trade began in the first half of 1998 when
the number of companies whose shares are traded in the markets
reached 82. The total market value of 22 types of active
shares in the market amounted to 68.37 billion dirhams, 33.19
biilion dirhams in the banking sector, 30.73 billion dirhams
in the Services sector and 4.45 billion dirhams in the
insurance sector.
During the year the markets witnessed huge issues for a group
of new companies where the volume of subscription amounted to
more than 32.5 billion dirhams, such as Abu Dhabi Islamic
Bank, Saadiyat Free Zone Management Co., Al Emar Real Estate,
Al Khazna Insurance Co., Oasis International Lease, Dubai
Investment Co. and Abu Dhabi Ship Building Co.
Gross Domestic Product
The GDP of the state rose in 1997 to 171 Billion dirhams at an
annual growth rate of 4.4% more than 1996, when it was 163.7
billion dirhams. In 1995 it was 147.5 billion dirhams.
The UAE Central Bank annual report, issued in June 1997,
attributed this big increase in the GDP to the increase of
production in the oil sector by 20.7% to 57 billion dirhams
due to the rise in the prices of crude oil in the
international market. At the same time, the production of the
non-oil sectors increased from 100.3 billion dirhams in 1995
to 106.7 billion dirhams in 1996, i.e. by 6.3%. This has
contributed to a rise in the national income per capita by 8%
to 67,000 dirhams in 1996.
Number of population according
to the last census in 1995 : 2,377,453
Number of births 52,718 in 1994
Recorded deaths : 4,566 in 1994
Work Force : 1,289,654 in 1995
Work Force rate compared to the number of population: 54.2%
(19.3% females, 71.9% males and 2.9% unemployed).
Public Income: 43.7 billion dirhams in 1995, and 38.7 billion
dirhams in 1994.
Federal Government Income: 29.56 billion dirhams in 1995 and
29.17 billion dirhams in 1994.
Total Oil Revenues: 33.2 billion dirhams in 1995 and 29.9
billion dirhams in 1994
Gross National Product in 1995: 143.97 billion dirhams
(provisional statistics)
Oil Sector Contribution in the National Product: 49.2 billion
dirhams, 1995
Non-oil Sector Contribution to the National Product: 94.770
billion dirhams, 1995
Total Investments in industry: 13.7 billion dirhams, 1995
Imports: 83.60 billion dirhams, 1994
Exports: 97.924 billion dirhams, 1994
Trade Balance: 14.318 billion dirhams, 1994
Production of desalination plants: 300 million g/d
Produced Electrical Power: 23.402 million kWh
International airports: 6
Commercial Ports: 15
Number of residential units: 37,534 units, 1995
Number of banks: 47 with 349 branches, 1994
Number of insurance companies: 223 1994
Ratio of teachers to students: 1/12
Number of university students: 12,000, 1995-1996
Number of institute students: 7,579, 1995-96
Number of learners in adult education and illiteracy
eradication: 23,863
Area of cultivated land: 250 hectares,1996
Number of trees: 130 Million
Number of farms: 20,000
Fish production: 108,000 tons, 1994
Poultry & eggs production: 34,000 tons, 1995
Number of beds in hospitals: 4,344, 1996
Number of primary health care centers: 98, 1996
Life expectancy: 72 years
Infant mortality rate: 14:1000
Crime rate: 1.5% of total population.
Number of radio stations: 4, 1996
Number of TV stations: 4, 1996
Number of Arabic newspapers: 5, 1996
Number of English newspapers: 4, 1996
Number of Internet subscribers : 6,000 June, 1996
Number of hotels: 254, 1994
Number of cars: 345,000
Length of motorways: 6,550 km
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