Fast Facts
- Population:
- 4,618,000
- Capital:
- Abu Dhabi; 630,000
- Area:
- 77,700 square kilometers (30,000 square miles)
- Language:
- Arabic, Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
- Religion:
- Sunni and Shiite Muslim, Christian, Hindu
- Currency:
- Emirati dirham
- Life Expectancy:
- 74
- GDP per Capita:
- U.S. $22,100
- Literacy Percent:
- 78
United Arab Emirates Facts Flag
Map
Seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula combined to form a federation after Britain pulled out of this barren coastal region in 1971. The United Arab Emirates comprises Abu Dhabi, seat of the federal government and the oil capital; Dubayy (Dubai), the main port and commercial industrial hub; Ajman; Umm al Qaywayn; Ras al Khaymah; Al Fujayrah; and Sharjah. Oil, discovered in 1958, is the major income earner. Oil wealth brought foreign workers, who now make up about three-quarters of the population. A favorite destination for tourists, the country has a liberal attitude toward other cultures and beliefs.
ECONOMY
- Industry: Petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials
- Agriculture: Dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry; fish
- Exports: Crude oil, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
—Text From National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition
Related Features
-
Your Photos of the Middle East
See images submitted to My Shot of the people, landscapes, and cities that make the Middle East such a beautiful and historic region of the world.
-
Falconry in Abu Dhabi
Historically practiced by the Bedouin, falconry is now a popular pastime in Abu Dhabi. Even today behind almost every camel stable and desert retreat is an aviary of saker falcons.
-
Photo Gallery: Abu Dhabi City
See pictures of the capital city of Abu Dhabi in this travel photo gallery from National Geographic.
