Country name:
conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none
local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
abbreviation: UAE
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
local short form: none
Government type:
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal
government and other powers reserved to member emirates
Capital:
Abu Dhabi
Administrative divisions:
7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi),
'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al
Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Independence:
2 December 1971 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Constitution:
2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Legal system:
federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy
(Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into the
federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil,
criminal, and high courts
Suffrage:
none
Executive branch:
chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2
December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966)
and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October
1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the
seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional
authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions
federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
(since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime
Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group
of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2
December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president;
percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin
Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%,
but believed to be unanimous
Legislative branch:
unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani
(40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states
to serve two-year terms)
elections: none
note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Judicial branch:
Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI
FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA
embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi
mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
telephone: [971] (2) 4436691
FAX: [971] (2) 4435441
consulate(s) general: Dubai
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with
a wider vertical red band on the hoist side