United Arab Emirates Country Handbook This handbook provides

United Arab Emirates Country Handbook

This handbook provides basic reference information on the United Arab

Emirates, including its geography, history, government, military forces, and

communications and transportation networks. This information is intended to

familiarize military per sonnel with local customs and area knowledge to assist

them during their assignment to the United Arab Emirates.

The Marine Corps Intel ligence Activity is the community coordinator for the

Country Hand book Program. This product reﬂects the coordinated U.S. Defense

Intelligence Community position on the United Arab Emirates.

Dissemination and use of this publication is restricted to ofﬁcial military and

government personnel from the United States of America, United Kingdom,

Canada, Australia, and other countries as required and designated for support

of coalition operations.

The photos and text reproduced herein have been extracted solely for research,

comment, and information reporting, and are intended for fair use by designated

personnel in their ofﬁcial duties, including local reproduction for training. Further

dissemination of copyrighted material contained in this docu ment, to include

excerpts and graphics, is strictly prohibited under Title 17, U.S. Code.

iii

CONTENTS

KEY FACTS .................................................................... 1

U.S. MISSION ................................................................. 2

U.S. Embassy .............................................................. 2

U.S. Consulate ............................................................ 2

U.S. Military Facilities ................................................ 4

Al Dhafra Air Base ................................................ 5

Mina Jabal Ali ....................................................... 5

Travel Advisories ........................................................ 6

Entry Requirements .................................................... 7

Customs ................................................................ 7

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE ..................................... 8

Geography ................................................................... 8

Land Statistics ........................................................ 9

Boundaries ............................................................. 9

Border Disputes ..................................................... 10

Bodies of Water ..................................................... 11

Topography ........................................................... 11

Urban Geography ................................................... 13

Climate ........................................................................ 14

Climatic Patterns .................................................... 14

Environment ........................................................... 17

Climatic Phenomena .............................................. 19

INFRASTRUCTURE ...................................................... 19

Transportation ............................................................. 19

Roads ..................................................................... 20

Rail ......................................................................... 25

iviv

Contents (Continued)

Air .......................................................................... 26

Maritime ................................................................ 28

Communication ........................................................... 36

Radio and Television .............................................. 37

Telecommunications .............................................. 38

Newspapers and Magazines ................................... 40

Postal Service ........................................................ 41

Internet ................................................................... 42

Satellites ................................................................. 43

CULTURE ....................................................................... 44

Statistics ...................................................................... 44

Society ........................................................................ 45

People .................................................................... 47

Ethnic Groups ........................................................ 48

Family .................................................................... 48

Roles of Men and Women ...................................... 49

Customs

and Courtesies ............................................. 51

Education and Literacy ............................................... 53

Religion ...................................................................... 56

Recreation ................................................................... 58

Cultural Considerations .............................................. 58

MEDICAL ASSESSMENT ............................................. 60

Disease Risks to Deployed Personnel ......................... 60

Medical Capabilities ................................................... 62

Key Medical Facilities ........................................... 63

HISTORY ......................................................................... 64

Chronology of Key Events .......................................... 70

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS .................................. 72

Government ................................................................. 72

National Level ........................................................ 73

Contents (Continued)

Local Level ............................................................ 76

Key Government Ofﬁcials ..................................... 78

Politics ........................................................................ 79

Political Parties ...................................................... 79

Foreign Relations ................................................... 80

International Organizations .................................... 84

ECONOMY ..................................................................... 85

General Description .................................................... 85

Economic Aid ............................................................. 86

Banking Services ........................................................ 86

Economic Statistics ..................................................... 86

Resources ................................................................... 87

Industry .................................................................. 87

Utilities .................................................................. 89

Water ...................................................................... 90

Agriculture ............................................................. 90

Foreign Investment ................................................ 91

Economic Outlook ................................................. 92

THREAT .......................................................................... 93

Crime .......................................................................... 93

Drug Trafﬁcking ......................................................... 95

Major Intelligence Services ........................................ 96

ARMED FORCES ........................................................... 96

Army ........................................................................... 96

Organization ........................................................... 96

Bases ...................................................................... 99

Personnel ................................................................ 100

Deployments .......................................................... 101

Equipment .............................................................. 101

vivi

Contents (Continued)

Air Force ..................................................................... 104

Organization ........................................................... 104

Mission .................................................................. 104

Bases ...................................................................... 104

Equipment .............................................................. 105

Navy ............................................................................ 105

Organization ........................................................... 106

Bases ...................................................................... 106

Personnel ................................................................ 106

Equipment .............................................................. 107

Coastal Defense .......................................................... 108

Paramilitary ................................................................. 108

National Police ............................................................ 108

APPENDICES

Equipment Recognition ................................................... A-1

Holidays ........................................................................... B-1

Language .......................................................................... C-1

Dangerous Plants and Animals ........................................ D-1

ILLUSTRATIONS

United Arab Emirates ....................................................... viii

National Flag .................................................................... 1

U.S. Embassy – Abu Dhabi .............................................. 3

Dubai City Map ................................................................ 5

Arabian Peninsula ............................................................ 8

Topography ...................................................................... 12

Dubai ................................................................................ 14

vii

Contents (Continued)

Ash Shariqah .................................................................... 15

Abu Dhabi and Ra’s al Khaymah Weather ....................... 16

Sunset Over the Desert ..................................................... 18

Transportation Network ................................................... 20

Camels are Common Transportation ............................... 23

Abu Dhabi ........................................................................ 24

Bus/Boat .......................................................................... 30

Ra’s al Khaymah .............................................................. 33

Al Fujayrah ...................................................................... 35

Population ........................................................................ 46

University of Ash Shariqah .............................................. 55

Grand Mosque Dubai ....................................................... 57

Khalifa bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan ....................................... 74

Administrative Districts ................................................... 77

Loading Barrels of Oil ..................................................... 85

Industry ............................................................................ 88

Pottery Shop ..................................................................... 90

Land Use .......................................................................... 91

Gold Souq ........................................................................ 92

Military Structure ............................................................. 97

Army Insignia .................................................................. 98

Military Bases .................................................................. 100

viii

SAUDI ARABIA

OMAN

Arabian

Gulf

QATAR

OMAN

United Arab Emirates

Expressway

Road

Track

Ruways

Tarif

Habshan

Bu Hasa

Aradah

An Nashshash

Qutuf

Mafraq

Al Khaznah

Al 'Ayn

Mina

Jabal Ali

Masfut

Dubai

Ash Shariqah

Ajman

Umm al

Qaywayn

Ra's al

Khaymah

Ash Sha'm

Adh

Dhayd

Masah

Diba al

Hism

Khawr

Fakkan

Fujayrah

DOHA

ABU AL

ABYAD

ABU

DHABI

United Arab Emirates

KEY FACTS

Ofﬁcial Country Name. United Arab Emirates.

Short Form. UAE.

Head of State. President Khalifa bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 3

November 2004).

Capital. Abu Dhabi.

National Flag. Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white

(middle), and black (bottom); a wide vertical band of red is on the

hoist side.

Time Zone. UTC+4.

Telephone Country Code. 971.

Population. 4.1 million (2005 census).

Languages. Arabic (ofﬁcial); English, Hindi, Persian, and Urdu

are also spoken.

Ofﬁcial Currency. Emirati dirham (AED).

Credit/Debit Card Use. Widely accepted; American Express,

Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa.

ATM Availability. Widely available.

Calendar. Gregorian.

National Flag

U.S. MISSION

U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi is at Embassies District, Plot 38,

Sector W59-02, Street Number 4.

General Embassy Information

Mailing

Address

U.S. Embassy

P.O. Box 4009

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Telephone

Number

(971)-2-414-2200

Duty Ofﬁcer (971)-2-414-2500

Fax Number

(971)-2-414-2603

E-mail

usisamem@emirates.net.ae

Internet

Address

abudhabi.usembassy.gov

Hours

Open Sunday through Thursday 0800 to 1700;

closed on U.S. and UAE public holidays.

American Citizen Services (ACS)

Open Sunday through Thursday 1300 to 1500;

closed on U.S. and UAE public holidays.

U.S. Consulate

The U.S. Consulate provides administrative and emergency assis-

tance for U.S. citizens in the UAE. Registration with the American

Citizen Services (ACS) is recommended for U.S. citizens residing

in or visiting the UAE. The Consulate General in Abu Dhabi is in

the Embassy. Consulate General Dubai is on Floor 21 of the Dubai

World Trade Center on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.

General Consulate Information

Abu Dhabi

Mailing

Address

U.S. Embassy; P.O. Box 4009,

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Telephone

ACS (971)-2-414-2550

Fax

(971)-2-414-2241

Race

Track

Golf

Course

Mushnet

Palace

Mohammed

Bin

Khalifa

Street

Maktoum Street

Street

Dalma

Street

Defence

Al Karamah Street

Street

Sudan

U.S.

Embassy

Police

Saeed Bin Tahnoon

Sultan Bin Zayed

Al Khaleeg Al Arabi Strret

Batin

Palace

Butain

Street

Police

Station

Police

Station

Banunah Street

Sultan Bin Zayed

Al Arabi

Shakhuut Street

Khalifa

Street

Manhal

King Khalid Bin Abdel Aziz

Al Manhal

Palace

Zayed

The First

Khalid Bin Al

Waleed Street

Nasr

Street

Istiglal

Shetkh Khalifa Bin

Zayed The Second St.

Leewa St.

Umm Al Nar

Al Falah

Hazaa Bin Zayed Street

East

Eastern Ring

Khor al

Batin

Arabian Gulf

Central

Hospital

Al Jazeera

Hospital

Dar Al

Shifa

Abu Dhabi

U.S. Embassy – Abu Dhabi

E-mail

Address

ACS: abudhabiACS@state.gov

Immigrant Visa: abudhabiIV@state.gov

Non-Immigrant Visa: abudhabiNIV@state.gov

Internet

abudhabi.usembassy.gov

Hours

Open Sunday through Thursday 0800 to 1700;

closed on U.S. and UAE public holidays.

ACS: Open Sunday through Thursday 1300 to

1500; closed on U.S. and UAE public holidays.

Consulate General Dubai

Mailing

Address

Consulate General of the United States of America

Dubai World Trade Center

P.O. Box 9343

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Telephone

(971)-4-311-6000

Duty Ofﬁcer: (971)-2-414-2500

After Hours Emergency:(971)-2-414-2200

Fax

(971)-4-311-6213

E-mail

Address

dubaiwarden@state.gov

Visa Section: dubaivisaenquiry@state.gov

Internet

dubai.usconsulate.gov

Hours

Open Sunday through Thursday 0730 to 1600;

closed on U.S. and UAE public holidays;

ACS: Open Sunday through Thursday 1230 to

1500; closed on U.S. and UAE public holidays.

U.S. Military Facilities

To provide access to air and naval facilities, the United States

negotiated the Defense Cooperation Agreement with the UAE in

1992. The UAE provides U.S. and Coalition Forces access to its

ports, airﬁelds, and territory in support of military operations in

Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. military has fewer than 100 mili-

tary personnel in the UAE. There are no permanent U.S. military

facilities in the UAE.

Al Dhafra Air Base

Al Dhafra Air Base is 35 kilometers (22 miles) southwest of Abu

Dhabi. U.S. forces used the base during Operations DESERT

SHIELD, DESERT STORM, and SOUTHERN WATCH. The

U.S. Air Force’s 380

Air Expeditionary Wing operates aerial re-

fueling tankers and surveillance/reconnaissance aircraft from the

base. Al Dhafra is expected to become a permanent U.S. air base

for regional operations.

Mina Jabal Ali

Jabal Ali (2500N 05503E) is in Dubai on the Arabian Gulf. The

U.S. Navy uses Jabal Ali more than any other port outside the

Port

Rashid

Khor Dubai

Ad Diyafah Rd.

DUBAI

Al Khaleej

Road

Bu Hail Road

Al Itihad Road

Airport Rd.

Garhoo

Rd.

Umm Hurair

Rd.

Al Qataiyat Rd.

Al Adid

Al Jumeirah Rd.

Rd.

Major Roads

Other Roads

Dubai City Map

United States. U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT),

which includes the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, uses the port as a lo-

gistics hub. Jabal Ali connects by road with Al Fujayrah, a major

port on the Gulf of Oman. Al Fujayrah will act as the logistical

pipeline for the U.S. Navy to the Arabian Gulf should the Strait of

Hormuz be closed.

The closest permanent U.S. military facility to the UAE is Al

Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Al Udeid Air Base had 419 military per-

sonnel at the end of 2007.

Travel Advisories

Travelers are advised to maintain a low proﬁle and exercise a high

level of security awareness. Travel advisories receive routine up-

dates. Most changes apply to safety and security in the UAE. In

June 2008, the U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory

for the UAE regarding possible terrorist activity. Western gov-

ernments warn there is a high threat of terrorist attacks against

Western residential compounds, nightclubs, movie theaters, and

oil and transportation interests.

The violent crime rate is low, but standard precautions should be

kept. There are reports of sexual assaults and petty crimes. U.S.

Embassy ofﬁcials believe crime occurs more often than the local

media reports. Most reports of criminal activity happen in the ex-

patriate community. Physical and verbal harassment of women is

common. Women never should travel alone, particularly at night.

Driving is dangerous, particularly outside urban areas, as drivers

typically go at high speeds and fail to observe trafﬁc rules. Trafﬁc

accidents are a leading cause of death.

Entry Requirements

Travelers to the UAE are recommended to have up-to-date vac-

cinations. Authorities in the region reported outbreaks of avian

inﬂuenza (bird ﬂu) and West Nile virus in 2007. All foreigners

planning to work or reside in the UAE must have an HIV/AIDS

test after arriving; previous test results are not accepted.

U.S. citizens must have a passport and visa to enter the UAE.

Visitors staying fewer than 60 days are issued a visa free of charge

at the port of entry. Visitors whose passports include evidence of

travel to Israel may face signiﬁcant delays. All military personnel

must present a valid passport upon entry and exit. The UAE does

not recognize U.S. military ID cards as travel documents.

As of 2007, all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have

travel agreements allowing GCC citizens to travel without a pass-

port between member countries. There is no international travel or

open border agreement between the United States and the UAE.

Customs

Travelers never should import or export pornographic, politically

subversive, or religiously offensive material. Penalties for attempt-

ing to smuggle narcotics are severe. Videos, DVDs, and books

may be subject to censorship. Do not attempt to import goods

manufactured in Israel, pork products, gambling items, or any-

thing offensive to Islamic morals and values.

Special permission is required to import alcohol, prescription

drugs, ﬁrearms, telecomunication equipment, and antiques.

A reasonable amount of cigarettes, cigars, tobacco, and perfume

may be imported duty-free along with personal belongings, as

well as personal cameras and less than US$10,000.

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

Geography

The UAE is in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula at the

southern end of the Arabian Gulf. Saudi Arabia is to the west and

south, and Oman is to the east and northeast along the Musandam

Peninsula. UAE is a low-lying desert country with infrequent

Arabian

Gulf

Gulf of

Oman

Gulf of

Aden

Arabian

Sea

Gulf of

Med.

Sea

R e d

S e a

Dead

Sea

KUWAIT

OMAN

AFGHANISTAN

UNITED ARAB

EMIRATES

SYRIA

JORDAN

ISR

LEB

IRAQ

EGYPT

SUDAN

ERITREA

ETHIOPIA

DJIBOUTI

YEMEN

SOMALIA

OMAN

SAUDI ARABIA

QATAR

IRAN

BAHRAIN

BAGHDAD

KUWAIT

MANAMA

DOHA

ABU DHABI

MUSCAT

SANAA

DJIBOUTI

RIYADH

BEIRUT

DAMASCUS

AMMAN

300 km

200 mi

100

100 2000

Arabian Peninsula

rainfall and harsh weather conditions. It has ﬂat and rolling des-

ert landscapes with rocky plains and mountains in the northeast.

There are no permanent rivers or lakes. The highest point above

sea level is 1,527 meters (5,010 feet).

Land Statistics

Total Area 83,600 square kilometers (32,278 square miles)

Coastline 1,318 kilometers (819 miles)

UAE’s Offshore and land reclamation projects are extending the

coastline. To the north and east is the Strait of Hormuz, which

connects the Arabian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. The Arabian

Gulf forms the UAE northern coastline for more than 650 kilome-

ters (404 miles). Many islands are located along the coastline. The

Gulf of Oman forms the eastern coastline and extends for about 90

kilometers (56 miles) along the Al Batinah coast.

Area Comparative Slightly smaller than Maine

Central Coordinates 2400N 05400E

Land Usage Cultivated: 2.7% (2003)

Inhabited: 9.1%

Boundaries

Direction Country Length kilometers (miles)

North and East Oman 410 kilometers (255 miles)

South and West Saudi Arabia 457 kilometers (284 miles)

North Arabian Gulf 1,318 kilometers (819 miles)

Total 2,185 kilometers (1,358 miles)

Border Disputes

Saudi Arabia

A 1974 agreement between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia would

have settled a border dispute. However, the UAE has yet to ratify

it, and Saudi Arabia does not recognize it. The Shaybah Oilﬁeld,

which straddles the border, is the main reason the dispute continues.

The oilﬁeld has an estimated 15.7 billion barrels of oil and 707 bil-

lion cubic meters (25 trillion cubic feet) of gas. The 1974 agreement

cut off the UAE land border with Qatar by giving Saudi Arabia

24 kilometers (15 miles) of coastline east from Khwar Udaid when

Saudi Arabia relinquished claims to the Al-Buraymi area.

Oman

The UAE and Oman signed and ratiﬁed an agreement in 2003 de-

marcating the border. The Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah

areas were at the center of the border dispute. A fence lines the

entire UAE border with Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Iran

The UAE and Iran dispute Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser

Tunb Islands, which Iran occupies. The islands are strategically lo-

cated in the Strait of Hormuz about 55 kilometers (34 miles) from

the UAE and 69 kilometers (43 miles) from Iran. The Mubarak

Oilﬁeld is offshore near Abu Musa. Iran landed troops on the

Tunb Islands in 1971, violating the memorandum of understand-

ing that allowed Iran’s military forces to be based only at Abu

Musa. Iranian troops took control of all three islands after expel-

ling UAE forces from Abu Musa in 1992. Iran rejected a 1996

proposal from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to have the

International Court of Justice (ICJ) settle the dispute.

Bodies of Water

The UAE has no permanent rivers or lakes. Rains may cause ﬂash

ﬂoods, which ﬁll wadis (dry riverbeds) for brief periods. Permanent

water sources are available high in the mountains.

There are oases at Al Ayn, Al-Liwa, and Al-Buraymi. Al-Liwa

Oasis is in the south near the undeﬁned border with Saudi Arabia.

Al-Buraymi Oasis extends across the border with Oman in the

northeast of the Abu Dhabi emirate. Sebkhas (salt ﬂats) are found

along coastal areas, in dry riverbeds, and in low-lying basins in the

desert. Lagoons are along both coastlines.

Topography

The UAE is primarily desert, extending from the Arabian Gulf

coast south into Saudi Arabia and east into Oman. The UAE

northwestern coastline along the Arabian Gulf coast has sebkhas

(salt ﬂats) that run inland. Along the east coast, also known as Al-

Batinah, beaches extend for about 90 kilometers (56 miles) along

the Gulf of Oman. The desert has vast expanses of sand and dunes

with occasional sebkhas and oases. Desert turns into gravel plains

in the northeast, extending southward from the coast of Ra’s al-

Khaymah to Al Ayn.

Al-Hajar al-Gharbi Mountains split the UAE from north to south

in the northeastern emirates along the Al-Batinah coast. The

mountains begin at the UAE-Oman border on the Musandam

Peninsula and extend southeastward for about 150 kilometers (93

miles) along the border to the Gulf of Oman.

The Rub al-Khali (Empty Quarter) is a large desert that extends

into the south and west Abu Dhabi emirate from Saudi Arabia.

The Rub al-Khali extends into Qatar, Kuwait, western Oman, and

Yemen.

Sand dunes in the Rub al-Khali reach heights of more than

100 meters (328 feet). The color of the sand is orange red.

Highest Elevation: Jabal Yibir 1,527 meters (5,010 feet)

Lowest Elevation: Arabian Gulf sea level

Vegetation is limited to hardy shrubs and small plants that can

withstand high salinity soils and minimal precipitation. Species

vary throughout the year, and some are affected by winter rain-

fall. Areas near sebkhas have dense growth of salt-loving plants.

Oases provide water for farms, fodder, and fruit orchards. Produce

includes mangoes, grapevines, guava, lemons, ﬁgs, and bananas.

SAUDI ARABIA

OMAN

Arabian

Gulf

QATAR

OMAN

Ruways

Tarif

Habshan

Bu Hasa

Aradah

An Nashshash

Qutuf

Mafraq

Khaznah

'Ayn

Mina

Jabal Ali

Mafut

Dubai

Ash Shariqah

Ajman

Umm al

Qaywayn

Ra's al

Khaymah

Ash Sha'm

Adh

Dhayd

Masah

Diba al

Hism

Khawr

Fakkan

Fujayrah

DOHA

ABU AL

ABYAD

ABU

DHABI

Elevations

2000 m/6562 ft

500 m/ 1640 ft

Sea Level

UAE

Topography

Mangrove forests, covering 40 square kilometers (15 square

miles), grow in patches along several Arabian Gulf coastal ar-

eas and islands. Areas where mangrove forests grow include Abu

Dhabi, Umm al-Qaywayn, Khor Kalba, and Ra’s al-Khaymah.

Government programs and conservation efforts have increased the

area of mangrove forests.

Cross-country Movement

Four-wheel-drive vehicles are best suited for cross-country travel.

Vehicles and travelers should be well equipped for the desert en-

vironment. Cross-country travel should be conducted with two or

more well-maintained, four-wheel-drive vehicles with adequate

food, water, and fuel supplies.

Drivers of wheeled vehicles should prepare for poor mobility in

off-road conditions. Knowledge of the terrain, along with updated

maps and a global positioning system (GPS), is recommended, as

well as a cell or satellite phone.

Dust storms, sand storms, insects (spiders, camel spiders, and

scorpions), and poisonous snakes may affect cross-country move-

ments. Earthquakes in the mountainous northeastern regions also

may hinder cross-country movement.

Urban Geography

The modern cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai have tree-lined wide

streets and rows of high-rise buildings overlooking waterfronts.

Shopping malls and movie theaters are in Dubai, Ash Shariqah,

and Abu Dhabi. Restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, hotels, and bou-

tiques are available. City streets and roads are well marked with

signs in English and Arabic. Municipalities are divided into num-

bered zones for easier navigation. There are many central govern-

ment institutions, banks, and oil companies.

Dubai’s traditional architecture consists of residential homes,

mosques, souqs (markets), forts, and watchtowers. Older areas

have narrow alleyways and buildings that are designed to increase

air ﬂow and shade.

Traditional houses in Dubai are built around an

al housh (courtyard); the same design applies to modern houses.

The al housh provides a private area for family members.

Climate

Climatic Patterns

The UAE has a hot, dry desert climate. Annual rainfall is between

100 to 200 millimeters (3.9 to 7.9 inches), but it can be as much

as 350 millimeters (13.8 inches) in mountainous areas. Rain often

Port

Rashid

Khor Dubai

Ad Diyafah Rd.

DUBAI

Al Khaleej

Road

Bu Hail Road

Al Itihad Road

Airport Rd.

Garhoo

Rd.

Umm Hurair

Rd.

Al Qataiyat Rd.

Al Adid

Al Jumeirah Rd.

Rd.

Major Roads

Other Roads

Dubai

Sheikh

Port

Khalid

Deep

Water

Harbor

Khor Khalid

SHARJAH CITY

Al Minia Road

Al Wahda Road

Al Qasimia Road

Kuwait Road

Al Wahda Road

Road

Khan Road

Arouba Road

Sheikh Sultan Al Awal Road

Khor

Suq Basin

Arabian

Gulf

Road

Khalid

Corniche

Road

King Faisal

Sheikh

Zayed

Road

Sheihk Mohd

Bin Saqr Al

Qasimi Road

Sheihk Sultan

Bin Saqr Al

Qasimi Road

Corniche Road

Bootina Street

Major Roads

Other Roads

Ash Shariqah

100

120

110

100

120

110

J F M A M J J A S O N D

TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATION

ABU DHABI

Elevation: 89 Ft

TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATION

RAS AL KHAIMAH

Elevation: 102 Ft.

Extreme

High

Average High

Average Low

Extreme

High

Average High

Average Low

Snow

Rain

Snow

Rain

Abu Dhabi and Ra’s al Khaymah Weather

comes in short, torrential bursts, and most of the annual rainfall is

between November and March.

Humidity is high along the coast. Temperatures are cooler in the

northeastern mountains. Summer is long and has high daily tem-

peratures. Rain usually accompanies summer months.

Environment

Air and water pollution and insufﬁcient water resources are seri-

ous environmental problems.

Rapid growth has deteriorated the

natural ecosystem, reducing its already limited water resources.

The UAE relies on desalination plants to compensate for lack of

freshwater resources. In Abu Dhabi, water is consumed 26 times

faster than it is replenished from groundwater reserves. Pollution

and dust from the transportation and industrial sectors affect air

quality in populated areas. The petroleum sector is a major source

of air pollution.

Overgrazing affects natural vegetation and the desert ecosystem.

The UAE has implemented major forestation projects and envi-

ronmental protections to combat desertiﬁcation. Forests cover 3.7

percent (3,120 square kilometers [33,583 square feet]) of the land

area. Forests are protected and tropical.

Environmental affairs are the responsibility of the Federal

Environmental Agency (FEA), which is subordinate to the

Ministry of Environment and Water. FEA implements environ-

mental policies at the national level and appraises environmen-

tal studies to ensure state policies do not have negative impacts.

Agencies working at the emirate level include the Environment

Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), Environment and Protected Areas

Authority (EPAA) in Ash Shariqah, and Environment Protection

and Development Authority (EPDA) in Ra’s al-Khaymah.

The UAE has numerous policies regarding pollution, desertiﬁca-

tion, grazing management, wildlife management, water scarcity,

protected areas, and agriculture practices.

The UAE is also a party to many international agreements regard-

ing biodiversity, climate change, desertiﬁcation, endangered spe-

cies, hazardous waste disposal, marine dumping, and ozone layer

protection programs.

Sunset Over the Desert Photo by Bruno Girin

Climatic Phenomena

Shamal

Shamal winds blow during summer and winter over the Arabian

Peninsula in a northwesterly direction. The storms are strong

during the day, but less intense at night. Winds lift ﬁne particles

of dust and sand to form dense clouds that restrict visibility and

breathing. Activities may become hazardous as “brown outs” oc-

cur. These thick clouds may decrease visibility, communication,

and navigation for days at a time.

Cyclones

In 2007, Tropical Cyclone Gonu ﬂooded much of the UAE east

coast. Gonu was the strongest storm to hit the UAE since record

keeping began. Cyclones in the Gulf region rarely form over

the Arabian Sea (northern Indian Ocean); fewer come ashore.

Cyclones affect the region during spring and summer.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Transportation

The UAE has a modern system with road networks, international

airports, and seaports. Roads are the primary means of domes-

tic travel, and seaports are dominant for trading. Airlines provide

ﬂights to and from numerous international destinations. There are

no railroads, although the government is investing in a national

railroad and a metro system for the Dubai City area.

A general terrorist threat against transportation and infrastruc-

ture exists. Western governments receive reports of terrorist plots

against their interests. Weather phenomena, such as sand and dust

storms, affect all transportation sectors.

Roads

By 2004, the UAE had 4,030 kilometers (2,504 miles) of paved

roads. Primary, secondary, and truck roads link interior regions

with coastal areas. The road network is undergoing massive devel-

opment to ease trafﬁc ﬂow, particularly in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Primary roads are classiﬁed as Emirates Roads (E roads). Major

routes include E10, E11, E22, E45, and E66. Running between

Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Al Ayn are E11 and E22 with dual three-

or four-lane highways. All other E roads are dual two-lane or sin-

gle-lane highways. E75 and E30 are truck routes. E roads also run

between UAE cities and neighboring countries.

SAUDI ARABIA

OMAN

Arabian

Gulf

QATAR

OMAN

United Arab Emirates

Expressway

Road

Track

Major Airport

Major Port

Ruways

Tarif

Habshan

Bu Hasa

Aradah

An Nashshash

Qutuf

Mafraq

Khaznah

'Ayn

Mina

Jabal Ali

Masfut

Dubai

Ash Shariqah

Ajman

Umm al

Qaywayn

Ra's al

Khaymah

Ash Sha'm

Adh

Dhayd

Masah

Diba al

Hism

Khawr

Fakkan

Fujayrah

DOHA

ABU AL

ABYAD

ABU

DHABI

Transportation Network

Primary Roads

Roads Lane Information Connections Cities

E10 6 lanes (3 per direction) E11, E15, secondary

roads

Abu Dhabi to

As Shahamah

connecting Dubai

E11 4 lanes (2 per direction) from Gwaifat

to Mafraq (outside Abu Dhabi) and

between Dubai and Ra’s al-Khaymah;

6 lanes (3 per direction) through Abu

Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra’s al- Khaymah

E10, E16, E20, E22,

E30, E15, E45, E65,

E75, E77, secondary

roads

Gwaifat via

Abu Dhabi and

Dubai to Ra’s al-

Khaymah

E15 4 lanes (2 per direction) E11, E90, secondary

roads

Arada via Gayathi

to Ruwais

E16 4 lanes (2 per direction); some sections

are 2 lanes (1 per direction)

E11, E20, E22,

secondary roads

E11 to Al Ayn via

Sweihan

E20 6 lanes (3 per direction from Abu Dhabi

to Zayed Military City; 4 lanes (2 per

direction) from Zayed to Al Hiyar

E11, E16, E22, E30,

E66, E75, E95,

secondary roads

Abu Dhabi to Al

Hiyar

E22 6 lanes (3 per direction) E10, E16, E20, E30,

E66, E75, E95,

secondary roads

Abu Dhabi to Al

Ayn

E30 Truck Route; 2 lanes (1 per direction);

small sections of 4 lanes (2 per

direction); expanding to 6 lanes into Abu

Dhabi after E11 junction

E11, E22, E40,

secondary roads

Abu Dhabi to Al

Ayn

E40 2 lanes (1 per direction); small sections

near Al Ayn are 4 and 6 lanes

E30, E95, secondary

roads

Al Khatam to Al

Ayn

E45 4 lanes (2 per direction); 6 lanes (3 per

direction) through Madinat Zayed

E11, E90, secondary

roads

Madinat Zayed,

Liwa

E65 2 lanes (1 per direction); 4 lanes (2 per

direction) near Himeem and E11

E11, E90, secondary

roads

Himeem to E11

E66 6 lanes (3 per direction); 4 lanes (2 per

direction) between Al Faq and Al Ayn

E20, E22, E44, E55,

E95, secondary roads

Al Ayn to Dubai

via Al Hiyar and

Al Faq

E75 Truck Route; 2 lanes (1 per direction);

small sections of 6 lanes (3 per

direction) near junctions

E11, E16, E20, E22,

E30, E311, secondary

roads

Abu Dhabi to

Dubai

E90 4 lanes (2 per direction) until Himeem, 2

lanes (1 per direction) Himeem/E65 and

Himeem/E95

E15, E45, E65, E95,

secondary roads

Arada via Himeem

to E95

E95 2 lanes (1 per direction); small sections

in Al Wegan and southern Al Ayn are 4

lanes, 6 lanes available closer to Al Ayn

E40, E22, secondary

roads

Connects Al Ayn

and Al Wegan to

E90

Massive building projects in Dubai have increased trafﬁc and led to

heavy congestion, particularly during peak hours. Dubai’s Road and

Transportation Authority (RTA) is building more roads and bridges

under a strategic plan that covers Dubai’s transportation needs to

2020. The RTA intends to spend US$12 billion on upgrades.

Trafﬁc drives on the right side of the road. Driving along roadways

is dangerous, particularly outside urban areas, as drivers go at very

high speeds and fail to observe trafﬁc rules. Trafﬁc accidents are a

leading cause of death. Hazards include insufﬁcient road signage,

roaming animals, careless pedestrians, and sand drifts. Roads in

Dubai and Ash Shariqah ﬂood during winter when rainfall is heavy.

Buses and taxis are public ground transportation available in the

UAE. Bus services are limited; they run daily from Oman to

Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Buses also run between Abu Dhabi and

Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Most hotels run bus services

to airports, city centers, and resorts. Women have reserved seats

on buses. Women should never travel alone, particularly at night.

The RTA plans to introduce bus services exclusively for women.

RTA will have 620 new luxury buses, including 300 long buses

and 170 with double decks. RTA projects public buses will run 160

routes by 2010; this would cover 95 percent of Dubai City.

Taxis are readily available and inexpensive. They can be reserved

by telephone or ﬂagged down in the street. There is a surcharge for

air-conditioned taxis. Rates vary depending on location. Travelers

only should use ofﬁcially marked taxis with meters. If using taxis

without meters, agree on the price before departing. Avoid shared

or service taxis. In Dubai, there is a ﬂeet of pink taxis that pro-

vides service only to women.

Abras (water taxis) operate along the coastal waterways. Service

is available in Dubai, Deira, and Ash Shariqah. The RTA plans to

open 20 abras stations in Dubai during 2009.

The Saadiyat Bridge in Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open in 2009. It

will have ten lanes, ﬁve in each direction, and two urban rail lines.

The bridge will link to an expressway that is under construction,

connecting Abu Dhabi International Airport to Saadiyat Island.

This connection reduces the distance 25 kilometers (15.5 miles).

Constructed from prestressed and reinforced concrete, Saadiyat

Bridge is to be 1,455 meters (4,774 feet) long, 60 meters (197 feet)

wide, and a maximum height of 35 meters (115 feet) above the

water. The main span is 200 meters (656 feet) long.

A ﬂoating concrete bridge opened in June 2007 in Dubai. The

bridge is 360 meters (1,181 feet) long, 3.3 meters (11 feet) high,

and 6 meters (20 feet) wide. The bridge was built to ease trafﬁc on

the Maktoum and Garhoud bridges. The Business Bay Crossing,

which is under construction in Dubai, will have 13 trafﬁc lanes.

Some trafﬁc lanes are already in use.

Camels are Common Transportation

In Abu Dhabi and Dubai, workers are constructing and expanding

tunnels to ease trafﬁc. In Dubai, workers are building rail tunnels

along the metro line.

Abu Dhabi

Construction on the Al Salam Tunnel in Abu Dhabi began in 2008.

The tunnel will connect Abu Dhabi’s northeast entrance to Mina

Zayed. The 3.1 kilometer (2 mile) long tunnel is being constructed

15 meters (49 feet) below Al Salam Street. The tunnel will have

eight lanes — four each direction — connecting Abu Dhabi with

Reem Island. The tunnel is scheduled to be ﬁnished in 2011.

Dubai

The Palm Jumeirah Vehicular Tunnel is the only connection for

vehicles between Palm Island and the outer crescent. The tunnel

is 1.4 kilometers (less than one mile) long, 38 meters (125 feet)

wide, 5.5 meters (18 feet) high, and has a maximum grade of 6

percent. The lowest point at its center is 25 meters (82 feet) under

Abu Dhabi

water. Two walkways in each direction allow pedestrians through

the tunnel. The channel above the tunnel allows for a maximum

draft of 10 meters (33 feet). Construction on the tunnel was com-

pleted in 2007.

Al-Shindagha Tunnel is a four-lane road, two per direction, run-

ning under the Dubai Creek and connecting the neighborhoods of

Deira and Al-Shindagha. The tunnel opened in 1975. There is also

a road tunnel to Dubai International Airport.

Rail

The UAE has no rail network. However, a national railway to

connect all seven emirates has been proposed. The National

Transportation Authority (NTA) plans to lay the tracks in

two phases. Phase one will extend along the coast connecting

Ghewaifat, which is near the western border with Saudi Arabia,

to Mina Jabal Ali in the emirate of Dubai. The second phase will

connect Mina Jabal Ali to Mina Saqr in the emirate of Ra’s al-

Khaymah. Other stops will be located in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, Al-

Dhaid, Al Fujayrah, and Khwar Fakkan. The tracks are expected

to be completed by 2015. Trains will carry dry bulk, cement, sand,

rock, and petrochemicals. Passenger services may be added later.

Dubai Municipality is ﬁnancing the US$4.2 billion construction

of the Dubai Metro, which began in 2006. It will run 87 driverless

trains along two lines: Red and Green. The metro system will be

able to carry 1.8 million passengers daily. This rail system will

accommodate two lines of 1.435 meter (4.7 feet) wide urban light

rail totaling 74.6 kilometers (46.3 miles). Trains will run along

44.1 kilometers (27.4 miles) of elevated track and 12.6 kilometers

(7.8 miles) of underground track.

The Red Line will link Jabal Ali Port and Al-Rashidiya. There

will be 29 stations, four of which will be underground, along the

Red Line between Al-Rashidiya and Jabal Ali.

The Green Line will have 14 metro stations, six underground and

eight at ground level, and will allow access from Al-Ittihad to Al-

Rashidiya bus station through Deira City and Dubai International

Airport Terminals 1 and 3. There will be two interchange stations,

Al-Ittihad and Burjuman, connecting with the Red Line.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is working on

plans for two more lines, Blue and Purple, which will provide

transit routes between Dubai International Airport and Jabal Ali

Airport and to other areas of the city. The Purple Line will pro-

vide service along the Al-Khail Road; the Blue Line will service

the Emirates Road.

Construction is expected from March 2009 through December

2012. Dubai Metro will operate between the hours of 0500 and

0030. Special sections of the train will be reserved for only women

and children. The total planned system will be 318 kilometers- (198

miles-) long upon completion in 2020. The Dubai Municipality

Public Transport Department will operate Dubai Metro.

The Palm Jumeriah monorail project in Dubai will cost US$381

million. Four driverless trains, each consisting of three railcars,

will operate along the Palm Jumeriah Monorail. The trains are

capable of carrying up to 2,400 passengers per hour per direction.

The monorail will extend 2 kilometers (1.2 mile) to link with the

Dubai Metro in 2010.

Air

As of 2007, the UAE had 39 airports and 5 heliports. Twenty-

two airports have paved runways, ten of which are longer than

3,047 meters (9,997 feet). Most unpaved runways are shorter than

1,523 meters (4,997 feet). Arzanah (2446N 05233E), Das Island

(2508N 05252E), Jabal Dhana (2411N 05236E), and Zirku (2451N

05304E) are private airﬁelds.

Primary Air Facilities

Airport Coordinates Elevation

m (ft)

Runway

Dimensions

m (ft)

Runway

Surface

Abu Dhabi International 2425N

05439E

27 (86) 4,100 x 45

(13,451 x 148)

Asphalt

Al Ayn International 2415N

05536E

265 (869) 4,000 x 45

(13,123 x 148)

Asphalt

Al Dhafra Air Base

(Military)

2414N

05432E

23 (75) 3,661 x 46

(12,011 x 151)

Asphalt

Two identical

runways

Asphalt

Al Bateen

(Military-Civilian Joint Use)

2425N

05427E

5 (16) 3,200 x 46

(10,499 x 151)

Asphalt

Das Island

(Private)

2508N

05252E

4 (13) 1,078 x 30

(3,537 x 98)

Macadam

Crushed

Rock

Dubai International 2515N

05521E

19 (62) 4,000 x 46

(13,123 x 151)

Asphalt

4,000 x 60

(13,123 x 197)

Asphalt

Al Fujayrah International 2506N

05619E

46 (151) 3,750 x 45

(12,303 x 148)

Asphalt

Minhad Air Base

(Military)

2501N

05522E

50 (165) 3,953 x 45

(12,970 x 148)

Asphalt

Ra’s al-Khaymah 2536N

05556E

31 (102) 3,760 x 45

(12,336 x 148)

Asphalt

Ash Shariqah International

(Military-Civilian Joint Use)

2519N

05531E

34 (112) 4,060 x 45

(13,320 x 148)

Asphalt

Airlines regularly serving the UAE include Air India, Alitalia,

China Airlines, Continental Airlines, Egyptair, Iran Aseman

Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Sri Lankan

Airlines, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways. The

national airlines are Emirates and Etihad.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration assessed the UAE

Civil Aviation Authority as being compliant (Category 1) with

International Civil Aviation Organizations (ICAO) safety standards.

Personal baggage is screened upon entering airport terminals, with

the exception of customers using the Emirates First and Business

Class check in. All checked baggage undergoes screening again af-

ter check in. All baggage and carry-on items are X-rayed and physi-

cally inspected; all passengers are screened with handheld metal

detectors. Security screens all passengers and baggage again at a

central security checkpoint. Security screens passengers transfer-

ring between ﬂights at Dubai International before granting entry

into the departure areas. Visitors are encouraged to check for a list

of approved items before travelling.

Upon arrival, travelers pick up baggage at an assigned terminal

and customs ofﬁcials X-ray for prohibited items before travelers

depart the airport. Airports across the UAE have advanced se-

curity systems such as access controls, biometrics, surveillance

cameras, metal detectors, X-ray machines, and baggage scanners.

Company vehicles working at airports must have passes and spe-

cial markings to access airport areas.

Maritime

The UAE joined the International Maritime Organization (IMO)

in 1980. Under IMO agreements, the UAE meets maritime safety

and pollution guidelines.

The UAE is a signatory to the Container Security Initiative (CSI),

which allows U.S. Customs and Border Protection ofﬁcers to be

stationed at its port terminals to inspect random containers des-

tined for the U.S. Dubai Ports Authority became the ﬁrst Middle

Eastern port administration to join the CSI. Also, the UAE is a

signatory of proliferation security initiative (PSI) and participated

in exercises during 2008. The PSI allows U.S. personnel to inter-

dict vessels suspected of containing materials that can be used to

construct and deliver weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Primary Ports

Primary ports have berthing availability in length for vessels more

than 152 meters (500 feet).

Port Coordinates

Anchor Depth

m (ft)

Pier Depth

m (ft)

Al Fujayrah 2510N 05621E 23.2 (over 76) 9.4-10.7 (31-35)

Khawr Fakkan 2521N 05623E 16 (52) 11-12.2 (36-40)

Mina Saqr 2558N 05603E 20.1-21.3 (66-70) 11-12.2 (36-40)

Mubarraz Oil Terminal 2428N 05322E 15.5-16.8 (51-55) N/A

Khwar Umm al-Qaywayn 2535N 05535E 11-12.2 (36-40) 9.4-10.7 (31-35)

Al-Hamriyah 2528N 05529E 15.5-16.8 (51-55) 14-15.2 (46-50)

Dubai (Rashid) 2516N 05517E 9.4-10.7 (31-35) 11-12.2 (36-40)

Mina Jabal Ali 2500N 05503E 15.5-16.8 (51-55) 11-12.2 (36-40)

Das Island 2509N 05252E 23.2 ( over 76) 4.9-6.1 (16-20)

Abu Dhabi (Mina Zayed) 2432N 05423E 11-12.2 (36-40) 6.4-7.6 (21-25)

Umm al-Nar 2427N 05429E 9.4 to 10.7 (31 to 35) 6.4-7.6 (21-25)

Abu Dhabi Ports

Mina Zayed is Abu Dhabi’s main general cargo port. Jabal Dharna,

Umm al-Nar, Das Island, Zirku, and Mubarraz are the major pe-

troleum ports. As of 2007, Mina Zayed handled more than 3.8

million tons of cargo. The port is capable of handling roll on/roll

off vessels, tankers, general cargo, and containers. The port can

accommodate refrigerated goods. Twenty-one berths are avail-

able; 13 are general cargo berths with depths between 13 and 15

meters (43 and 49 feet). The total quayside measures 4,300 meters

(14,108 feet). Four deepwater berths (two 15 meters [49 feet] and

two 13 meters [43 feet]) handle container trafﬁc along a quayside

measuring 1,000 meters (3,281feet). The roll on/roll off ramp is

200 meters (656 feet) long and has a quay depth of 10.5 meters (34

feet). Tanker berths are 15 meters (49 feet) deep and can accom-

modate vessels with an overall length of 183 meters (600 feet) and

a maximum draft of 12.4 meters (41 feet).

Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) is building a new major facil-

ity, Khalifa Port, in Al-Taweelah. Al-Taweelah is halfway between

Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Construction has begun, and the ﬁrst phase

is scheduled to operate by 2011. Then, Mina Zayed will relocate

to Khalifa Port. ADPC will control operations, and Dubai Ports

World (DPW) will manage the port. In the ﬁrst phase, Khalifa will

have a handling capacity of two million TEUs (20-foot equivalent

units) and become Abu Dhabi’s primary port.

Bus/Boat Photo by Christopher Walker

Dubai Ports

Mina Jabal Ali, which primarily handles bulk cargo and industrial

materials, is the largest port in the UAE as well as the largest

man-made port in the world. The handling capacity of Jabal Ali

increased to 15 million TEUs in 2008, and the port is undergoing

expansion. By 2020, Jabal Ali will add 2,500 meters (8,202 feet)

of quay with 82 berths, 125 quayside cranes, support equipment,

and a draft of 17 meters (56 feet). The port will be able to handle

21.8 million containers annually. Connections to the port begin in

September 2009 with Dubai’s new Red Line metro.

Dubai is ranked as the eighth busiest container port in the world

with 8.9 million TEUs in 2006, up from the 10th busiest and 6.4

million TEUs in 2004. Container throughput in 2007 was 10.6

million TEUs. Dubai is also the third largest re-export hub after

Hong Kong and Singapore. Jabal Ali accommodates cruise ships

at a 3,000-square-meter (32,292 square foot) terminal. Ferry ser-

vices are available at Jabal Ali with connections to Bahrain, Iran,

Iraq, Qatar, and Umm Qasr. Berthing facilities are available for

roll on/roll off vessels and tankers.

Al-Hamriyah Port accommodates small and medium vessels,

but it can also hold large cargo vessels. Non-containerized break

bulk cargo, liquid petroleum, and petrochemical vessels are the

primary clients at Al-Hammriyah. The port has a draft of 16

meters (52 feet).

Rashid has a quay length of 1,400 meters (4,593 feet) and a depth

of 13 meters (43 feet). Five berthing areas and nine cranes are

available. Throughput was 1.2 million TEUs in 2005; the maxi-

mum capacity of the port was 1.5 million TEUs. Rashid and Jabal

Ali merged in 1991 to form the Dubai Ports Authority.

Ash Shariqah Ports

Ash Shariqah is the only emirate with a port on both UAE coasts.

Mina Khalid is in Ash Shariqah City. Port Khalid was dredged in

the early 1980s to enable access for deeper draft vessels. The port

serves tankers, container vessels, roll on/roll off ships, and smaller

vessels such as coasters, supply boats, tugs, barges, and crew boats.

Mina Khalid can handle 400,000 TEUs annually. Construction

began in 2007 to expand. A new berth will be created, and overall

draft will increase to 12.5 meters (41 feet). Storage space will be

expanded 30,000 square meters (322,917 square feet).

The second port is on the east coast. Khawr Fakkan Container

Terminal (KCT) accommodates most vessels. A modern highway

connects KCT with industrial and urban centers on the UAE gulf

coast. During the ﬁrst expansion, handling and storage capacity

increased, four cranes were installed, and quay length was en-

larged to 1500 meters (4,921 feet). Then the container-handling

capacity rose to three million TEUs a year.

Another expansion approved by the Ash Shariqah government

will add about 400 meters (1,312 feet) of quay and up to six cranes.

Khawr Fakkan is the only natural deepwater port in the region,

and its 16 meter- (52 feet) deep quay is protected by breakwater of

800 meters (2,625 feet).

Ra’s al-Khaymah Ports

Mina Saqr spent US$60 million to improve container handling and

add four new berths with an advanced container scanning system.

Mina Saqr has eight deepwater berths, four of which are new, each

200 meters (656 feet) long. The port is dredged to 12.2 meters (40

feet). Mina Saqr also accommodates roll on/roll off vessels.

With completion of a 400-meter (1,312 foot) berth, Mina Saqr’s

will increase handling capacity to 800,000 TEUs by 2012. A third

expansion will increase port capacity to three million TEUs by

2020. Cement, marble, and gravel from nearby quarries and facto-

ries are shipped from Mina Saqr.

Port Saqr

Deep Water Harbor

RAS AL

KHAIMAH CITY

Bridge Road

Al Gorm Road

Oman Road

Al Khor Road

Arabian

Gulf

Jezaah Road

Sheihk Saqr

Bin Mohammed Road

Khor Rhas

al Khaimah

Al Quawasim Corniche

King Faisal Road

Ferry

Major Roads

Other Roads

Ra’s al Khaymah

Ajman Port

Ajman Port has eight berths to handle container and general car-

go. The port has been dredged to 8 meters (26 feet), with plans

to deepen to 10.5 meters (34 feet). This would enable visits by

40,000- to 50,000-dead weight tonnage (dwt) vessels up to 175

meters (574 feet) long. Cargo is stored in warehouses covering an

area of 43,200 square meters (465,001 square feet). There are also

special facilities to handle chemicals, waste paper, and fodder.

Maintenance services are available, as are two dry docks and eight

wharves. One berth is reserved for wooden boats and launches.

Ajman handled approximately 50,000 TEUs in 2006.

Umm al-Qaywayn

The Ahmed bin Rashid Port and Free Zone is in Umm al-Qaywayn

about 48 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Dubai. The complex

comprises four wharves with a wall 845 meters (2,772 feet). Umm

al-Qaywayn handles ocean-going vessels. The entrance channel

has a minimum depth of 10 meters (33 feet) and a width of 100

meters (328 feet).

Al Fujayrah Port

Al Fujayrah Port commissioned an additional 150,000 cubic me-

ters (5.3 million cubic feet) of onshore bunker storage facilities

in 2005, allowing it to supply 12 million tons of fuel oil a year.

Al Fujayrah’s deepwater facility has 1.4 kilometers (less than one

mile) of quay and an additional 720 meters (2,362 feet) of tanker

berths. The port is dredged to 15 meters (49 feet) with storage for

up to 30,000 TEUs. Upgrades to the Al Fujayrah terminal will

include new cranes and handling equipment. DPW operates the

container terminal while the Port of Al Fujayrah handles all non-

containerized cargo such as oil and crushed rock. Al Fujayrah has

roll on/roll off and bulk loading services.

Vessels

In 2006, the total number of vessels in the UAE merchant ﬂeet was

417. Forty-two percent of the 1,000 Gross Register Tonnage (GRT)

or over ﬂeet were petroleum tankers, but cargo ships, bulk carriers,

liqueﬁed gas ships, chemical tankers, container ships, and roll on/

Gulf

Oman

Al Maktoum Road

AL FUJAIRAH CITY

Road

Sharqi Road

Mohammed Bin

Kuwait Road

Al Njaimat Road

Sakamkam Road

Sheikh

Road

Al Kalaa Road

Madab Road

GHURFAH

MERAISHID

RUGHELAT

MUDHANNAB

SAFAD

Ghurfah Road

King Fayssal Road

Al Fasseel Road

Mathar Road

Itthad

Hamad Bin

Abdullah

Major Roads

Other Roads

Al Fujayrah

roll off ships also made up the ﬂeet. As of June 2008, 11 ships in

the merchant ﬂeet were foreign owned, and 281 had registrations in

other countries. Recreational watercraft such as yachts, speedboats,

sailboats and other small light watercraft also use the waterways.

Unidentiﬁed boats, as well as Iran’s Coast Guard, approach U.S.

and other vessels operating in the Arabian Gulf. The Iran Coast

Guard has detained recreational boaters near the islands of Abu

Musa and the Tunbs. Pirates have attacked vessels operating in the

waters near the UAE, but there were no recent reports as of July

2008. There are no navigable rivers or lakes in the UAE.

Communication

Government controls most communication assets in the UAE, but

a few private radio stations, television broadcasters, and print me-

dia are available and operate from the free media zone in Dubai.

The telecommunications system is modern and well developed.

The law provides for freedom of speech and of the press. However,

in practice the government restricts these rights. According to the

Press and Publications Law, foreign and domestic articles relating

to the government and its allies, ruling families, or social issues

are subject to censorship before distribution. UAE also censors

private publications and mosque sermons.

In September 2007, Prime Minister Mohammad bin Rashid al-

Maktoom ordered that journalists no longer be imprisoned for vio-

lating the Press and Publications Law, but all other punishments

remain in effect. The media commonly censor themselves to avoid

closure, ﬁnes, and harassment from government ofﬁcials. Foreign

journalists are subject to deportation. Dubai has a free media zone

with fewer restrictions, including the Internet.

Three large media companies, Abu Dhabi Media Company

(ADMC), Arab Media Group (AMG), and Dubai Media control

the major radio, television, press, and publication companies.

ADMC is a government-owned company based in Abu Dhabi.

ADMC has ofﬁces in Dubai, Cairo, and Washington, DC AMG,

based in Dubai Media City, is government owned. AMG is the

largest media group in the UAE. Dubai Media Inc. (DMI), a semi-

government owned company formed in 2003, operates major tele-

vision and radio stations in the emirate of Dubai.

Radio and Television

UAE has 26 radio stations. Abu Dhabi Radio, Quran Kareem

Radio, Dubai 92, and Emirates Radio broadcast over satellite ra-

dio. BBC and Voice of America broadcast radio programs in the

UAE. Stations in the UAE broadcast to around 820,000 radios.

As of 2007, 42 TV stations and more than 200 satellite stations

broadcast in the UAE.

Primary Television Stations City

Abu Dhabi TV Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Sports Abu Dhabi

Emirates TV Abu Dhabi

Ash Shariqah TV (Channel 22) Ash Shariqah

Ajman TV (Channel 4) Ajman

MTV Arabia (Channel 14 [Nilesat],

Channel 24 [Arabsat])

Dubai

Dubai Sports Dubai

Dubai TV Dubai

One TV (Channel 33) Dubai

Sama Dubai Dubai

MBC Dubai

Satellite, cable, and internet TV are available in the UAE. Cable is

in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ash Shariqah, Ajman, and Al Ayn. Mobile

TV for cellular telephones is also available. The UAE had 20 tele-

visions for every 100 inhabitants in a 2004 estimate.

Telecommunications

The UAE has modern ﬁber optic integrated services and a digital

network with a high use of mobile phones. Microwave radio relays

with ﬁber optic and coaxial cable make up the domestic telephone

system.

Telephone services are reliable; remote areas have excellent

connectivity. Etisalat operates telegram services. Public pay phones

are available throughout the UAE. Some pay phones are coin oper-

ated, while others are card operated. Phone cards can be purchased

at bookstores, supermarkets, pharmacies, and Etisalat ofﬁces.

There are connections to the international submarine cables

Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and Fiber Optic

Gulf (FOG) in Al Fujayrah. FLAG began service in 1997; FOG

in 1998. The UAE is the landing point for the South East Asia-

Middle East-Western Europe 3 (SEA-ME-WE-3) and South East

Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4 (SEA-ME-WE-4) submarine

cable networks.

The UAE has a modern cellular network that offers nationwide

coverage. Two telecommunication companies offer services—

Emirates Telecom Corporation (Etisalat) and Emirates Integrated

Telecommunications Company PJSC (du). The government

owns the majority of both. The Telecommunications Regulatory

Authority (TRA) oversees the industry.

Emirates Telecom Corporation (Etisalat)

The government owns 60 percent of Etisalat, which is the primary

provider of ﬁxed and mobile services. The remaining 40 percent

belongs to private shareholders. Etisalat’s network became active in

1994. It uses GSM 900, WAP, GPRS, MMS, VSAT and other third-

generation technologies to deliver cellular services. The network

covers most of the country. The largest area not receiving coverage

is north of Zhilinka, which is in the southwest portion of the coun-

try. Etisalat has an international roaming agreement with Thuraya

Satellite Telecommunications Company and many others. Thuraya

handsets have the capability to operate in GSM 900/1800.

Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (du)

The du network activated in 2007. It offers ﬁxed and mobile servic-

es using GSM 900/1800, ISDN, MPLS VPN, MMS, SMS, broad-

band, and third generation technologies. Mubadala Development

Company, TECOM Investment, and public shareholders each own

20 percent of du; the government owns the remaining 40 percent.

Du also has an international roaming agreement with Thuraya

Satellite Telecommunications Company and many others. Thuraya

does have three satellites, but only two are operational

UAE cellular technology allows for media streaming and data

transfer from the Internet via mobile phone. Different service

packages are available, including pre-paid phones that can be re-

loaded online. Cell phone penetration is more than 100 percent.

The ratio of cellular subscribers is 173 for every 100 people.

United Arab Emirates Telecommunication Statistics (2007)

Total telephone subscribers

8.9 million

Telephone subscribers per 100 inhabitants

205

Main telephone lines

1.3 million

Main telephone lines per 100 inhabitants

31.6

Mobile users

7.6 million

Newspapers and Magazines

The UAE publishes nine newspapers and more than 160 maga-

zines and journals. ADMC owns the Al Ittihad and The National

newspapers, which are based in Abu Dhabi. Circulation for daily

publications is 58,000; weekly, 60,000. ADMC also owns the mag-

azines Majed, Al Super and Zahrat Al Khaleej. ADMC launched

The National in 2008.

The government of Dubai established Al Bayan in 1980, but the

newspaper is now part of AMG. Al Bayan has a daily circulation

of more than 94,000. The paper releases three supplements— Five

Senses, Maraya, and Masarata. Five Senses is a daily supplement

focusing on local and global entertainment news. Maraya, a Friday

supplement, focuses on political developments. Masarat is a Sunday

supplement focused on local and international cultural affairs.

Emirates Business 24/7 and Emarat Al Youm, the Arabic equiva-

lent of Emirates Business 24/7, focus on business news. Awraq

Publishing, a subsidiary of AMG, launched both in 2007. Al

Khaleej is the largest Arabic language daily newspaper in the

UAE. It is privately owned but receives government subsidies.

The newspaper has a daily circulation of more than 80,000 and is

based in Ash Shariqah.

Gulf News is a privately owned daily newspaper based in Dubai.

Al Nisr Publishing established it in 1978. Weekly publications by

Al Nisr include Entertainment Plus (Thursday), Weekend Review

(Friday with Gulf News), Notes (tabloid available on Sunday),

Sport Xtra (magazine), and Wheels (magazine). InsideOut is a

monthly magazine published by Al Nisr.

Khaleej Times, a privately owned daily newspaper launched in

1978 as the ﬁrst English language newspaper in the UAE. It has a

circulation of 70,000. Other publications of Khaleej Times include

the Weekend, Young Times, and an online publication.

Publications Politics Language Frequency Web Address

Al Bayan Pro-government Arabic Daily www.albayan.ae

Al Ittihad Pro-government Arabic Daily and

Weekly

www.alittihad.co.ae

Al Khaleej Pro-government Arabic Daily www.alkhaleej.co.ae

Emirates

Business 24/7

N/A English Daily www.business24-7.ae

Gulf News Independent English Daily www.gulfnews.com

Khaleej Times Pro-government English Daily www.khaleejtimes.com

The National Pro-government English Daily www.thenational.ae

Al Fajr Independent Arabic N/A N/A

Al Wahda Pro-government Arabic N/A N/A

Postal Service

Emirates Postal Corporation (EPC), which was formed in 2001

following the restructuring of the UAE General Postal Authority,

provides national postal service. Empost, a subsidiary of EPC,

is the national and international courier company of the UAE.

Other subsidiaries include the Electronic Documentation Center,

Emirates Marketing and Promotions, and the Wall Street Exchange

Center. EPC has agreements with international couriers such as

Western Union and DHL.

Ninety-ﬁve percent of the population picks up mail at a post ofﬁce.

The remaining 5 percent receives mail at home. Mail is collected

from urban areas four times per working day, twice per week in

rural areas. In rural areas, ﬁve deliveries are made per week. As

of 2006, there were 1,200 post ofﬁces, with 496 permanent sites.

Seventeen percent of permanent post ofﬁces are connected to an

electronic network. Worldwide delivery services are available

from DHL, UPS, TNT, and FedEx.

Internet

The Internet is widely available and extensively used through a

single Internet Service Provider (ISP), Etisalat, which blocks web-

sites offering Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services. The

Emirates Internet and Multimedia (EIM) ISP is a subsidiary of

Etisalat. EIM resells Internet services from Etisalat.

Internet services available include dial-up, broadband, and satellite

connections. Dedicated Internet connections are available. The pub-

lic accesses the Internet at schools, colleges, cyber cafes, and work.

However, most users access the Internet from home computers.

The UAE blocks websites deemed inconsistent with its religious,

cultural, political and moral values. This includes pornography,

alcohol and drugs, online dating, homosexuality, gambling, and

speciﬁc self-help sites. Political and religious websites, news sourc-

es, and Israeli websites are regularly blocked. Popular blogs and

social networking sites also are blocked. Chat rooms, blogs, and

instant messaging services that do operate are monitored. A 2006

Information and Privacy Law provides ﬁnes and prison terms for

users who violate religious, cultural, political, and moral norms.

United Arab Emirates Internet Statistics (2007)

Total Internet hosts

6,001

Hosts per 10,000 inhabitants

Users

2.3 million

Users per 100 inhabitants

52.5

Total number of Personal Computers

1.4 million (2006)

PCs per 100 inhabitants

30 (2006)

Broadband Internet per 100 inhabitants

5.17

Satellites

The UAE has four satellite earth stations — three Intelsat, one

Arabsat. Two Intelsat satellite earth stations are in the Indian

Ocean, and one is in the Atlantic Ocean. Intelsat satellite earth

stations are designed for telecommunications services. Each mem-

ber organization owns its ground equipment while subscribing to

Intelsat’s satellite services.

The UAE is an Arab League member of Arabsat and the ﬁfth high-

est shareholder behind Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, and Qatar.

Arabsat has four satellites which provide television, radio, and

broadband Internet access. Satellites were launched in the 1980s,

1990s, and 2000s; the latest in 2008.

Thuraya provides a range of satellite telecommunications services

supporting mobile coverage, broadband access, Global Positioning

System (GPS), and maritime communications. Thuraya 1 satellite

was launched on 21 October 2000. It became the ﬁrst satellite initi-

ated from the Middle East. Thuraya 2, which has a 12- to 15-year

lifespan, was launched on 10 June 2003 into a geosynchronous orbit.

Thuraya 3 was launched into a geosynchronous orbit on 15 January

2008. Boeing built the satellite, which has a 12-year lifespan. Based

in Abu Dhabi, Thuraya is majority owned by Etisalat.

Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) is a wholly

owned subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company. The ﬁrst

satellite, Yahsat 1A, will launch in late 2010. Yahsat 1B will fol-

low in 2011. UAE Armed Forces and a U.S. communications com-

pany have signed leases with Yahsat. Both satellites will have an

operational lifespan of 15 years.

CULTURE

Statistics

Population 4.1 million

Growth Rate 3.8%

Birth Rate 16.6 births per 1,000 population

Death Rate 2.1 deaths per 1,000 population

Net Migration Rate 24.4 migrants per 1,000 population

Life Expectancy at

Birth

Total population: 75.9 years

Male: 73.4 years

Female: 78.6 years

Age Structure 0 to 14 years: 20.5%

15 to 64 years: 78.6%

65 years and older: 0.9%

Last Census 2005

Population Patterns

Because the majority of the harsh desert interior remains un-

inhabited, the UAE population is concentrated in the coastal

capital cities that are the core of each emirate. More than 80

percent of the population lives within urban conglomerations.

The total population density is low, only 28 people per square

kilometer (72 per square mile). Urban settlements account

for nine percent of total land area, and within urban areas the

population density is 420 people per square kilometer (1,087

per square mile).

The rural population is small, and population

growth is only signiﬁcant in the major cities. The UAE has

experienced rapid urbanization. The largest population centers

are the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which are also the

two largest cities.

Population of Major Cities

City Emirate Population

Dubai

Dubai 1,354,980 (2006)

Ash Shariqah

Ash Shariqah 685,000

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi 630,000

Al Ayn

Abu Dhabi 350,000

Ajman

Ajman 202,244

Ra’s al-Khaymah

Ra’s al-Khaymah 113,347

Al Fujairah

Al Fujayrah 74,330

Ethnic Density

UAE’s total population is more than 4 million. Nearly 20 percent

are Emiratis. The remainder is expatriates. Most expatriates are

from South and Southeast Asia — Bangladesh, India, Pakistan,

and the Philippines — accounting for more than half the popula-

tion. The single largest group is from India, which totals more than

40 percent of all expatriates. Iranians and Arabs — Palestinians,

Egyptians, Jordanians, Omanis, and Yemenis — account for 23

percent of the population. The remainder comes from the West;

nearly 28,000 are Americans. In Dubai, expatriates represent

about 200 nationalities.

Society

The UAE is less than 40 years old. As a young country where

expatriates outnumber Emiratis four to one, UAE is searching for

a national identity and struggling to ﬁnd balance between mo-

dernity and traditional Islamic beliefs. Most Emiratis believe the

economy has improved (69 percent) but that globalization is mov-

ing too quickly (77 percent), according to a BBC World Service

poll conducted between 31 October 2007 and 25 January 2008.

Many leading ﬁgures believe that technology, economic develop-

ment, inﬂuence of foreigners, and waning interest in the Arabic

language, particularly among the youth, threaten the culture .

Some call for tighter immigration policies. Others believe that the

society should remain open and that education, language, and re-

ligion should reinforce culture — traditions, heritage, and values.

Many youths do not think the culture is threatened.

In a March 2008 poll, Zogby International found that regional

issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conﬂict, Iran’s nuclear pro-

gram, and the Iraq war were important issues. Fifty- two percent

sympathized with HAMAS, and 44 percent blamed the govern-

Over

200,000

100,000 -

200,000

20,000 -

100,000

POPULATED PLACES

Moderately populated

Sparsely populated

Virtually uninhabited

Saudi Arabia

Oman

Arabian

Gulf

ABU DHABI

Dubai

Al 'Ayn

Ash Shariqah

Al Fujayrah

Ajman

Umm al

Qaywayn

Ra's al

Khaymah

Oman

Qatar

Population

ment of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for the situation

in Gaza. Fifty-ﬁve percent believed Iran had a right to its nuclear

program and that international pressure should cease. Fifty-one

percent believed that the outcome would be positive for the Middle

East if Iran acquired nuclear weapons.

Zogby also found that 71 percent had a negative view of the United

States. Ninety percent would have a more favorable view if the

United States participated in the establishment of a Palestinian

state with Jerusalem as its capital and Israeli withdrawal to the

1967 borders. Fifty-three percent would have a more favorable

view if the United States withdrew from Iraq.

People

Emiratis descended from two Arab tribal confederations —

Qawasim and Bani Yas — and longtime immigrants from Persia

and other Gulf countries. Qawasim were mainly land and sea trad-

ers in what became known as the emirates of Ra’s al-Khaymah

and Ash Shariqah.

The Bani Yas were Bedouin, agricultural, and pastoral people in

what became known as the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Emiratis comprise nearly 20 percent of the population. The re-

mainder consists of expatriates from nearly 200 nationalities.

The ratio of males to females is more than 2 to 1 — 68 percent

male, 32 percent female — when counting Emiratis and expatri-

ates. The ratio is almost even when counting only Emiratis — 51

percent males, 49 percent females. This ratio is consistent with

UAE’s birthrate of 100 males to 96 females.

Ethnic Groups

Emiratis and expatriates work well together in a range of jobs at

all levels. Emiratis are primarily civil servants, accounting for al-

most 80 percent of all public sector workers. Expatriates account

for 98 percent of the private sector workforce.

The UAE constitution provides for equality regardless of race, na-

tionality, religion, and social status. However, some discrimina-

tion based on gender and nationality has been reported. The gov-

ernment stated a goal of achieving fairness to expatriates in terms

of labor and management issues, social services and healthcare

delivery, educational opportunities, and housing. However, the

government imposed hiring quotas in certain industries to boost

the participation of Emiratis in the private sector.

Family

Family is the foundation for civil society in the UAE. Family in-

teractions and succession are the primary basis for government,

trade, and industry. This stems from the traditional tribal structure

of society, with extended families forming the primary unit in so-

cial interactions.

The family is of primary importance to the gov-

ernment as well, and many means of support and protection for the

family are in place. These include interest-free loans for homes,

grants for newlyweds, and government-provided healthcare.

Family dynasties have ruled each emirate since independence.

Although extended family ties are valued, the nuclear family typi-

cally forms its own separate household. Relatives often live near

each other. Extended families are depended upon for support.

Family connections and honor take precedence over all else, and

family loyalty is part of every decision.

Several generations sometimes live together, and families care

for their elderly. Families are very close knit and private. Care of

children is vitally important within UAE society. Laws ensure the

safety and protection of children within the family, and national

institutions guarantee care for orphans and abandoned children.

Traditionally, marriages were arranged between members of the

same tribe, usually cousins. While traditional Emiratis still prefer

arranged marriages, greater choice is now available. Young people

may reject suitors and marriage proposals.

Men typically marry

after ﬁnishing their education, around age 26, while women often

marry younger. Emiratis are strongly encouraged to marry citi-

zens and grow the population.

A state marriage fund exists to help

defray wedding costs. The government has capped dowries and

provides free marriage counseling. Marriages are typically lavish

affairs with extensive celebration.

Roles of Men and Women

The UAE is a patriarchal society, and traditional views of the roles

of women in the family have been slow to change. Men are the

leaders in society and in the home; men continue to hold the major-

ity of positions of inﬂuence. Women traditionally are responsible

for the home but have increasingly gained roles in the public and

private sector. The UAE has precedent for the public participation

of women in sectors such as agriculture and trade due to seasonal

absences of men for ﬁshing and pearl diving. The role of women

in modern UAE continues to develop and change.

The UAE has worked to increase women’s participation in so-

cial and economic life. The UAE constitution guarantees equal

legal status, including the right to work. Government- sponsored

councils and committees work to increase placement of women in

the public and private sectors and to ensure legal equality. Legal

changes extended maternity leave in 2001 and increased maternal

rights in 2003.

The UAE increased access to higher education for women.

Women account for the majority of students enrolled in higher

education and 40 percent of the civil service. Women serve as

leaders of large corporations and are becoming more inﬂuential in

government. The ﬁrst female UAE government minister, Sheikh

Lubna Al Qasimi, was appointed the Minister of Economy and

Planning in 2004. The ﬁrst woman was elected to the Federal

National Council (FNC) in 2006, and eight others were appointed.

Women serve various functions throughout the government of the

Emirates, including public prosecutors, directors of local depart-

ments, and members of the diplomatic corps.

Despite legal and social efforts, women continue to face discrimi-

nation. Family matters are governed by local Shari’a (Islamic law)

courts. Women face legal discrimination under Shari’a, including

the devaluation of their testimony. Muslim women are forbidden to

marry non-Muslims, while Muslim men are not restricted. Women

do not pass their citizenship to children from a marriage to a for-

eigner, but citizenship is often granted upon request. Women inherit

less than male siblings and have more difﬁculty getting divorced.

Violence against women, especially domestic violence, is a per-

vasive problem. Legal protection is limited, and women are reluc-

tant to ﬁle complaints for social, cultural, and economic reasons.

Authorities often are negligent in pursuing reported violence.

While rape is illegal, spousal rape is not addressed.

Societal pressure perpetuates traditional roles. Women are encour-

aged to work in jobs that require little interaction with the opposite

gender and have limited contact with the public. Many women

choose to focus solely on raising families. Segregation of the sexes

is common in domestic settings, primarily in the company of visi-

tors. Homes often include majilis, or sitting areas for men only,

designed to prevent interactions between male guests and female

family members.

The minimum age of employment is 15 for both part- and full-

time work. The minimum age for marriage is 15. Emiratis are

considered independent, personally responsible adults at age 18.

Customs and Courtesies

Emiratis are Muslim, and Arabic is their ofﬁcial language.

Although culture and traditions are ﬁrmly rooted in Islam, UAE

is open and tolerant of other cultures. English commonly is used

in business and government transactions and among expatriates.

Other languages spoken include Hindi, Urdu, Persian, Malayalam,

and Tagalog.

The traditional greeting is as-salam alaykum (may peace be with

you). The proper response is walaykum as-salam (and peace be

with you). Men greet one another by shaking hands and touching

noses. Women greet one another by kissing both cheeks.

Friends and family members of the same gender address one an-

other by ﬁrst name. Acquaintances and members of the opposite

sex address one another using professional titles, Sayed (Mr.) or

Sayeda (Mrs.) before ﬁrst names, and Um (mother of) or Abu (fa-

ther of) before name of eldest son.

Emiratis use the right hand for eating, gesturing, giving and re-

ceiving items, and shaking hands. The left hand is considered un-

clean because it traditionally is used for personal hygiene. Using

the left hand is considered impolite. Pointing ﬁngers and giving

the “thumbs up” gesture are impolite. Instead, Emiratis point with

the entire hand. Crossing legs when sitting, pointing feet at some-

one, and exposing the bottom of soles also are offensive.

Modesty is important. Men and women tend to wear traditional,

conservative attire. Women wear abayas (black robes) and shai-

lahs (head and face covering) in public. Older, married, more con-

servative women may wear burqas (black masks covering nose and

mouth). Men wear white robes called dishdashas and light cloth

headdresses called ghutras with black headbands called agals.

Female visitors should cover as much skin as possible. Baggy,

loose-ﬁtting trousers and long skirts are acceptable. Males should

wear conservative business suits. When not wearing business at-

tire, men should at least cover back, shoulders, and tops of arms.

It is customary to remove shoes before entering homes. Generally,

the wife will not be present. If she is, hosts often invite male guests

into the living room and female guests into another room to social-

ize with the wife. In households where everyone is in the same

room, familiar interaction between male guests and the host’s wife

is inappropriate.

Express appreciation at meals and always accept refreshments

such as coffee or tea. When hosting, always offer such refresh-

ments. Refusing to offer or accept is considered impolite. Shaking

the cup gently from side to side signiﬁes that you have had enough

to drink.

Traditional meals are eaten on the ﬂoor without utensils. However,

it is okay for guests to request utensils. Family and guests sit in a

circle in such a way that hides the bottom of feet. The food sits in

the middle of the circle. Guests should leave shortly after the meal

because hanging around after the meal is impolite.

When invited

to a restaurant, the host pays the bill. Generally, a tip of ten percent

is appropriate.

Bargaining or haggling is normal and expected in small shops and

souks, not in franchises and large European chain stores. Shoppers

should have an idea what an item is worth or what they are willing

to pay beforehand. If negotiated in a polite and respectful manner,

prices may come down considerably from the original quote. After

vendors agree to a price, negotiating further is insulting and leav-

ing empty handed is impolite.

Education and Literacy

The UAE has invested in education and increased educational op-

portunities throughout the emirates. Public education began in

the 1950s for men and women. Neighboring countries assisted in

the development of the educational system until the UAE began

to earn large oil revenues during the 1960s. Since then, the UAE

has developed an extensive system that provides free comprehen-

sive education for citizens from pre-primary to advanced degrees.

Extensive private education also exists. The government provides

funding to send thousands of students abroad for higher education.

The UAE plans to ensure all citizens receive education by 2015.

The UAE has a four-tier education system that lasts for 14 years. It

was established in 1971. The ﬁrst phase begins with kindergarten

from ages 4 to 5. The second phase, primary education, lasts six

years from ages 6 to 12. Preparatory education lasts from ages 12

to 15, and secondary education lasts from ages 15 to 18. Education

is mandatory until the ninth grade. Education is gender segregated

after age 6.

State education is in Arabic. English is taught from primary

school on, with advanced classes offered in preparatory and sec-

ondary school. Other foreign languages are used in instruction

in private schools, which attract 40 percent of pupils. The school

year is from September to June. The school week follows the work

week — Sunday to Thursday. Expatriate students have access to

the educational system and comprise one-third of students.

Primary education is divided into two cycles, each three years

long. The ﬁrst cycle has a single instructor who teaches all sub-

jects. The second cycle has separate instructors for each subject,

and class periods are longer. Core subjects include Islamic educa-

tion, Arabic, English, mathematics, and science. Active subjects

include art, music, and family education for girls. At the ﬁnal cycle,

social sciences — history, geography, and civics — become part

of the core curriculum.

Annual exams determine advancement.

Preparatory education, which consists of similar core studies,

qualiﬁes students to pursue either general or technical second-

ary school. General secondary education covers Islamic educa-

tion, Arabic, English, history, geography, mathematics, physics,

chemistry, biology, geology, computer science, physical education,

and family education. Students choose to focus either on social or

physical sciences during the second year. Social sciences include

sociology, economics, and history. Physical sciences include phys-

ics, chemistry, biology, and geology. Technical secondary educa-

tion focuses on vocational skills and includes workplace participa-

tion. Students receive certiﬁcates of completion if they pass exams.

Most students who complete secondary school apply for higher

education. UAE has two state-owned universities; the University

of the United Arab Emirates was the ﬁrst. It is based in Al Ayn

and has ﬁve separate campuses serving more 150,000 students.

The second, Zayed University, focuses on technological partner-

ships and has two campuses.

The UAE also offers higher education through a system of 12

men’s and women’s colleges that prepare students for careers

in computer science, medicine, education, and other important

ﬁelds.

Various private universities also provide higher education,

including the American Universities of Ash Shariqah and Dubai,

Ash Shariqah University, and Ajman University of Science and

Technology. A cluster of more than 20 international institutions of

higher learning are part of the Dubai International Academic City,

which provides a regional base for foreign institutions and serves

more than 8,000 students.

Education is a priority for Emiratis. Literacy and gender equality

in education are two primary concerns. Literacy has been a cen-

tral focus since independence, and the government has pledged to

eradicate illiteracy by 2015. The UAE has a literacy rate of 88.7,

with less than 1 percent gender disparity between men and wom-

en. Primary enrollment is at 85 percent, and secondary net enroll-

ment is at 77 percent. Women have enrollment levels of 78 percent

University of Ash Shariqah

at the secondary level and a much greater enrollment rate in higher

education. Enrollment rates have steadily increased since 1971.

The arts and literature in the UAE exist as part of the greater realm

of Arab literature. The most popular form of literature is poetry,

followed by folk stories, proverbs, and recitations. Poetry remains

the most developed and inﬂuential form of literature in the Arab

nations, and even the President of the UAE has composed poet-

ry. Early classical Arabic compositions continue to be studied by

Emiratis. Classical Arabic UAE poets such as Mubarak Al Oqaili,

Salem bin Ali Al Owais, and Ahmed bin Sulayem rose to promi-

nence during the early 20

century and continue to be popular.

Religion

Out of the population of 4.1 million, about 80 percent are non-

citizens and belong to various religions. Of these, an estimated

70 percent are Muslim, 10 percent are Christian, and the rest in-

cludes Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Baha’i. Ofﬁcial numbers are

unavailable, and the government counts the members of several

minority religions as Muslim. All Emiratis are Muslim. About 85

percent are Sunni Muslims, mostly from the Maliki tradition; the

remaining 15 percent are Shi’a Muslims.

Islam is the ofﬁcial state religion. The government controls virtu-

ally all aspects of religious practice, and funds and subsidizes 95

percent of Sunni mosques and imams. The remaining ﬁve per-

cent are private mosques that operate on large endowments. The

government distributes weekly guidance on sermon content to all

mosques and clergy and monitors all sermons for political content.

Shari’a is the basis for family and criminal courts in the UAE.

Non-Muslims are also tried in Shari’a courts. Conversion to Islam

is strongly promoted. Annual lists of converts are published, and

prisoners who convert can receive reduced sentences. Prisoners in

Dubai who memorize the Koran are eligible for reduced sentenc-

ing based on the length of passages and the severity of their crime.

While Islam is the ofﬁcial religion of the UAE, the constitution

provides for freedom of religion and religious practice, provided

that such observances are not damaging to public morality. These

freedoms are generally respected with some exceptions.

Non-Muslims are forbidden to proselytize, and conversion from

Islam is illegal. Foreign missionaries are restricted to humanitar-

ian efforts.

Religions other than Islam are restricted to observances only

within religious facilities or private residences. Minority religions

without religious facilities conduct private observances in their

homes without interference.

The government gives strong prefer-

ence to other “religions of the book,” which includes Christianity

Grand Mosque Dubai Photo by Christian Horcel

and Judaism. The government has awarded land grants and per-

mits for churches. Facilities are greater than those provided for

other minority religions.

Despite minor restrictions, the UAE is considered the most lib-

eral and tolerant Arab country. Tolerance for other religions and a

moderate view of Islam are tenets that were part of the founding of

the nation. There are no reports of societal discrimination against

those who practice other religions.

Recreation

Men enjoy a variety of sports, of which soccer is a favorite.

Traditional nomadic sports such as falconry and camel racing are

still popular. Camel racing, traditionally part of the winter sea-

son, has become the primary spectator sport. Horse racing is also

popular, and the Dubai World Cup carries one of the largest prizes

in the world. Other popular sports include golf and cricket. Water

sports, such as dhow (sailboat) racing, are very popular in the

UAE. Younger Emiratis enjoy modern water sports such as water-

skiing. Diving, snorkeling, and ﬁshing are also popular.

Dubai positions itself as an international recreation destination

with various amusement parks and resorts. Dubai is also the home

to one of the world’s largest indoor ski slopes, Ski Dubai, and is

the site of the planned largest indoor skiing dome, the Snowdome.

Women are not involved in sports. Women enjoy family outings

to the park or beach. Families also camp in the desert. Domestic

pastimes include watching movies and listening to music together.

Cultural Considerations

Dignity, honor, self respect, saving face, and social status are

important to Emiratis. So is avoiding anything that would bring

shame and embarrassment. Their primary loyalties are to fam-

ily, clan, and tribe. Secondary loyalties are to emirate or region,

country, and Arab world. Familial, clan, and tribal afﬁliations help

determine social status. Primary loyalties take priority over sched-

ules and deadlines. Phone calls and visits from friends and family

often interrupt business meetings.

Initial meetings are for getting acquainted so conducting business

can take a long time. It is important to spend time cultivating rela-

tionships because Emiratis prefer to do business face to face with

people they know and trust. Having a connection who can intro-

duce you is better than attempting to do business on your own. It

is common to see men walking holding hands. This signiﬁes close

bonds and friendship. It has no sexual overtones.

It is customary to greet ﬁrst the person with the highest status in

business and social settings. Generally, this is the oldest person

in the room. It is tempting to assume the person doing the most

talking has the senior status, but the opposite is true. The per-

son talking the most is generally the least important. The most

silent person is generally the most important. Use titles before ﬁrst

names to show proper respect. If titles are unknown, learn them in

advance. Emiratis are exceedingly generous and hospitable. If you

show strong admiration for an item, they will offer it to you as a

gift. Refusing to accept it is impolite.

Muslim men generally do not touch women unless they are rela-

tives. So avoid shaking an Arab woman’s hand unless she extends

hers ﬁrst. Businesswomen should avoid shaking an Arab man’s

hand unless he extends his ﬁrst. Family life is sacred. So avoid

speciﬁc questions about female family members. Muslims do not

consume pork or alcohol.

Normal business hours are from 0800 to 1700 Sunday through

Thursday. Some businesses close at noon on Thursday. Others take

long midday breaks and stay open later. Government ofﬁces oper-

ate 0730 to 1500 Sunday through Wednesday. Normal business is

put on hold during religious holidays and prayer times. Muslims

fast from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan. Ofﬁces

close in the afternoon, and most business is conducted early in the

morning or after the evening fast is broken. Do not eat or drink

in front of Muslims during the fasting period. Muslims pray ﬁve

times each day during speciﬁc times. Interrupting prayer and

walking in front of people who are praying is considered impolite.

MEDICAL ASSESSMENT

Disease Risks to Deployed Personnel

The National Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI) assesses the

UAE as INTERMEDIATE RISK for infectious diseases, with

an overall disease risk that will adversely impact mission effec-

tiveness unless force health protection measures are implemented.

Risk varies greatly depending on location, individual exposures,

and other factors. More detailed information is available at http://

www.ncmi.detrick.army.mil. The following summarizes infec-

tious disease risks in the UAE.

Food- or Waterborne Diseases

Sanitation varies with location but typically is below U.S. standards.

Local food and water sources (including ice) may be contaminated

with pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and viruses to which most U.S.

service members have little or no natural immunity. Diarrheal dis-

eases can be expected to temporarily incapacitate a high percentage

of personnel within days if local food, water, or ice is consumed.

Hepatitis A and typhoid fever can cause prolonged illness in a small-

er percentage of unvaccinated personnel. Consuming unpasteurized

dairy products or raw animal products increases the risk of diseases

such as brucellosis and Q fever; rare cases may occur in the ab-

sence of countermeasures. In addition, signiﬁcant outbreaks of viral

gastroenteritis (e.g., norovirus) and food poisoning (e.g., Bacillus

cereus, Clostridium perfringens, and Staphylococcus) may occur.

Vector-borne Diseases

Ecological conditions (primarily in rural areas) support populations

of arthropod vectors, including mosquitoes, ticks, and sandﬂies,

particularly during warmer months (April through November).

Rare cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (less than 0.1

percent per month) could occur among personnel exposed to tick

bites. Other vector-borne diseases occur at low or unknown levels;

as a group, these may constitute a potentially serious operational

risk. The World Health Organization declared the UAE malaria-

free in October 2007.

Sexually Transmitted and/or Bloodborne Diseases

Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and other infections are common and may

affect a high percentage of personnel who have sexual contact,

particularly those who have contact with prostitutes. HIV/AIDS

and hepatitis B also are risks associated with unprotected sexual

contact. Although the immediate impact of HIV/AIDS and hepa-

titis B on an operation is limited, the long-term health impact on

individuals is substantial.

Water-contact Diseases

Operations or activities involving extensive water contact may re-

sult in personnel in some locations being temporarily debilitated

with leptospirosis. In addition, bodies of surface water are likely to

be contaminated with human and animal waste. Wading or swim-

ming may result in exposures to enteric diseases such as diarrhea

and hepatitis via incidental ingestion of water. Prolonged water

contact also may lead to the development of a variety of potentially

debilitating skin conditions such as bacterial or fungal dermatitis.

Animal-associated Diseases

Rabies risk is low, comparable to the risk in the United States.

Medical Capabilities

The quality of medical care in the UAE is good for the region

but does not meet Western standards. Adequately equipped pub-

lic hospitals provide routine and emergency medical and surgical

care. Most hospitals are near the major metropolitan areas of Abu

Dhabi and Dubai. As is the case in all other Gulf States, UAE

hospitals tend to lack a sufﬁcient number of qualiﬁed nursing per-

sonnel. The overall quality of care at private facilities is somewhat

better than that provided at government hospitals.

While public ambulance services are available through a direct-di-

al service (telephone 999 in Dubai and Ash Shariqah; 998 in Abu

Dhabi), past reporting indicates ambulance technician skills were

minimal and did not meet requirements for emergency medical

technician certiﬁcation in the United States. Ambulances are not

equipped to U.S. standards, dispatch and control procedures are

poor, and response time is much slower than Western standards.

Most physicians and nurses are expatriates. Most expatriate physi-

cians are trained in Asia or Europe and deliver good medical care.

Over time, the scarcity of continuing education opportunities and

lack of available or reliable diagnostic technology generally caused

the quality of care in the UAE to drop below Western standards.

However, 2006 reporting indicated that the UAE partnered with

major Western medical universities to create medical centers of

excellence. These partnerships were designed to widen physicians’

access to advanced diagnostic capabilities, as well as the training

required to maintain and sustain provider skills. The quality of

nursing care is fair. While Arabic is the ofﬁcial language, Persian,

English, Hindi, and Urdu also are commonly spoken.

Roughly 95 percent of all pharmaceuticals, medical equipment,

and medical supplies are imported. Civilian and military blood

supplies are tested to ensure clearance of infectious diseases, in-

cluding HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and malaria.

While the UAE reportedly continuously updates virology screen-

ing programs to meet the latest international standards, UAE

blood banks so far have failed to obtain certiﬁcation under the

standards set forth by the American Association of Blood Banks.

Key Medical Facilities

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City

Coordinates:

24-28-06N 054-21-56E

Location:

Corner of Sudan Street and Al Karamah Street

City:

Abu Dhabi

Type:

Government, 320 beds (room to expand)

Telephone

663-1000

Capabilities: Medical: General, cardiology, endocrinology, gastro-

enterology, nephrology, neurology, nuclear medicine,

pediatrics, radiology, dentistry.

Surgical: General, ophthalmology, orthopedic.

Ancillary Services: Intensive care unit (ICU), cardiac

care unit (CCU), CT scanner, MRI, x-ray, ultrasound,

laboratory, blood bank, dialysis, helipad.

Comments:

This facility used to be named Al Jazeira Hospital.

The U.S. Embassy recommends use of this facility.

American Hospital

Coordinates:

25-14-05N 055-18-50E

Location:

Off Al Quta Eyat Road near Al Nasr Leisureland

City:

Dubai

Type:

Private, 100 beds

Telephone

336-7777

Capabilities: Medical: General, cardiology, gastroenterology, inter-

nal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics.

Surgical: General, anesthesia, obstetrics, gynecology,

ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology (ENT), urology.

Ancillary Services: OR, ICU, blood bank, emergency

room, pharmacy, physical therapy, helipad, laboratory

w/blood gas analyzer, x-ray, CT scanner. MRI, ultra-

sound, electrocardiogram (ECG).

Comments:

Hospital opened in 1996 and has been accredited by

the Joint Commission International Organization. The

U.S. Embassy recommends use of this facility.

HISTORY

Little is known about the ancient history of the UAE. The region

has been inhabited for thousands of years. Stone tools recovered

from the Hajar Mountains and more recent evidence dating back to

5500 B.C. indicate that the area was occupied by ﬁshermen, farm-

ers, and herders who engaged in trade with other civilizations such

as Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and the Indus culture of India. The

Mesopotamians referred to the region as Magan and traded food

for copper and other natural resources such as lumber from India.

The city of Dilmun (4000 to 2000 B.C.) became a prosperous trade

center located on what is now the island state of Bahrain.

Signiﬁcant settlements in the UAE did not appear until the Bronze

Age when the Umm al-Nar (2500 to 2000 B.C.) settled near what

is now Abu Dhabi. The Umm al-Nar cultivated the date palm and

expanded agriculture to include cereals, fruits, and vegetables and

the herding of sheep, goats, and cattle. The development of under-

ground irrigation systems (falaj irrigation) allowed the population

to expand and permanent settlements to develop. Large settlements

and the domestication of the camel as a pack animal boosted foreign

trade and drew attention to the area as a strategic trade hub. The

region suffered a number of conquests as a result.

Alexander the Great’s conquests never reached the modern UAE

territory, and none of his Seleucid successors were able to estab-

lish dominance in the region. This era was known as the Mleiha

Period (300 B.C. to 250 B.C.), which was named after a ﬂour-

ishing town at Mleiha, a settlement on the gravel plain south of

Dhaid in Ash Shariqah Emirate. The Sassanians succeeded the

Parthians in the third century A.D. They controlled the region for

several hundred years until the arrival of Prophet Muhammad’s

emissaries (630 A.D.) and the rise of Islam. Islamic armies took

control of Arabia and the Gulf region attempting to convert ev-

eryone to Islam. While Arabs readily accepted Islam, Persians

(Sassanians) did not, and Muslim leaders confronted and defeated

the Sassanians. At the same time, the death of Muhammad re-

sulted in a revolt against Islam by dissidents, and a major battle

between the Muslim army and the dissidents took place at Diba al

Hism. The dissidents rejoined Islam.

The UAE prospered during the Islamic period. Trade extended be-

yond the markets of Mesopotamia to China, India, Indonesia, and

Malaysia. Abu Dhabi became an important trading center. Muslim

countries of the Middle East controlled east-west trade until the 15

century and the arrival of the Portuguese, who occupied Julfar and

other coastal cities. For more than 100 years they taxed trade with

India and the Far East. The Shah of Iran enlisted the aid of Britain

and Holland in 1622 to drive Portugal out of the Gulf in return for

revenues from Iranian ports. After driving out Portugal, Britain

and Holland competed against each other for Iranian markets.

During this time, the local Qawasim (forebears of the current royal

houses of Ash Shariqah and Ra’s al-Khaymah) strengthened. Ash

Shariqah and Ra’s al-Khaymah were important centers of Qawasim

power in the emirates. The area became known as the pirate coast

because the Qawasim were proﬁtable traders on the Arabian and

Persian sides of the Gulf and were known for their attacks on for-

eign ships. Their power declined quickly when Britain raided and

destroyed Ra’s al-Khaymah and several other Gulf ports, leading

to the General Treaty of Peace in 1820. The treaty ended the plun-

dering and piracy against Britain but not between warring tribes.

It was not until 1835 that another treaty was signed by the sheikhs

who agreed to report such activity to Britain rather than retali-

ate. An 1853 truce, signed by the seven sheikhs and mediated by

Britain, ended all maritime hostilities, and the coastal sheikhdoms

became known as the Trucial Coast.

France, Germany, and Russia began to take an interest in the

Gulf region in the late 1800s. As a result, Britain quickly signed

the “Exclusive Agreement” with the Trucial Coast preventing the

sheikhs from allowing any other country into their territory without

British consent. In return, Britain committed to the protection of the

seven sheikhdoms without interfering in their internal affairs. The

sheikhs remained the absolute rulers of their respective territories.

At British urging, the sheikhs established a Trucial Council in 1952

and developed a set of common administrative policies that would

later lead to a federation of states. Border disputes with Oman and

Saudi Arabia delayed the federation and led to armed conﬂicts with

several emirates requiring intervention by Britain. These disputes

would not be settled for decades.

Pearling was a major industry from the 1790s until it was badly

damaged by World War I. The industry completely collapsed dur-

ing the Great Depression (1920s) as a result of the development

of Japanese cultured pearls and heavy taxes imposed by India on

imported pearls. Prospecting for oil began in the 1930s, and oil

was discovered off the coast of Abu Dhabi in 1960. Commercial

production started two years later, making Abu Dhabi the largest

and richest emirate. The beneﬁts of oil production were not seen

until Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan Al-Nuhayan replaced his brother as

ruler in 1966, and petroleum revenues began to be used for public

works and services.

Britain decided to end its treaties with the Trucial States in 1968

and began withdrawing its troops. The Trucial States, Bahrain, and

Qatar formed the Federation of Arab Emirates in preparation for

independence. Bahrain and Qatar withdrew from the federation

in 1971, leaving the six states of Abu Dhabi, Ajam, Al Fujairah,

Dubai, Ash Shariqah, and Umm al-Qaywayn to form the UAE in

December. The sheikhdom of Ra’s al-Khaymah joined the UAE

in February 1972. Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan was ap-

pointed the ﬁrst president of the UAE and held the ofﬁce until

his death in 2004. Sheikh Rashid bin Said al-Maktum, ruler of

Dubai, became vice president and his eldest son, Sheikh Maktum

bin Rashid al-Maktum, was named prime minister. When Sheikh

Rashid died in 1990, Sheikh Maktum became ruler of Dubai and

vice president and prime minister of the UAE.

The UAE adopted a provisional constitution in 1971. Although it

was intended to expire in ﬁve years, it remained in place until

the adoption of a permanent constitution in 1996. The UAE also

joined the Arab League in 1971, and Sheikh Zayed commenced

the ﬁrst meeting of the new 50-member assembly. The country’s

ﬁrst challenge was the Iranian occupation of the islands of Greater

and Lesser Tunb, part of Ra’s al-Khaymah, and Abu Musa, part of

Ash Shariqah (1970 to 1971).

Despite a number of new rulers for the sheikhdoms (Sheikh Sultan

bin Mohammad al-Qasimi, Ash Shariqah in 1972; Sheikh Hamad

bin Mohammad bin Hamad al-Sharqi, Al Fujayrah 1974; Sheikh

Rashid bin Ahmad al-Mualla, Umm al-Qaywayn 1981, and Sheikh

Humaid Bin Rashid al-Nuaimi, Ajman 1981), the UAE contin-

ued to coalesce and function as one country. Its four main objec-

tives were to educate the people, solve regional issues peacefully,

strengthen Arab ties, and participate in the international communi-

ty. The executive council replaced the Abu Dhabi cabinet in 1973,

and the oil departments of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ash Shariqah

were merged into one petroleum ministry the same year.

The UAE became a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation

Council (GCC) in 1981, along with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman,

Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The ﬁrst summit was held in Abu Dhabi,

and plans for the US$700 million Delma oil project were devel-

oped. The multi-purpose Delma facility included plans for land-

ing containers and oil tanks and serving the three oil ﬁelds of Al

Satteh, Jurnin, and Delma.

Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan was elected to a fourth term

as UAE president in 1986. His popularity stemmed from his belief

that the citizens were the country’s biggest asset. This included

women, who were encouraged to participate in society in addition

to their traditional role of raising children.

The 1990s were turbulent for the UAE. Sheikh Rashid Bin Said al-

Maktum, ruler of Dubai and UAE vice president, died in 1990 and

was succeeded by his son, Sheikh Maktum Bin Rashid al-Maktum.

UAE forces joined the allies in 1991 and severed relations with Iraq

after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. Relations were restored in 1998.

The Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) owned by

Abu Dhabi’s ruling family failed in 1991, and its executives were

accused of fraud, sued for damages, and jailed. In 1992, Iran re-

quired visitors to Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb to have

Iranian visas, which angered the UAE. The dispute escalated when

Iran built an airport on Abu Musa and a power station on Greater

Tunb. The UAE became the ﬁrst Arab country to participate in a

NATO peacekeeping mission by sending troops to Kosovo in 1999.

During the next 8 years, the UAE became more involved in world

affairs and underwent internal changes. Bank assets of 62 organi-

zations and individuals suspected of funding terrorism were fro-

zen in 2001. UAE and Oman ﬁnalized their border demarcation in

2002. President Sheikh Azyed bin Sultan al-Nahyan died in 2004

and was succeeded as ruler of Abu Dhabi by his son, who was also

elected president of the UAE by the Federal National Council. A

major political controversy in the United States in 2006 forced

the state-owned Dubai Ports World to give up control of six major

American ports because two of the 9/11 hijackers were from the

UAE. The ﬁrst national elections were held for half of the mem-

bers of the Federal National Council in 2006, although fewer than

7,000 people were allowed to vote.

The country worked to diversify its economy, reduce dependence on

foreign workers, and allow the formation of trade unions. Extensive

plans for the building and improvement of infrastructure were devel-

oped. The goal was to make the UAE self-sustaining. By the end of

2007, Dubai became one of the largest shareholders of the London

Stock Exchange and the owner of what would become the tallest

skyscraper in the world, the Burj Dubai, at 693 meters (2,274 feet).

The UAE grew into a modern international tourist and business cen-

ter and one of the safest and most stable countries in the world. It

has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world and holds

about 10 percent of the world’s total known oil reserves; 90 per-

cent of UAE’s resources are in Abu Dhabi and about 10 percent in

Dubai. The country is no longer solely reliant on oil and gas rev-

enues. Trade, tourism, real estate, and construction are large con-

tributors, most notably in Dubai. This growth is supported by the

large number of foreign workers living in the country, estimated at

more than 80 percent of the population.

The dispute over Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunb

Islands carried over into 2008. Arab leaders called for Iran to

end its occupation and requested that the UN keep the issue on its

agenda until Iran withdraws.

Chronology of Key Events

Date Event

Century

Portuguese arrive

1622

Britain and Holland drive out Portugal; Britain and

Holland compete for markets

1820

Signing of General Treaty of Peace ends plundering

and piracy against Britain

1853

Sheikhdoms become Trucial Coast

1892

France, Germany, and Russia take interest in the Gulf

Region; Britain signs “Exclusive Agreement”

1952

Sheikhs establish Trucial Council

1960

Oil discovered off Abu Dhabi

1962

Oil production begins

1966

Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan becomes ruler

of Abu Dhabi

1968

Britain decides to end treaties with Trucial States

1971

Abu Dhabi, Ajam, Al-Fujayrah, Dubai, Ash Shariqah,

and Umm al-Qaywayn form the United Arab Emirates;

provisional constitution adopted; UAE joins Arab

League; Iran occupies Abu Musa and Greater and

Lesser Tunb Islands

1972

Ra’s al-Khaymah sheikhdom joins the UAE

1973

Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ash Shariqah oil departments

merge into one UAE Petroleum Ministry

1981

UAE becomes a founding member of the Gulf

Cooperation Council (GCC)

1986

Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan elected to fourth

term as UAE president

1991

Relations with Iraq are severed when Iraq invades

Kuwait; UAE forces join Allies

1992

Iran requires visitors to Abu Musa and Greater and

Lesser Tunb Islands to have Iranian visas; require-

ments anger UAE

1999

UAE becomes ﬁrst Arab country to participate in a UN

peacekeeping mission by sending troops to Kosovo

2001

Bank assets frozen for 62 organizations and individu-

als suspected of funding terrorism

2002

UAE and Oman ﬁnalize border demarcation

2004

President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan dies

2006

Dubai Ports World forced to give up control of six ma-

jor American ports

2006

First national elections are held for half of the mem-

bers of the Federal National Council

2007

Dubai becomes one the largest shareholders of the

London Stock Exchange

2008

Arab leaders call for Iran to end illegal occupation of

Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunb Islands

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Government

The UAE is a federation with seven self-governing emirates formed

from previously autonomous emirates. UAE has a central govern-

ment with three branches having limited power. The constitution

reserves all powers not speciﬁcally given to the federal institu-

tions for the individual emirates. The government is based upon

the original 1971 constitution that was drafted upon independence.

The constitution became permanent in 1996. A crown prince heads

each emirate. Each emirate still operates autonomously.

The coastal emirates, initially known as the Trucial States, have

their own treaties with Britain. The emirates always have been

autonomous but gave Britain some control of external relations

in exchange for protection and friendship. Treaties guaranteeing

peace along the coast were signed in 1853, forming the Trucial

States. Treaties signed in 1892 put all of the Trucial States un-

der British protection. The coastal sheiks began to work toward

a federation on the recommendation of Britain in 1952, leading

to independence as a federation of emirates in 1971. The original

constitution has remained in effect.

The federal government has three branches — executive, legis-

lative, and judicial. The executive branch includes the Supreme

Council, the top decision-making body, and a council of ministers.

The Federal Supreme Council (FSC) comprises the rulers of the

seven emirates and is headed by a president and vice president

who are elected from among its members to 5-year terms. The

president appoints the remaining executive members. The last

presidential election was in 2006. The Federal National Council

(FNC) forms the legislative branch. It has 40 members. Half are

elected, and half are appointed for 2-year terms. The ﬁrst and most

recent elections were in 2006.

Each emirate has an autonomous governing body with a composi-

tion unique to the emirate. Positions within local government are

primarily hereditary, with a ruler and a crown prince holding the

position for life. Modernization and reform for each emirate gov-

ernment is determined from within.

National Level

The federal government is divided into executive, legislative, and

judicial branches. The legislative and judicial branches are not

fully independent in practice due to the extensive inﬂuence of the

executive branch. The FSC, the supreme source of power in the

UAE, is led by the president, and has authority to create and de-

pose ministries and prime ministers. It also has inﬂuence over the

judicial branch through controlling appointments and visas for ex-

patriates in the judiciary.

The federal government has limited powers. It is responsible for

foreign policy, defense, education, public health, communica-

tions, immigration, and territorial issues. While the constitution

reserves all other powers for the individual emirates, local govern-

ments have relinquished certain additional powers to the federal

government since independence, including water management

and judicial authority.

Since independence, the UAE has worked

to strengthen federal institutions with varying degrees of success.

The national government ensures economic and trade cooperation

between emirates. The individual emirates support the national

government by giving it a portion of their annual budgets.

The

relationship between federal and local governments continues to

change and develop, with an increasing trend toward involvement

of the federal system in local affairs.

Executive Branch

The executive branch com-

prises the Federal Supreme

Council (FSC), or Supreme

Council of the Union, and

the Council of Ministers. The

FSC, formed by the seven rul-

ers of the emirates, is the su-

preme governing body and has

legislative and executive func-

tions. The FSC holds presiden-

tial elections every 5 years.

Only two presidents have

served since UAE attained its

independence. Sheikh Zayid

bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan, the

ruler of Abu Dhabi, served as

president from 1971 until his

death in 2004. His son, Crown

Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan, suc-

ceeded him.

The president is responsible for appointing government ofﬁcials

and diplomats. The president also signs bills into law. The FSC

ratiﬁes federal laws, formulates general policy, and has the author-

ity to relieve cabinet ministers under the order of the president.

The FSC also has ﬁnal authority in ﬁscal matters.

Each emirate has one vote in the FSC, and decisions are made

by majority, provided that the majority includes the vote of Abu

Dhabi and Dubai. The president and the FSC have the ability to

rule by decree during times of emergency, as long as they do not

suspend the constitution.

Khalifa bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan

The prime minister, who is appointed by the president, is the

head of government and leads the Council of Ministers. A

24-member cabinet was appointed in February 2006, with a

ministry of foreign trade added in February 2008. The prime

minister can be the vice president as well. The Council of

Ministers has authority to draft legislation and create policy

and is responsible for their implementation. The Council also

prepares the annual budget.

Legislative Branch

The Federal National Council (FNC), or national assembly, is the

legislative body. It has 40 members. Half are elected, and half are

appointed for renewable 2-year terms. The goal is to eventually

have an entirely elected body.

Membership is proportionate to the

population of the individual emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the

largest emirates, each have eight members. Ash Shariqah and Ra’s

al-Khaymah have six members, while the other three emirates

each have four members. The ﬁrst elections were in 2006. The rul-

ers of each emirate appointed an electoral college to participate in

the elections. The speaker and two deputy speakers are appointed

from the members.

Ordinary sessions are held once a year for at

least 6 months.

The FNC is responsible for evaluating and amending, if necessary,

all proposed legislation. It can examine and question federal min-

isters.

It can also request hearings to determine the effectiveness of

policies. Such discussions can be followed by recommendations,

which are either implemented or rejected by the cabinet.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch consists of the Union Supreme Court and vari-

ous civil and criminal courts. The Supreme Court consists of a

president and no more than ﬁve judges, all appointed for life by the

President of the UAE.

The Supreme Court settles disputes between

the emirates, interprets the constitution, and determines constitu-

tionality of laws. The Court also resolves disputes between lower

courts and oversees cases regarding misconduct of government

ofﬁcials. Decisions by the Supreme Court are ﬁnal and binding.

The UAE has a dual-court system. The constitution states that

Shari’a is law of the land.

Shari’a courts handle criminal and family

law cases based upon each emirate’s interpretation of Shari’a. The

federal courts handle civil matters. Federal courts include courts

of ﬁrst instance, federal appeals courts, and the Supreme Court.

Federal courts handle most cases. The entire judiciary is appointed,

and many judges are foreign nationals. The majority of the emirates

are part of the federal system, but Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra’s al-

Khaymah have opted to maintain independent court systems.

Local Level

Each emirate maintains an autonomous government that exists par-

allel to, and interacts with, the federal government. Any powers not

speciﬁcally designated for the federal government are reserved for

the individual emirate governments. These include some important

provisions such as control over mineral rights. Individual emirates

may conclude limited agreements with foreign nations, provided

such agreements do not undermine the interests of the UAE.

The composition of each government differs. Abu Dhabi, the larg-

est and wealthiest emirate, has its own government overseeing an

eastern and western administrative region. The Executive Council

heads the government. A crown prince rules the Council. Rulers

maintain power through dynasty and tribal consensus.

The Council has various departments for both regions. Major cit-

ies, Abu Dhabi and Al Ayn, are administered by municipalities,

and each is headed by a nominated municipal council. Abu Dhabi

also has a legislative National Consultative Council, similar to the

FNC, with 60 members selected from families nationwide. The

council is managed by a secretary-general and implements and ex-

amines legislation. Local departments govern smaller settlements.

Similar structures involving executive and legislative councils that

delegate to municipalities and departments form the governments

of the rest of the emirates. Smaller emirates have less complexity

in their governance. Ash Shariqah, an emirate with three enclaves

Dubayy

(Dubai)

Dubayy

(Dubai)

4/2

Abu Zaby

(Abu Dhabi)

SAUDI ARABIA

OMAN

Persian

Gulf

QATAR

Oman

United Arab Emirates

Emirate capital

1. 'Ajman (Ajman)

2. Ash Shariqah (Sharjah)

3. Ra's al Khaymah (Ras al Khaimah)

4. Al Fujayrah (Fujairah)

5. Umm al Qaywayn (Umm al Qaiwain)

Administrative Districts

on the east coast, delegates some authority to the traditional tribal

level but still maintains Executive and Consultative Councils to

govern the emirate. Remote settlements are often governed by a

local representative selected by the ruler and government of the

emirate. These are typically local tribal leaders. Giving them pow-

er has facilitated cohesion within the individual emirates.

Key Government Officials

Federal Government Officials

■ President, Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayid

al-Nahyan

■ Vice President and Prime Minister, Ruler of Dubai Sheikh

Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktum

■ Ruler of Ash Shariqah, Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad

al-Qasim

■ Ruler of Ra’s al-Khaymah, Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad al-Qasimi

■ Ruler of Al Fujayrah, Sheikh Hamad bin Muhammad al-Sharqui

■ Ruler of Umm Al-Qaiwan, Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmed al-Mualla

■ Ruler o

f Ajman, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid al-Nuaimi

■ Deputy Prime Minister, Sultan bin Zayid al-Nuhayan

■ Ambassador to the United States, Sheikh Yousef al-Otaiba

Local Government Officials

■ Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, General Sheikh Muhammad bin

Zayed al-Nahyan

■ Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Muhammad bin

Rashid al-Maktoum

■ Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ash Shariqah, Sheikh

Sultan bin Muhammad al-Qasimi

■ Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ra’s al-Khaymah, Sheikh

Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi

■ Crown Prince of Al Fujayrah, Sheikh Muhammad bin Hamed

al-Sharqi

■ Crown Prince of Umm al-Qaywayn, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid

al-Mu’alla

■ Crown Prince of Ajman, Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid al-Nuaimi

Politics

While some traditional rivalries exist between emirates and tribal

leaders, the ruling families and centralized government remain

ﬁrmly in control. There is no organized opposition, and the ruling

families remain popular. Political reforms begun in 2004 led to

the ﬁrst national elections in the UAE in 2006, where direct elec-

tion was introduced for half the members of the FNC. The rulers

chose electors to represent each emirate.

Rulers maintain power primarily through dynasty and tribal con-

sensus, ensuring that some degree of popular political participa-

tion exists. This is traditionally accomplished through the maji-

lis, an open council in which all members of the tribe are free

to express concerns. Group consensus from the majilis will often

result in policy changes. In larger emirates, the ruler and various

members of the government and ruling family continue to hold

regular majilis. The majilis system remains of higher importance

in the smaller emirates, such as Al Fujayrah, whose ruler holds an

open majilis weekly.

Political Parties

Political parties do not exist in the UAE.

Foreign Relations

The UAE’s primary foreign policy concerns since independence

have been security, stability, and economic prosperity for all

emirates. The UAE consistently has worked for greater regional

cooperation, peaceful solutions of conﬂict, greater collaboration

between Arab nations, relief for nations in need, and general sup-

port of Arab causes. Its policies are generally pro-western. The

UAE has close relations with most of its Arab neighbors.

As an oil-dependent nation strategically located on the mouth of

the Straits of Hormuz, through which the majority of the world’s

oil exports travel, the UAE has worked to position itself as a vital

part of the world’s economy. The UAE strongly identiﬁes with the

shared culture, history, and religion of the Arab world. Regional

cooperation, especially in economics and security, is vitally im-

portant to the UAE, given that it was the founding member of

the Gulf Cooperation Council in 1981. While the UAE desires re-

gional consensus, it is not afraid to act alone in the interests of

stability and security. It was an active part of coalition forces dur-

ing OPERATION DESERT STORM in 1991, and during the 2003

conﬂict in Iraq it was the ﬁrst Arab country to offer support to the

United States.

Despite its efforts at regional cooperation, the UAE has remained

ﬁrm on ongoing border disputes with its neighbors. Its dispute

over the Musandam Peninsula with Oman was settled in 2003,

but disputes with Saudi Arabia and Iran are ongoing. Iran con-

tinues to occupy and develop facilities on the disputed islands of

Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb, despite UAE protests.

The dispute with Saudi Arabia is the result of an oil ﬁeld on the

Abu Dhabi-Saudi Arabia border. A 1974 agreement would have

settled the issue, but Saudi Arabia refuses to recognize it.

Extensive foreign aid is a central part of the UAE’s foreign poli-

cy. The UAE leadership believes that foreign aid is a duty of all

Muslims and intends to use its wealth to help those in need. The

UAE provides substantial foreign aid to countries such as Iraq,

Lebanon, and other nations throughout the Middle East and Africa.

The UAE launched the “Dubai Cares” campaign in 2007, which

seeks to provide primary education for a million school children

in poor countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

The UAE pledged immediate humanitarian aid and US$300 mil-

lion in loans to Lebanon in 2007 to rebuild. The UAE also pro-

vides substantial humanitarian and ﬁnancial aid to Iraq, including

forgiving most of Iraq’s US$3.8 billion debt. The UAE also gives

aid to various hospitals and charities throughout the region. The

UAE Red Crescent provides disaster relief and works with refugee

camps, rural hospitals and schools.

United States

The United States and the UAE have had good relations since inde-

pendence in 1971. Relations include extensive economic and military

cooperation, along with shared security and strategic interests. The

UAE is the United States’ largest export market in the Arab world

and is a primary source of petroleum. More than 750 U.S. ﬁrms have

a presence in the UAE. Relations strengthened considerably during

the coalition effort to end the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, and in

2002 both nations participated in a strategic dialogue on all aspects

of their relationship. The UAE continues to be a key partner in the

Global War on Terror (GWOT) and hosts more U.S. Navy ships than

any port outside of the United States.

The United States and the UAE

have signed numerous bilateral agreements on aviation, defense, en-

vironment, international ﬁnance, trade, and taxation.

Iran

Relations between the UAE and Iran have been strained by Iran’s

refusal to resolve a border dispute centering on several islands in the

Arabian Gulf. The UAE fears Iran’s regional ambitions. However,

the two Arabian Gulf nations cooperate economically and share cul-

ture and history. The UAE is Iran’s top trade partner, with bilateral

trade amounting to US$14 billion. The UAE promotes Iran’s right

to peaceful nuclear technology and opposes economic sanctions.

Oman

Oman and the UAE have good relations that are a priority for both.

Relations are based on common interests, shared culture and his-

tory, and economic cooperation. Joint ventures in the public and

private sectors, as well as scientiﬁc and cultural cooperation, have

strengthened bilateral relations. The UAE and Oman settled their

border demarcation in July 2008. Oman is an active member of the

GCC and supports greater regional cooperation.

Saudi Arabia

UAE relations with Saudi Arabia have been close despite contin-

ued unresolved border tensions. Relations are strong due to com-

mon interests, similar pro-Western policies, shared culture and

history, and economic cooperation. Saudi Arabia is the largest

member of the GCC and supports greater regional cooperation.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE share travel and security agreements.

Qatar

Qatar and the UAE have good relations. Qatar was a founding

member of the GCC and continues to work toward greater region-

al cooperation.

Yemen

Yemen and the UAE have close relations based upon economic and

cultural cooperation. Relations improved since 2000 due to a series

of bilateral meetings. The UAE supports Yemen joining the GCC and

has worked to facilitate its membership process. The UAE and Yemen

have signed agreements on economic and aviation cooperation.

Bahrain

Relations between Bahrain and the UAE are very close. Bahrain

was part of the UAE until declaring independence separately in

1971, and Bahrain has continued a close consultative relationship

with the emirates. Bahrain and the UAE share close economic and

cultural ties. Bahrain helped form the GCC and has continued to

work toward closer regional cooperation.

Iraq

Relations between Iraq and the UAE are excellent. The UAE has

remained a major supporter of Iraqi stability, providing foreign aid

and loan forgiveness in an effort to promote the new government.

The UAE was the ﬁrst Gulf country to normalize relations with

the post-U.S. intervention government, appointing an ambassador

to Baghdad in August 2008. Iraq and the UAE have close eco-

nomic and cultural ties.

Britain

The UAE and Britain share a long history of good relations, and

bilateral relations continue to be good. The UAE remains the

largest export market for British non-military goods, and a large

number of British nationals reside in the UAE. Cultural relations

remain strong as well, and the British Council maintains ofﬁces in

several cities. Economic ties continue to develop.

International Organizations

The UAE participates in numerous international organizations, to

include:

■ Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

■ Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

■ Arab League

■ Group of 77

■ Gulf Cooperation Council

■ International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

■ International Monetary Fund

■ Interpol

■ Non-Aligned Movement

■ Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

■ Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

■ United Nations

■ World Trade Organization

Non-governmental Organizations

Local nongovernmental organizations (NGO) are required to reg-

ister with the Ministry of Social Affairs. Governmental subsidies

are awarded based on size. The UAE does not allow international

NGOs to base operations within its borders but has cooperated

with international human rights and environmental NGOs.

Corruption

The UAE ranked 34 out of 179 countries in the 2007 Transparency

International Corruption Perception Index, with 1 representing the

lowest level of corruption and 179 the highest. There were reports

of corruption at the administrative level, but there were no pros-

ecutions reported during 2007. Corruption is illegal and carries

criminal penalties. The government lacks transparency and does

not effectively ensure the right to information. Dubai’s govern-

ment increased anti-corruption investigations in 2008, speciﬁcally

targeting bribery in the government.

ECONOMY

General Description

The UAE has a diverse and free-market economy, high per capita

incomes, and a large trade surplus. However, it remains heavily

dependent on the petroleum sector, which accounts for nearly 40

percent of gross domestic product (GDP). UAE has the second

largest economy in the Middle East. The UAE has the ﬁfth larg-

est proven oil reserves and the fourth largest proven natural gas

reserves in the Middle East. The UAE also has the ﬁfth largest

Loading Barrels of Oil

proven natural gas reserves in the world. UAE is the ﬁfth larg-

est oil exporter in the world. More than 90 percent of its oil and

natural gas is in Abu Dhabi. UAE has liberal economic policies

designed to encourage investment in other sectors to reduce heavy

reliance on petroleum.

Economic Aid

The UAE has received more than US$2 million from the United

States between 2005 and 2007. The assistance was for nonprolif-

eration, antiterrorism, de-mining, and related projects (NADR).

More than US$300,000 was requested for 2008 to assist with in-

ternational military training and education (IMET) and interna-

tional narcotics and law enforcement (INCLE).

Banking Services

The banking sector consists of the Central Bank of the UAE and

more than 50 commercial and investment banks. As of 31 March

2008, there were 23 domestic banks with 558 branches and 28

foreign banks with 141 branches throughout the country.

Economic Statistics

GDP

US$167.3 billion (2007 estimates)

GDP Growth Rate

7.4%

Per Capita GDP

US$37,300

Inﬂation Rate

11%

Budget Revenues

US$58.9 billion

Budget Expenditures

US$38 billion

National Debt

US$57.5 billion

Unemployment Rate

2.4% (2001 est.)

Total Value of Imports

US$97.9 billion (2006 est.)

Import Commodities

Manufactured goods: 81%;

Agricultural products: 9%; Fuels and

mining products: 5.9%; Other: 4.1%

(2006 est.)

Import Partners

EU27: 24.8%; India: 10.8%; China:

8.5%; United States: 6.3%; Japan:

5.8; Other: 43.8% (2006 est.)

Total Value of Exports

US$142.5 billion (2006 est.)

Export Commodities

Fuels and mining products: 53%;

Manufactured goods: 35.4%;

Agricultural products: 2.6%; Other:

9% (2006 est.)

Export Partners

Japan: 24.2%; South Korea: 10.3%;

Taiwan: 10.2%; Thailand: 5%; India:

4.6%; Iran: 3.5%; EU27: 2.6%;

Other: 39.6% (2006 est.)

Labor Force

Composition

Agriculture: 7%; Industry: 36%;

Services: 57% (2005 est.)

Resources

Petroleum is the primary natural resource. Oil and gas account

for nearly 40 percent of GDP and in 2006 accounted for nearly 70

percent of total export revenue. The UAE has 97.8 billion barrels

of oil and 213.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, of which

92.2 billion barrels and 198.5 trillion cubic feet are in Abu Dhabi.

UAE produces more than 2 million barrels per day. Beach pollu-

tion from oil spills is a primary issue.

Industry

UAE’s services sector consists of business, social, private, house-

hold, ﬁnancial, government, and real estate; wholesale, retail, trade,

and maintenance; transportation, storage, and communications; and

restaurants and hotels. Services represent 57 percent of the labor

force (2005 est.)

and 39 percent of GDP (2006 est.). The industry

sector consists of oil; construction; manufacturing; mining and

quarrying; and electricity, gas, and water. Industry represents 36

percent of the labor force (2005 est.) and 59 percent of GDP (2006

est.). Agriculture, livestock, and ﬁsheries employ 7 percent of the

labor force (2005 est.) and account for 2 percent of GDP (2006 est.).

Persian

Gulf

Saudi Arabia

Oman

Khawr

Khuwayr

Mina

Jabal Ali

Dubayy

Ash Shariqah

Umm al

Qaywayn

Ajman

Ra's al

Khaymah

Diba

al Hisn

Fujayrah

Al 'Ayn

Qatar

Oman

ABU DHABI

Iran

Jazireh-ye

Qeshm

Das

offshore

facilities

Petroleum refining

Chemicals (petrochemicals

and ferilizer)

Liquified natural gas

Heavy industry

(drilling equipment)

Metal processing

(iron and steel)

Cement

Textiles

Major pipeline

Oil

Gas

Mineral deposit

Oilfield

Gasfield

Gypsum

Light Industry

(building materials,

furniture, and paper)

Food processing

Tourism

Ar Ruways

Industry

The petroleum sector is primarily in Abu Dhabi. The UAE has

several free trade and industrial zones designed to diversify its

economy and promote investment in the nonoil sector. Each of

these free zones contains thousands of companies that receive spe-

cial beneﬁts. Each zone has an independent Free Zone Authority

(FZA) that issues licenses and assists companies get established.

Utilities

UAE had 12,800 megawatts of installed electricity generation ca-

pacity at the end of 2004. Ninety percent of all generation capacity

is in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ash Shariqah while 97 percent of all

electricity is produced from natural gas. The remaining 3 percent

comes from diesel generation and steam turbines, primarily in the

Northern Emirates.

Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), Dubai

Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Ash Shariqah Electricity

and Water Authority (SEWA), and the Federal Electricity and

Water Authority (FEWA) are separate entities that generate elec-

tricity through gas-ﬁred power plants throughout the country.

The

UAE is expanding older plants and building new plants to keep up

with electricity demand.

UAE has 220-volt current at 50 Hz frequency and uses types D

and G plugs. Type D has three large round pins in a triangular

pattern. Type G is a large plug with a fuse inside for protection

and three rectangular blades. The top blade is centered above the

fuse and is vertical. The bottom two blades are below the fuse

and are horizontal.

Water

The UAE produces most of

its water through desalina-

tion, often in the same plants

that produce electricity. Water

treatment facilities include the

Abu Dhabi Steam Turbines, Al

Mirfa Umm Al-Nar, and S1

power plants under ADWEA;

numerous Jabel Ali and Aweer

power and desalination sta-

tions under DEWA; and the

Wasit, Layyah, Khawr Fakkan,

and Kalba desalination plants

under SEWA. About half of

desalinated water is produced

in Abu Dhabi. The UAE also

constructed more than 130 recharge and storage dams to capture

seasonal river ﬂow from 15 catchment areas. The entire UAE pop-

ulation has access to improved water sources and 98 percent have

access to improved sanitation (2004 est.). The UAE is expanding

older plants and building new plants to keep up with demand.

Agriculture

Agriculture is a small portion of the UAE’s economy, accounting

for seven percent of the labor force (2005 est.) and two percent

of GDP (2006 est.). Principle crops include dates, green fodder,

vegetables, citrus fruits and mangos. Livestock includes goats,

sheep, camels, cows, and horses. Produce includes meat, poultry,

eggs, and milk. The UAE has more than 35,000 farms. More than

20,000 are in Abu Dhabi. Almost 68 percent of all agricultural

land is used for palm trees.

Pottery Shop

The UAE uses organic agricultural techniques and provides farm-

ers with equipment, training, fertilizer, seeds, and fresh water, es-

pecially fodder farms, which supply most of the animal feed. UAE

also provides free veterinary services and vaccines for livestock.

Foreign Investment

The UAE received foreign direct investment (FDI) of nearly US$10.9

billion in 2005, US$12.8 billion in 2006, and US$14.2 billion in

2007. This accounted for 8.2 percent, 7.5 percent, and 7.1 percent of

GDP, respectively. FDI stocks as a percentage of GDP rose from 1.5

Saudi Arabia

Oman

Persian

Gulf

ABU DHABI

Dubayy

Quduf

Ar Ruways

Fujayrah

Adh

Dhayd

Ash Sha'm

Liwa

(oasis)

Buraymi

(oasis)

Al Ayn

Falaj al

Mu'alla

(oasis)

Qatar

Oman

Irigated farming

Rough grazing/

nomadic herding

Wasteland

Dates

Oasis

Land Use

percent in 2000 to 22 percent in 2006. Total U.S. investment in the

UAE was US$2.3 billion in 2004 and $US2.6 billion in 2005.

The UAE was the third largest recipient of FDI in West Asia in

2005 behind Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The UAE also has several

free trade and industrial zones designed to diversify its economy

and spur investment in the nonoil sector. These zones are respon-

sible for a signiﬁcant portion of foreign investment. Most of the in-

vestment is in oil and gas ﬁeld machinery and services; power and

water; computer/peripherals; medical equipment and supplies;

airport development and ground equipment; telecommunications;

and franchising.

Economic Outlook

The UAE has three strong eco-

nomic pillars — large petro-

leum revenue, diverse nonoil

sector, and consistent budget

surpluses. These have con-

tributed to strong economic

growth the past several years.

Average growth between 2003

and 2007 was more than 9

percent. Economic forecasts

predict average growth during

the next 5 years will be more

than 7.5 percent.

As a country with 10 percent

of the world’s proven oil re-

serves, oil revenue that ac-

counts for nearly 70 percent

of export earnings, and petro-

Gold Souq

leum revenue that accounts for nearly 40 percent of GDP, UAE

beneﬁts from high oil prices.

The UAE has set up free zones and provides special incentives to

attract foreign investment into the nonoil sector. Incentives include

complete foreign ownership and repatriation of capital and proﬁts.

There also is total exemption from import and export taxes and

personal income taxes. Corporations are tax exempt for 15 years,

and they can renew the exemption for an additional 15 years.

Inﬂation could present challenges if it remains high or increases. It

reached 11 percent in 2007. According to The Economist, it aver-

aged 9.9 percent between 2003 and 2007. Inﬂation can be a con-

cern when economies grow at such a fast pace because of increased

demand for goods and services and rising standards of living.

A signiﬁcant challenge is to increase private-sector employment

among Emiratis. Currently, they account for only 2 percent of all pri-

vate-sector employees and 80 percent of the public sector.

Emiratis

generally seek public-sector employment because of higher salaries,

better beneﬁts, and shorter working hours. If the UAE can reverse

this trend, then it will become less dependent upon immigrant labor.

THREAT

Crime

The UAE is relatively safe, but sexual assaults and petty crimes do

occur. Women should never travel alone because physical and ver-

bal harassment of women is common, especially at night. Violent

crime is low, but standard precautions should be practiced. Most

reports of crime occur in the expatriate community, which is pre-

dominantly South Asian. U.S. Embassy ofﬁcials believe crime is

higher than the media reports. The UAE does not release ofﬁcial

crime statistics.

Geographical location and free-trade zones provide criminal enti-

ties operating in Southwest Asia easy access to manipulate mon-

etary exchanges. The most common commercial fraud involves

money laundering. The real estate and commodities sectors (most-

ly diamonds and gold) along with the hawala (traditional infor-

mal money transfer system) are used for money laundering and

ﬁnancing terrorist activities. Embezzlement, fraud, and bribery

adversely affect business.

Human trafﬁcking is a serious problem, for which the UAE is

a destination and transit country. Women from countries such

as Afghanistan, Armenia, China, Ethiopia, Georgia, Iran, Iraq,

Russia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan are traf-

ﬁcked to the UAE for commercial sexual exploitation. Third-

country recruiters seek foreign women to work as secretaries or

hotel staff, and these women sometimes are coerced into prostitu-

tion and domestic servitude. The UAE is also a transit country for

women who are trafﬁcked for forced labor in Oman; men are co-

erced into involuntary work in Iraq. Children are also trafﬁcked.

Women and girls from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Eritrea, India,

Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, and Sri Lanka travel to the UAE to

work as domestic servants. They may face involuntary servitude,

nonpayment, unlawful withholding of passports, restriction of

movement, and physical or sexual abuse. Men from Bangladesh,

India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka travel to the UAE to work

in the construction industry and can be subjected to similar condi-

tions as women.

Drug Trafﬁcking

The UAE is a trans-shipment point for narcotic trafﬁckers.

Amphetamines, opium, cannabis, Ecstasy, hashish, heroin, and

precursor chemicals are trafﬁcked through the UAE. Most drugs

arriving in the UAE are destined for Europe, Africa, and the

United States.

Hashish and opiates reportedly arrive by sea from Afghanistan,

Iran, Pakistan, and other Southwest Asia countries. Precursor

chemicals, Ecstasy, bumorpriphine, and other psychotropic drugs

are smuggled through the UAE to Pakistan. Cannabis is trafﬁcked

into the UAE from Afghanistan and Lebanon. In 2006, there was

a cannabis resin seizure in the amount of 1,245 kilograms (2,745

pounds). Fewer than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of amphetamines

were seized during the same period.

Organized crime in the UAE is linked to narcotics, arms, and hu-

man trafﬁcking; business, government, and insurance fraud; art

and cultural theft; computer crimes, extortion; bribery; murder;

terrorism; money laundering; and kidnapping. The UAE uses se-

vere punishment — such as lengthy prison sentences, heavy ﬁnes,

and the death penalty — to deter drug trafﬁcking.

The UAE Drug Enforcement Administration (UAE DEA), a sub-

ordinate of the Ministry of Interior (MOI), is the lead agency for

combating domestic narcotics trafﬁcking. The UAE DEA is tasked

with coordinating drug enforcement efforts of all emirates. The

UAE devotes resources to ﬁghting drug abuse and participates in

regional and international initiatives. The U.S. Drug Enforcement

Administration (U.S. DEA) works with UAE authorities to combat

drug smuggling and narcotics-related money laundering. The U.S.

DEA established an ofﬁce in Dubai in 2005. The UAE has pub-

lic awareness campaigns and drug addict rehabilitation centers in

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, and Ash Shariqah.

Major Intelligence Services

Each emirate has a police force that is responsible for gathering

and acting upon intelligence related to security, crime, and drug

trafﬁcking. The police forces of Dubai and Abu Dhabi have depart-

ments responsible for investigations. These include the General

Department of Investigation in Dubai and the Department of

Security Affairs of the Abu Dhabi Police. The Abu Dhabi Police

have modern intelligence capabilities and cooperate with other in-

ternational forces in counterterrorism and counternarcotics.

ARMED FORCES

Army

The principal role of the army is to defend the UAE against exter-

nal aggressors until the forces of treaty-obligated allies are able to

deploy. The UAE’s well-equipped military is an all-volunteer force

comprising some 65,500 personnel, of whom 59,000 are serving

in the Army. Approximately 30 percent of armed forces personnel

are expatriates. Women also serve in the military.

Organization

In times of war, the three military regional headquarters function

as federal commands. In peacetime, the military forces of Abu

Dhabi and Dubai operate separately. The wartime order of battle

consists of two mechanized infantry brigades with two motorized

infantry and one armored brigade, as well as an artillery brigade

in the integrated structure. Additionally, Dubai has two infantry

brigades under independent national command. Support elements

include a combat engineer group and logistics.

The order of battle is controlled from three military region HQs,

which in times of war function as federal commands. In peace-

time, the Abu Dhabi and Dubai forces tend to operate separately.

The wartime order of battle consists of one royal guard brigade,

two armored brigades, three mechanized infantry brigades, with

two motorized infantry brigades and an artillery brigade in the

integrated structure. In addition, Dubai has two infantry brigades

Commander of UAE Armed Forces

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan

Defense Council

Emirate Rulers

Deputy Supreme Commander

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan

Assistant Supreme Commander

Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum

Defense Minister

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum

Chief of Staff General Headquarters

Intelligence and Security

Navy

Brigadier Suhail Shaheen al Murar

Air Force

Col Sheikh Muhammed bin Zayed al Nahyan

Army

Northern

Military

Command

Central

Military

Command

Western

Military

Command

Military Structure

under national command. Support elements include technical en-

gineering, a combat engineer group, and logistics.

The artillery brigade consists of three fully operational artillery

regiments, with the 155 mm M109L47 Self-Propelled Howitzer.

Each regiment has 24 howitzers organized into three batteries.

In 2000, the UAE decided to purchase the Russian-made Pantsir

S1 anti-aircraft system in a deal covering 50 systems. It was sub-

Jundi Jundi Awwal

'Arif

Raqib

Basic Private Private Private 1st Class Corporal Sergeant

Staff Sergeant

Mulazim Thani

2d Lieutenant

Sergeant First Class

Master Sergeant

First Sergeant

Command

Sergeant Major

of the Army

Raqib Awwal Wakil

1st Lieutenant

Ground Forces

Enlisted

Rank Insignia

U.S. Equivalent

Ground Forces

Officer

Rank Insignia

U.S. Equivalent

Captain Major Lieutenant Colonel

Colonel Brigadier General Major General Lieutenant General General General of the Army

(1) No Insignia (2) Insignia Not Known (3) Worn on Wrist Band (4) Cap Insignia (5) No Rank

(1)

(3)

Mulazim Awwal Naqib Ra'id Muqaddam

'Aqid Liwa''Amid

(5)(2) (5) (5)

Jundi Mustajidd

(1)

Army Insignia

sequently reported in October 2006 that the Russians would begin

assembly of the ﬁrst system in November 2006. Deliveries of the

system to the UAE were expected to start in 2007 with 12 addi-

tional units in 2007; 24 in 2008; and 14 in 2009.

The Dubai Brigade is an independent formation operating under

local command and control, except in time of mass mobilization.

The UAE has contributed its 3

(Hazza bin Zayed) Battalion to

join the GCC’s Peninsula Shield Force, based in eastern Saudi

Arabia at Hafr al-Batin. The Peninsula Shield Force, under the

command of a Saudi ofﬁcer, is designed to be a rapid deployment

force for the six GCC states. Most of its complement is supplied by

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, only small units being supplied by the

other four members. The force returned home in December 2005.

In 2006, the UAE army gained control of its own aviation branch.

The UAE Air Force and Air Defense’s Boeing AH-64A Apache

and Eurocopter AS550C3 Fennec were transferred to the 10th

Army Aviation Group at Al Dhafra Airbase.

Bases

The UAE has the following army bases:

■ Al Ayn Camp

■ Al Maqam Camp - Royal Guard

■ Al Fujayrah Camp

■ Infantry Command School - Al Ayn

■ Madina Zayed

■ Manama Camp

■ Masaﬁ Camp

■ Tarif Camp

100

The General Headquarters is located in Abu Dhabi and the

Ministry of Defense in Dubai. The UAE has garrisons in Abu

Dhabi, Dubai, and Ash Shariqah.

Personnel

The UAE army has 59,000 personnel. The composition of the

armed forces reﬂects a high dependence on foreign expatriates, with

Egyptians, Moroccans, Baluchis, and Sudanese personnel serving

in relatively high numbers. Thirty percent is composed of European

Arabian Gulf

Boundary representations are not necessarily authoritative.

QATAR

BAHRAIN

SAUDI ARABIA

OMAN

IRAN

OMAN

ABU DHABI

Al Shrafra

Fujayarah

Khor

Fakkan

Ras Al Kahaymah

Sharjah

Dubai

Al Bateem

Tarif

Al Qaffey

UNITED ARAB

EMIRATES

Road

Air Force Base

Army Base

Naval Base

Military Bases

101

and South Asian expatriates. In a step during 2007 to encourage

UAE citizens to join the police and armed forces, the government

announced a 70-percent increase in security force salaries.

Deployments

The UAE sent forces to assist Kuwait during the 1990-1991 Gulf

War. A UAE infantry battalion went with the United Nations

force to Somalia in 1993, and the UAE 35th Mechanized Infantry

Battalion served in Kosovo. A UAE regiment went to Kuwait dur-

ing the Iraq War. In September 2007, UAE military ﬁeld engi-

neers arrived in Beirut to clear areas of south Lebanon from mines

and cluster bombs. In 2007, the UAE peacekeepers deployment in

Afghanistan started.

Equipment

Armor

Type Role Quantity

Leclerc

MBT 436

AMX-30

MBT 95

OF-40 Mk2 Lion

MBT 36

BMP-3

AIFV 653

AMX-10P

AIFV 15

AMX-13/VCI

AIFV 15

FNSS ACV

Armored Combat Vehicle 136

Scorpion

Light Tank 76

AML-90

Reconnaissance 90

Saladin

Reconnaissance 20

Ferret

Reconnaissance 20

VCR

APC 80

VAB

APC 20

102

Type Role Quantity

EE-11

APC 100

Panhard M3/VTS

APC 240

RG-31

Mine-protected APC 28

TPz 1 Fuchs

NBC Reconnaissance Vehicle 32

Guardian

APC (Amphibious) 90

Nimr II

High Mobility Tactical Vehicle 500

Artillery

Type Role Quantity

105 mm ROF Light Gun

Gun 62

130 mm PRC Type 59-1

Field Gun 20

155 mm Mk F3

Self-Propelled Gun 18

155 mm G-6

SPG-Howitzer 78

155 mm M109L47

Self-Propelled Howitzer 85

300 mm Splav BM 9A52

Smerch

Multiple Rocket Launcher 6

70 mm LAU-97

Multiple Rocket Launcher 18

122 mm FIROS-25

Multiple Rocket Launcher 48

120 mm Brandt

Mortar 21

81 mm L16

Mortar 114

81 mm Brandt

Mortar 20

Anti-tank Weapons

Type Role Quantity

Milan

Anti Tank Guided Weapon 230

TOW

Anti Tank Guided Weapon 25

HOT

Anti-tank Guided Weapon 20

9K113 Konkurs

Anti-tank Guided Weapon 180

106 mm M40

Recoilless Riﬂe 12

103

Type Role Quantity

84 mm Carl Gustav

Rocket Launcher 250

Air Defense Weapons

Type Role Quantity

20 mm Former Yugoslavian

M55 Triple Barreled ADA

Light Anti-Aircraft

(Towed)

N/A

35 mm (twin) Swiss GDF-

001 through -003 and -005

ADA

Radar Guided Anti-

Aircraft (Towed)

20 mm (twin) Panhard

VDAA

M55A1, M55A2

Self-Propelled Anti-

Aircraft Gun

Mistral

Manportable SAM 20

Blowpipe

Manportable SAM 20

Igla-1 (SA-16 ‘Gimlet’)

Manportable SAM 10

Dzhigit

SAM Twin Launchers for

Igla-1 missiles

Crotale

Low-Altitude SAM System 3

30 mm Russian Pantisr-S1

Gun-Missile Air Defense

System

< 50

30 mm GCF-BM

Light Anti-Aircraft Gun 20

Infantry Weapons

Type Role

9 mm FN 35

Pistol

9 mm H&K P7M13

Pistol

9 mm H&K MP5

Sub-Machine Gun

5.56 mm HK53

Sub-Machine Gun

5.56 mm M16A1

Assault Riﬂe

5.56 mm FAMAS

Assault Riﬂe

104

Type Role

7.62 mm AKM

Assault Riﬂe

7.62 mm G3

Assault Riﬂe

7.62 mm FN FAL

Assault Riﬂe

5.56 mm HK23E

Light Machine Gun

5.56 mm Minimi

Light Machine Gun

7.62 mm FN MAG

General-Purpose Machine Gun

12.7 mm Browning M2HB

Heavy Machine Gun

40 mm M203

Grenade Launcher

Air Force

Organization

The UAE Air Force (UAEAF) was formed in 1976 through a con-

solidation of assets from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and the other emir-

ates. Its tactical doctrine is an adaptation of British, French, and

U.S. doctrine. The UAEAF has approximately 4,000 personnel.

Mission

The mission of the UAEAF is moving away from a defensive role

toward one of deterrence. The UAEAF focuses on offensive ca-

pabilities with recent purchases of the Block 60 F-16E/F and up-

grades to the Mirage 2000 aircraft.

Bases

The UAEAF is headquartered at Al Bateen AFB, Abu Dhabi and

is divided among two commands: one in Abu Dhabi (Western

Command); and one in Dubai (Central Command). The UAEAF air-

craft inventory is dispersed among ﬁve bases. Al Dhafra, Al Bateen

105

and Al Ayn are all in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Dubai International

is in Dubai, and Minhad is in the emirate of Ash Shariqah.

Equipment

Fixed Wing

Aircraft Quantity

F-16E/F

(60E, 20F)

Mirage 2000-9 68

Mirage V 5

Hawk (trainer) 46

PC-7 30

C-130H 6

Cessna 208B 7

Rotary

Aircraft Quantity

AH-64A 30

Bell 214B 4

Bell 412 6

IAR-330L 10

SA 330C 10

CH-47 12

Navy

The United Arab Emirates Navy is primarily a coastal defense

force with limited conventional combat capability. Priorities in-

clude patrolling territorial waters, combating illegal smuggling,

and protecting offshore oil platforms. A small force of about 2,400

personnel, the UAE Navy moves to improve its blue water pres-

106

ence with the acquisition of six Baynunah-class corvettes (FFL).

The U.S. Navy makes more port calls in the UAE than in any

country other than the United States.

Organization

The UAE’s moves in the maritime environment are motivated by a

desire to protect the ﬂow of oil to international customers. Proﬁts

from oil exports form the foundation of the Emirates’ economy.

Shipments primarily are transported through the strategic Strait of

Hormuz. In light of Iran’s presence on three Arabian Gulf islands

claimed by the UAE, and threats to close the Strait of Hormuz to

shipping in the event of a conﬂict, the UAE’s naval modernization

program addresses these concerns about national security. The

UAE’s fast attack and patrol craft are organized in various ﬂotillas

and squadrons. One marine battalion also falls under navy control.

U.S. and British naval tactics for small-attack craft heavily have in-

ﬂuenced UAE operations, as have French missile tactics. Training

occurs in country with allied navies, including the British Royal

Navy and French Marine National. The range and endurance of

Emirati naval deployments is limited.

Bases

The primary naval base is located at Taweelah, between the UAE’s

main cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Other facilities are spread

throughout the UAE’s seven emirates.

Personnel

The UAE Navy has 2,400 personnel.

107

Equipment

Surface Fleet

Type Role Quantity

Muray Jib (MGB 62) Fast Attack Craft-missile 2

Ban Yas (TNC 45) Fast Attack Craft-missile 6

Mubarraz Fast Attack Craft-missile 2

Ardhana Patrol Craft 6

Frankenthal (Type 332) Minehunter-coastal 2

L64, L65, L66, L67 Landing Craft-tank N/A

L 41, L42 Landing Craft-tank 2

L 62 +2 Landing Craft-vehicle 3

Al-Feyi Landing Ship-logistics 3

Serna Landing Craft-utility 2

D 1051 Diving Tender 1

Al-Shaali Transport Craft 12

Arctic 28 Rigid Inﬂatable 8

Transportbåt 2000 Landing Craft 12

Naval Aviation

Type Role Quantity

SA 316/319S Alouette Reconnaissance 4

AS565 Panther Anti-Ship 7

AS535 Cougar/Super Puma Anti-Ship 7

Force Requirements and Modernization

The UAE Navy’s acquisition of six Baynunah-class corvettes rep-

resents a signiﬁcant upgrade in naval capability. These corvettes

will focus on patrol and surveillance in the UAE’s territorial wa-

ters and economic exclusion zone. Additionally, the Baynunah-

108

class vessels are to carry eight MM40 block 3 Exocet surface-to-

surface missiles and Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles.

The corvettes also will be capable of mine laying and detection.

The ﬁrst unit in the new class will be commissioned in 2010. The

UAE may acquire submarines in the future.

Coastal Defense

UAE maintains a national coast guard, the UAE Border and Coast

Guard Directorate, organized under the UAE Armed Forces

Command. The directorate is responsible for search and rescue,

counternarcotics, and preventing illegal immigration.

Paramilitary

UAE’s Emirates maintain several internal security units. These

include a 50-person special weapons and tactics team under the

Dubai Police and the Amiri Guards under the Ash Shariqah po-

lice department, responsible for protecting public buildings and

the emir of Ash Shariqah.

National Police

UAE does not maintain a national police force; instead, each emir-

ate maintains an autonomous police department under the national

Interior Ministry. Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s police forces are the

largest, best-funded, and most technically proﬁcient in UAE.

A-1

APPENDIX A:

EQUIPMENT RECOGNITION

INFANTRY WEAPONS

9-mm Submachinegun Heckler & Koch Model MP5

Cartridge

9.0 x 19.0 mm

Effective Range

200 m

Maximum Range

1,600 m

Rates of Fire

Cyclic

650 to 800 rounds/minute

Single-Shot

50 to 50 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Delayed blowback, selective ﬁre

Feed Device

30-round box magazine

Weight Unloaded

2.0 to 3.4 kg (varies with model and optional

equipment)

Length

325 to 780 mm (varies with model)

A-2

5.56-mm Assault Riﬂe M16A1

Cartridge

5.56 x 45 mm

Effective Range

800 m

Maximum Range

3,600 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

700 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Gas blowback, direct action, selective ﬁre

Feed Device

20- or 30-round box magazine

Weight Unloaded

3.40 kg

Length

990 mm

5.56-mm Heckler & Koch Model 53

Cartridge

5.56 x 45 mm

Effective Range

400 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

700 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Delayed blowback, selective-ﬁre

Feed Device

25- or 30-round detachable box magazine

Weight Unloaded

3 kg

Length

780 mm

A-3

5.56-mm General Purpose Machinegun Heckler & Koch Model 23

Cartridge

7.62 x 45 mm NATO

Effective Range

1,500 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

750 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Delayed blowback, automatic

Feed Device

Metal link belt

Weight Loaded

8.75 kg (with butt stock and bipod)

Overall Length

1,030 mm

40-mm M203 Grenade Launcher

Cartridge

40 x 46 mm

Method of Operation

Breech loaded, sliding barrel

Effective Range

Point target 150 m; area target 350 m

Weight (Loaded)

1.63 kg

Overall Length

380 mm

NOTE: The M203 grenade launcher was originally designed for attachment to the

M16-series assault riﬂes. The M203 can be used attached to an M16 assault riﬂe or

M4 carbine, or as a standalone weapon attached to a modiﬁed stock.

A-4

5.56-mm FAMAS

Cartridge

5.56 x 45 mm

Effective Range

300 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

700 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Delayed blowback, selective ﬁre, and 3-rd burst

capability

Feed Device

25-round detachable box magazine

Weight Unloaded

3.3.61 kg

Length

757 mm

A-5

7.62-mm Automatic Riﬂe Heckler & Koch Model G3A3

Cartridge

7.62 x 51 mm

Effective Range

400 m

Maximum Range

2,400 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

500 to 600 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Delayed blowback, selective ﬁre

Feed Device

30-round box magazine

Weight Unloaded

4.3 kg

Length

1,025 mm

Overall Length

1,025 mm (ﬁxed butt); 840 mm (retracted butt)

7.62-mm General Purpose Machinegun FN MAG

Cartridge

7.62 x 51 mm NATO

Effective Range

1,500 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

650 to 1,000 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Gas, automatic

Feed Device

Disintegrating metal link belt

Weight Loaded

13.92 kg (with butt stock and bipod)

Overall Length

1,260 mm

A-6

0.50-in. (12.7-mm) Heavy Machinegun Browning M2 HB

Caliber

12.7 x 99 mm

Ranges

Effective

1,500 m

Maximum

6,800 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

450 to 600 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Short recoil

Feed Device

Disintegrating-link belt

Weight

38 kg

Overall Length

1,651 mm

A-7

5.56-mm FN Herstal Minimi Light Machinegun

Cartridge

5.56 x 45 mm NATO

Effective Range

1,000 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

700 to 1,000 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Gas, automatic only

Feed Device

Disintegrating metallic link belt or box magazine

(M16 type)

Weight Loaded

7.1 kg (with butt stock and bipod)

Overall Length

1,040 mm

7.62-mm AK-47/AKM

Cartridge

7.62 x 39 mm M1943

Effective Range

300 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

600rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Gas, selective-ﬁre

Feed Device

Detachable box magazine

Weight Loaded

3.86 kg

Overall Length

880 mm

A-8

7.62-mm FN FAL

Cartridge

7.62 × 51 mm NATO

Effective Range

600 m

Cyclic Rate of Fire

600 - 700 rounds/minute

Method of Operation

Gas, selective-ﬁre

Feed Device

Detachable box magazine

Weight Loaded

4.45 kg

Overall Length

1090 mm

A-9

ARMOR

Leclerc MBT

Crew

Armament

Main

1x 120-mm gun

Coaxial

1x 12.7-mm machinegun

Antiaircraft

1x 7.63-mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

72 km/h

Maximum Range

450 km (with internal fuel)

550 km (with external fuel)

Gradient

60 percent

Vertical Obstacle

1.25 m

Trench

3.0 m

Fording

1.0 m (4 m with preparation)

Combat Weight

54,600 kg

Length x Width x Height

9.87 x 3.71 x 2.92 m

Fuel Capacity

1,300 liters of diesel (2x 200-liter external tanks

optional)

A-10

AMX-30

Crew

Armament

Main

1x 105-mm gun

Coaxial

1x 20-mm cannon or 1x 12.7-mm machinegun

Antiaircraft

1x 7.62-mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

65 km/h

Maximum Range

500 - 600 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

.93 m

Trench

2.9 m

Fording

1.3 m (4 m with snorkel)

Combat Weight

36,000 kg

Length x Width x Height

9.48 x 3.1 x 2.86 m

Fuel Capacity

1,090 liters (can operate on oil, gas, or paraﬁn)

A-11

Oto Melara OF-40 MBT

Crew

Armament

Main

1x 105-mm gun

Coaxial

1x 7.62 mm machinegun

Antiaircraft

1x 7.62-mm machinegun or optional 12.7-mm

machinegun

Maximum Speed

60 km/h

Maximum Range

600 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

1.1 m

Trench

3 m

Fording

1.2 m (4 m with snorkel)

Combat Weight

45,500 kg

Length x Width x Height

9.22 x 3.51 x 2.45 m

Fuel Capacity

1,000 liters of diesel

A-12

BMP-3

Crew; Troops

3; 7

Armament

Main

1x 100-mm 2A70 gun

Coaxial

1x 30-mm dual-feed cannon

Coaxial

1x 7.62-mm PKT machinegun

Bow

2x 7.62-mm PKT machinegun

Smoke Grenade

2x3 81-mm

Maximum Speed

70 km/h (10 km/h on water)

Maximum Range

600 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.8 m

Trench

2.5 m

Fording

Amphibious

Combat Weight

18,700 kg

Length x Width x Height

7.14 x 3.15 x 2.30 m

Fuel Capacity

690 liters (Multifuel capability)

A-13

AMX-10P

Crew; Troops

3; 8

Armament

Main

1x 20-mm M693 cannon

Coaxial

1x 7.62 mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

65 km/h

Maximum Range

500 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.7 m

Trench

2.1 m

Fording

Amphibious

Combat Weight

14,500 kg

Length x Width x Height

5.90 x 2.83 x 2.83 m

Fuel Capacity

528 liters of diesel

A-14

AMX VCI

Crew; Troops

3; 10

Armament

Main

1x 20-mm cannon, or 1x 12.7-mm M2 HB, or 1x

7.62-mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

64 km/h

Maximum Range

500 - 550 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.65 m

Trench

1.6 m

Fording

1.0 m

Combat Weight

15,000 kg

Length x Width x Height

5.70 x 2.67 x 2.41 m

Fuel Capacity

410 liters of diesel

A-15

FNSS ACV

Crew; Troops

2; 11

Armament

Main

1 25-mm cannon

Coaxial

1x 7.62 mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

65 km/h (6.3 km/h on water)

Maximum Range

490 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

.74 m

Trench

1.83 m

Fording

Amphibious

Combat Weight

13,687 kg

Length x Width x Height

5.26 x 2.82 x 2.01 m

Fuel Capacity

416 liters

A-16

Scorpion 90

Crew

Armament

Main

1x 90-mm Cockerill Mk III M693 cannon

Coaxial

1x 7.62 mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

73 km/h

Maximum Range

866 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/45 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.5 m

Trench

2.05 m

Fording

1.07 m

Combat Weight

8,700 kg

Length x Width x Height

5.29 x 2.23 x 2.10 m

Fuel Capacity

423 liters of diesel

A-17

AML-90

Crew

Armament

Main

1x 90-mm cannon

Coaxial

1x 7.62 mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

90 km/h

Maximum Range

600 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/45 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.3 m

Trench

3.1 m

Fording

1.1 m

Combat Weight

5,500

Length x Width x Height

5.80 x 1.97 x 2.07 m

Fuel Capacity

156 liters of gasoline

A-18

Saladin

Crew

Armament

Main

1x 76-mm L5A1 gun

Coaxial

1x 7.62-mm machinegun

Antiaircraft

1x 7.62-mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

72 km/h

Maximum Range

400 km

Gradient

46 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.46 m

Trench

1.52 m

Fording

1.07 m

Combat Weight

11,500 kg

Length x Width x Height

5.28 x 2.54 x 2.38 m

Fuel Capacity

241 liters of gasoline

A-19

Ferret Mk II

Crew

Armament

Main

1x 7.62-mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

93 km/h

Maximum Range

306 km (160 km cross-country)

Gradient/Slide Slope

46 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.34 m

Trench

1.22 m

Fording

0.91 m

Combat Weight

4,400 kg

Length x Width x Height

3.84 x 1.90 x 1.88 m

Fuel Capacity

96 liters of gasoline

A-20

Panhard VCR/TT

Crew; Troops

3; 9

Armament

Main

1x 7.62-mm machinegun or 1x 20-mm cannon

Maximum Speed

90 km/h

Maximum Range

700 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.8 m

Trench

1.1 m

Fording

Amphibious

Combat Weight

7,900 kg

Length x Width x Height

4.87 x 2.50 x 2.56 m

Fuel Capacity

242 liters of gasoline

A-21

VAB APC (VMO Type)

Crew; Troops

2; 10

Armament

Main

1x 12.7-mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

92 km/h

Maximum Range

1,000 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

46 percent/35 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.65 m

Trench

1.50 m

Fording

Amphibious

Combat Weight

13,000 kg

Length x Width x Height

5.98 x 2.49 x 2.06 m

Fuel Capacity

300 liters of diesel

A-22

EE-11 Urutu

Crew; Troops

1; 12

Armament

Main

1x 7.62- or 12.7-mm M2 HB machinegun

Maximum Speed

105 km/h

Maximum Range

850 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.6 m

Trench

1.0 m

Fording

Amphibious

Combat Weight

14,000 kg

Length x Width x Height

6.10 x 2.65 x 2.90 m

Fuel Capacity

380 liters of diesel

A-23

Panhard M3

Crew; Troops

2; 10

Armament

Main

2x 7.62-mm machineguns

Maximum Speed

90 km/h

Maximum Range

600 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.3 m

Trench

0.8 m

Fording

Amphibious

Combat Weight

6,100 kg

Length x Width x Height

4.45 x 2.40 x 2.48 m

Fuel Capacity

165 liters of gasoline

A-24

RG-31 APC

Crew; Troops

2; 10

Armament

Main

Various, including: 5.56-mm, 7.62-mm, or .50

(12.7 mm) M2 HB machine guns or a 40-mm

automatic grenade launcher

Maximum Speed

105 km/h

Maximum Range

>1,000 km

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/35 percent

Combat Weight

10,200 kg

Length x Width x Height

5.81 x 2.47 x 2.72 m

Fuel Type

Diesel

A-25

TPz 1 Fuchs

Crew; Troops

2; 10

Armament

Main

1x 20-mm cannon or 1x 7.62-mm machinegun

Maximum Speed

105 km/h (road)/10.5 km/h (water)

Maximum Range

800 km (road)

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/30 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.7 m

Trench

1.2 m

Fording

Amphibious

Combat Weight

17,000 kg

Length x Width x Height

6.83 x 2.98 x 2.30 m

Fuel Capacity

390 liters of diesel

A-26

Guardian (BTR-3U) APC

Crew; Troops

3; 6

Armament

Main

1 × 30-mm KBA-3 cannon

Secondary

1 × 30-mm AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher

Secondary

1 × 7.62-mm or 12.7-mm machine gun

Maximum Speed

100 km/h (road)/9 km/h (water)

Maximum Range

600-800 km (road)

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/40 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.3 m

Trench

2 m

Fording

Amphibious

Combat Weight

16,400 kg

Length x Width x Height

7.65 x 2.90 x 2.86 m

Fuel Capacity

300 liters of diesel

A-27

NIMR II High Mobility Tactical Vehicle

Crew; Troops

2; up to 6

Armament

Main

1 × medium machine gun

Maximum Speed

140 km/h

Maximum Range

1,000 km (road)

Gradient/Slide Slope

60 percent/60 percent

Vertical Obstacle

0.3 m

Trench

2 m

Fording

1.2 m

Combat Weight

7,000 kg

Length x Width x Height

4.90 x 2.20 x 2.50 m

Fuel Capacity

200 liters of diesel

A-28

ARTILLERY

130-mm PRC Type 59-1

Gun Caliber

130.0 mm x 52.0

Types of Rounds

HE-frag., HE-frag.-incendiary, DPICM, illumina-

tion, smoke

Range, Direct Fire

1,170 m

Range, Indirect Fire

7,800 to 27,150 m (38,000 m extended)

Rates of Fire

Burst

8 to 10 rounds per minute

Normal

6 rounds per minute

Traverse Limits

Left 30.0 degrees, right 28.0 degrees

Elevation Limits

–2.5 to +45.0 degrees

Travel Weight

6,300 kg

Travel Length x Width x Height

10.8 x 2.4 x 2.8 m

A-29

155-mm Mk F3

Crew

2 (on weapon), 8 (on follow-on vehicle)

Conﬁguration

Tracked

Armament

1 x 155-mm howitzer

Maximum Range

20,047 m

Rates of Fire

3 rds/min

Armor

10 - 20-mm

Night Vision

Yes

NBC Capable

Maximum Road Range

300 km (gas engine), 450 km (diesel engine)

Maximum Road Speed

60 km/h (gas engine), 64 km/h (diesel engine)

Fuel Capacity

450 liters

Fording

1 m

Gradient

40%

Vertical Obstacle

(forwards) 0.6 m; (reverse) 0.4 m

Combat Weight

17,400 kg

Height

2.085 m (traveling)

Length

6.22 m (gun forward)

Width

2.7m

Comments: The hull of the F3 is of all-welded steel with the driver’s compartment at

the front on the left, the engine compartment to his right, and the armament to the rear.

The F3 is recognizable by its ﬁve rubber-type road wheels, three return rollers and the

exposed crew positions. The other eight members of the crew follow the F3 in a sepa-

rate vehicle. For short distances, four crew members can ride on the F3.

A-30

155-mm Self-propelled Gun-Howitzer G-6

Crew; Section Size

2 to 5; 7

Caliber

155.0 mm x 45.0

Ammunition Types

HE-Frag, DPICM, illumination, smoke

Range

Direct Fire

3,000 m

Conventional

30,000 m

Extended

Up to 50,000 m

Rate of Fire

3 rounds/minute

Elevation Limits

–5.0 to +75.0 degrees

Traverse Limits

40.0 degrees left or right

Vehicle Maximum Speed

85 km/h

Road Range

700 km

Grade

40 percent

Trench

1.0 m

Fording

1.0 m

Travel Weight

47,000 kg

Travel Length x Width x Height

10.4 x 3.4 x 3.5 m

Emplacement/Displacement Time

1 minute/30 seconds

A-31

155-mm Self-propelled Howitzer M109L47

Crew; Section

6; 8

Conﬁguration

Tracked

Armament

(main) 1 x 155-mm howitzer

(anit-aircraft) ; 1 x 12.7mm or 7.62 mm MG

Maximum Range

22,000 m (conventional); 38,000 (extended)

Rates of Fire

4 rds/min

Armor

20-mm

Elevation Limits

–3.0 to +53.0 degrees

Traverse LImits

360 degrees

Maximum Road Range

350 km

Maximum Road Speed

35 km/h

Emplacement/Displacement time

30 sec / 30 sec

Fording/Vertical Obstacle

1 m / .5 m

Gradient

60%

Combat Weight

27,000 kg

Height x Length x Width

3.2 x 11.3 x 3.2 m

Comments: The M109L47 is an upgraded M109A2/A3 assembled in the Netherlands

speciﬁcally for export to the UAE. The “L47” portion of the nomenclature is from the

Swiss cannon upgrade, a new 47-caliber cannon. Other upgrades include better armor

protection, increased ammunition storage, and enhanced onboard electronics.

A-32

120-mm Brandt

Minimum Range

500 m

Maximum Range

9,000 m

Ammunition Types

HE, HE-RA, smoke, illum, practice, marker

Traverse Limits

17 degrees

Elevation

+45 to +80 degrees

Travel Weight

402 kg

Barrel Length

with breech cap, 1.746 m

Rate of Fire

12 rds/min

A-33

81-mm MO-81-61 Mortar

Crew

Caliber

81-mm

Maximum Range

5,000 m

Rate of Fire

10 rds/min (normal)

15 rds/min (burst)

8 rds/min (sustained)

Barrel Length

1.115 m (MO-81-61C)

1.450 m (MO-81-61L)

Weight

42 kg

A-34

122-mm FIROS Rocket Launcher

Crew

Conﬁguration

6x6

Armament

122-mm rocket; smoke; HE

Maximum Speed

90 km/h

Maximum Range

34,000 m

Combat Weight

19,000 kg

Length x Width x Height

7.3 x 2.5 x 3.0 m (travelling)

Fording

1.5 m

Vertical Obstacle

0.78 m

A-35

9A52 Smerch 300-mm MRL

Crew; Section

3; 5

Armament

12 x 300-mm rockets

Maximum Range

90 km

Rates of Fire

12 rds/38 sec

Elevation Limits

0 to +55.0 degrees

Traverse LImits

30 degrees left/right; 60 degrees total

Maximum Road Range

1,000 km

Maximum Road Speed

60 km/h

Emplacement/Displacement time

3 min / 1 min

Fording

1.25 m

Gradient

70%

Combat Weight

39,500 kg

Height x Length x Width

3.4 x 12.4 x 3.0 m

A-36

ANTIARMOR

MILAN Ground Launcher

Maximum Range and Flight Time

2,000 m in 12.5 seconds

Night Vision Device

Thermal Imaging

Warhead Type

Unitary Shaped Charge

Warhead Penetration

1,000-mm of RHA

Guidance/Command Link

SACLOS/Wire

Attack Proﬁle

Direct LOS

Launch Platforms

Ground Tripod, Compact Turret

A-37

84-mm Carls Gustav Rocket Launcher

Crew

Maximum Range

2,100 m

Effective Range

450 m

Length

1.3 m

A-38

TOW Ground Tripod Launcher

Maximum Range and Flight Time

3,750 m in 20 seconds

Night Vision Device

Thermal Imaging

Warhead Type

Unitary Shaped Charge

Warhead Penetration

750-mm of RHA

Guidance/Command Link

SACLOS/Wire

Attack Proﬁle

Direct LOS

A-39

AIR DEFENSE

M55 20-mm

Crew

5-7

Maximum Ranges

Horizontal

5,500 m

Vertical under 80 degrees

4,000 m

Tactical antiaircraft

1,500 m

Rate of Fire

700 rds/min/barrel (cyclic)

Combat Weight

1,100 kg

Length x Width x Height

4.3 x 1.27 x 1.47 m (travelling)

A-40

Swiss GDF 35-mm Twin

Crew

Maximum Ranges

Vertical

8,500 m

Horizontal

11,200 m

Antiaircraft

4,000 m

Rate of Fire

550 rds/min/barrel

Combat Weight

6,400 kg

Length x Width x Height

7.8 x 2.28 x 2.6 m (travelling)

Emplacement/Displacement Time

3 min / 5 min

Traverse Limits

Unlimited

Elevation

-5 to +92 degrees

Maximum Travel Speed (towed)

60 km/h

Platform

Hydraulically operated two-axle carriage

A-41

RBS-70

Crew

Maximum Range

4,000 m

Combat Weight

26.5 kg

Length

1.745m

A-42

SA-14

Guidance

Passive IR homing FM tracking logic seeker

Maximum Range

2,000 m (approaching jet) 4,500 m (approach-

ing prop A/C or helicopter)

Combat Weight

16 kg

Length

1.5 m

SA-16

Guidance

Passive IR homing FM tracking logic seeker

Maximum Range

4,500 m (approaching target) 5,200 m (receding

target))

Combat Weight

16.65 kg

Length

1.7 m

A-43

Javelin

Crew

Maximum Range

5,500 m

Combat Weight

43 kg

Length

1.39 m

A-44

Mistral

Crew

Type

two-stage, low altitude

Warhead

3 kg HE

Maximum Effective Range

6,000 m

Minimum Effective Range

300 m

Guidance

Infrared passive homing

Length

1.86 m (missile); 2 m (tube)

Weight

24 kg (launcher plus missile)

Launcher

Man-portable or vehicle-mounted single-

round disposable; vehicle-mounted twin-round

disposable

A-45

AIRCRAFT

F-16E/F

Mission

Multirole ﬁghter

Crew

1 (E) or 2 in two tandem cockpits (F)

Maximum Level Speed

> Mach 2.0 at 12,200 m

Ferry Range

2,415 nmi (with external fuel, without CFTs)

Combat Radius

Up to approximately 1,000 nmi

Service Ceiling

>15,240 m

Armament

Primary

20-mm multibarrel cannon, wingtip air-to-air missiles

Secondary

Combination of precision guided or unguided

air-to-surface weapons, antiship missiles, anti-

radiation missiles, air-to-air missiles

Max. Ext. Load

8,742 (9,190) kg

Maximum Takeoff Weight

22,679 kg (with full external load)

Weight Empty

F-16E (with CFTs)

9,017 (9,466) kg

F-16F (with CFTs)

9,419 (9,867) kg

Length x Wingspan x Height

15.03 x 9.45 x 5.09 m

NOTE: Originally known as Block 60; redesignated as F-16E (single-seat) and F-16F

(two-seat) in late 2003, this is the most advanced version and has Northrop Grumman

AN/APG-80 multimode agile beam radar with active electronically scanned array

(AESA) antenna; also has internal Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-32 internal FLIR navi-

gation and targeting system, plus advanced cockpit layout, with three 127 × 178 mm (5 ×

7 in) colour liquid crystal displays having picture-in-picture and moving map capability.

A-46

Mirage 2000-9RAD; -9DAD; Mirage V

Mission

Multirole ﬁghter

Crew

1 (RAD) and 2 in two tandem cockpits (DAD)

Maximum Level Speed

>Mach 1.6

Ferry Range

1,000 nmi (with external fuel, without CFTs)

Combat Radius

>500 nmi

Service Ceiling

>18,290 m

Armament

Air-to-air

2x 275 kg Super 530D or 2x 250 kg 530F mis-

siles, 2x 90 kg 550 Magic or Magic 2 missiles.

Air-to-ground

U.S. Mk 20, Mk 82, GBU-24 and GBU-12

bombs; 2x 520 kg AS 30L, Armat anti-radar,

or anti-ship missiles; 4x 185 kg MBDA LR F4

rocket launchers.

Maximum External Load

6,200 kg

Maximum Takeoff Weight

17,500 kg

Weight Empty

7,600 kg

Length x Wingspan x Height

14.33 x 9.13 x 5.14 m

A-47

C-130H, C-130HE

Type

C-130H

Multimission transport

C-130HE

Signals Intelligence

Crew

4 or 5

Passengers, C-130H/E

92 troops, 64 paratroopers, or 74 litter patients

with 2 attendants

Maximum Cruise Speed

325 kn

Economy Cruise Speed

300 kn

Range, with reserves

With Maximum Payload

2,046 nmi

With Standard Load, Max. Fuel

4,250 nmi

Service Ceiling

10,060 m

Maximum Payload

19,356 kg

Maximum Normal Takeoff Weight

70,310 kg

Maximum Overload Takeoff

Weight

79,380 kg

Operating Weight Empty

34,686 kg

Length x Wingspan x Height

29.79 x 40.41 x 11.66 m

A-48

AH-64A Apache Attack Helicopter

Crew

2 tandem

Armament

30-mm automatic cannon; combination of up to

16x ATGMs (Hellﬁre) and 76x 2.75-in rockets;

air-to-air missiles

Maximum Speed

197 kn

Range with Typical Weapons

286 nmi at 154 kn

Maximum Design Takeoff Weight

9,525 kg

Basic Weight Empty

Approximately 5,165 kg

Main Rotor

Number of Blades

Diameter

14.6 m

Wingspan

5.0 m

Fuselage Length x Width x Height

15.0 x 3.0 x 4.6 m

A-49

Medium Transport, SAR Helicopter Bell 214A, 214B, 214C

Crew; Passengers

2; 14

Maximum Speed

140 kn

Range

245 nmi at 140 kn, 6,260-kg takeoff weight

Armament

Possibly door-mounted crew-served weapons

Cargo Handling or Sling Load

3,628.8 kg

Maximum Design Takeoff Weight

7,257.6 kg

Rotor Diameter (No. Blades)

Main 15.2 m (2); tail 2.9 m (2)

Fuselage Length x Width x Height

13.4 x 2.8 x 4.1 m

A-50

Medium-Lift Utility Helicopter Bell 412

Crew; Passengers

2; 14

Armament

Provisions for door-mounted weapons;

unguided rockets

Cruising Speed

260 km/h

Range

745 km

Maximum Payload

2,095.8 kg

Maximum Takeoff Weight

5,397.8 kg

Basic Empty Weight

3,090.7 kg

Rotor Diameter (No. Blades)

Main 14.0 m (4); tail 2.6 m (2)

Fuselage Length x Width x Height

12.7 x 2.8 x 3.5 m

SA 330L Puma

Type

Medium multimission helicopter

Crew; Passengers

2; 18

Armament

Possibly a side-ﬁring 20-mm gun, axial-ﬁring

7.62-mm machineguns, rockets, ATGMs

Maximum Speed

167 kn

Range, Full Load

310 nmi at 120 kn

Service Ceiling

4,800 m

Maximum Payload

3,448.0 kg

Cargo Handling or Sling Load

3,200 kg

Normal Design Takeoff Weight

7,400 kg

Basic Weight Empty

3,536 kg

Main Rotor

Number of Blades

Diameter

15.0 m

Tail Rotor

Number of Blades

Diameter

3.04 m

Fuselage Length x Width x Height

14.06 x 3.50 x 4.54 m

NOTE: The SA-330L is the military export variant of the SA-330J medium lift multi-

purpose helicopter produced by Aerospatiale of France as an all weather helicopter.

It is produced in Romania as the IAR 330L and in Indonesia as the NAS 330L. UAE

upgrades its ﬂeet of IAR 330L’s to the SM standard. The IAR-330SM standard included

Turbomeca Makila 1A1 engines and Rockwell Collins avionics.

A-52

SHIPS

KORTENAER Class FRIGATE (FF)

LOA x Beam x Draft

130.5 x 14.6 x 6.1 m

Displacement, Full Load

3,556 metric tons

Complement

140

Speed, Full Power

30 kn

Range

4,100 nmi at 22 kn

Armament

8 RGM-84 Harpoon SSM

16 RIM-7M NATO Sea Sparrow

Guns

1x 76-mm x 62; 1x 30-mm x 75 GOALKEEPER

Radar Systems

Surface Search

ZW-06/00; SCOUT

Early Warning

LW08/00

Fire Control

GOALKEEPER; STIR-2.4M; WM-20

Acoustic Systems

Acoustic Countermeasure

SLQ-25, towed

Navigation

Echo Sounder

Search and Attack

SQS-505, hull-mounted

Underwater Communication

ATR-504

A-53

LURSSEN FPB 62 Class PGG

LOA x Beam x Draft

63 x 9.3 x 2.6 m

Displacement, Full Load

3,556 metric tons

Complement

Speed, Full Power

34.7 kn

Armament

8 x MM 40 EXOCET

8 x CROTALE NAVAL

Guns

1x 76-mm x 62; 1x 30-mm GOALKEEPER

Radar Systems

Surface Search

DECCA-1226; SCOUT

Early Warning

SEA GIRAFFE

Fire Control

CASTOR II J/C; CEROS-200; GOALKEEPER;

NOTE: Other LURSSEN variants include the LURSSEN FPB 44 PTG and the LURSSEN

TNC 45.

A-54

COMBATTANTE BR 71 Class CORVETTE

LOA x Beam x Draft

71.3 x 11 x 2.8 m

Displacement, Full Load

1,500 metric tons

Complement

Speed, Full Power

37 kn

Range

900 nmi at 35 kn

Armament

8 MM 40 EXOCET

8 EOLVED SEA SPARROW

Guns

1x 27-mm; 1x 76-mm

Radar Systems

Surface Search

TERMA-1A

Fire Control

RTN-25X

IFF

MK XII

Acoustic Systems

Navigation

Echo Sounder

A-55

VOSPER 110-FT PC

LOA x Beam x Draft

33.5 x 6.4 x 1.9 m

Displacement, Full Load

134 metric tons

Complement

Speed, Full Power

29 kn

Range

1,800 nmi at 18 kn

Armament

1x 20-mm x 70; 1x 30-mm x 75

Radar Systems

DECCA-916 RM

Acoustic Systems

MS 32F

A-56

ANTISHIP MISSILES

RGM-84 SERIES HARPOON SSM

Type

Long-range radar-guided antiship missile

Launch Platform

RGM-84C

Ship

UGM-84C

Submarine

Range

67 nmi

Warhead

222-kg HE blast-penetration

Guidance

Inertial with active radar

Fuze

Delayed-action impact

Launch Weight

681.9 kg

Wingspan

0.83 m

Missile Length x Diameter

4.63 x 0.34 m

NOTE: Lengths and weights include a booster.

A-57

M 39, MM 40 Block 2 Exocet

Type

AM 39 (shown above)

Air-launched medium-range antiship missile

MM 40 Block 2

Ship-launched medium-range antiship missile

Range

38 nmi

Warhead

165-kg blast-fragmentation warhead with de-

layed-impact and radar proximity fuzing

Guidance

Inertial and active radar

Flight Proﬁle

Sea-skimming

Launch Weight

AM 39

670 kg

MM 40 Block 2

870 kg

Wingspan

Approximately 1 m

Missile Length x Diameter

AM 39

4.69 x 0.35 m

MM 40 Block 2

5.8 x 0.35 m

NOTE: Maximum range is achieved with the aid of over-the-horizon targeting data from

aircraft or another ship. After launch, the AM 39 (shown above on Super Puma) report-

edly chooses a cruise altitude of 9 to 15 m; at 12 to 15 km from the target, it descends

to between 3 and 8 m, depending on Sea State, for its terminal approach. The MM

40 can ﬂy at an altitude of 2 to 3 m, depending on Sea State. The MM 40 also can be

preprogrammed to follow a speciﬁc route to the target area and carry out speciﬁc ﬂight

maneuvers.

B-1

APPENDIX B:

HOLIDAYS

Holiday Description Traditional

Date(s)

New Year’s

Day

Celebration of the begin-

ning of the calendar year

1 January

Al-Hijra

(Islamic New

Year)

Celebrates Muhammad’s

journey from Mecca to

Medina; time of reﬂec-

tion; cards sometimes

exchanged between fam-

ily and friends

20 January 2009

7 December 2010

26 November 2011

15 November 2012

(varies)

Moulid

El Nabi

(Prophet

Muhammad’s

Birthday)

Commemorates the

birth of Muhammad;

special candles are

made and people dress

well and have family

gatherings

9 March 2009

26 February 2009

15 February 2011

5 February 2012

(varies)

Leilat Al-

Meiraj

(Ascension of

the Prophet)

Celebrates the night

journey and ascent

of Muhammad from

Mecca to Jerusalem;

Muhammad ascent

into heaven and is told

about salat (Muslim

ritual prayers)

20 July 2009

9 July 2010

28 June 2011

16 June 2012

(varies)

Eid al-Fitr

(end of

Ramadan)

Celebrates the end of

the Ramadan fast

2 October 2008

21 September 2009

10 September 2010

30 August 2011

19 August 2012

(varies)

B-2

National Day

Celebration of inde-

pendence for the seven

Trucial States

2 December

Eid al-Adha

(Celebration

of Sacriﬁce)

Commemorates

Abraham’s willingness

to sacriﬁce his son; a

Muslim offers a quarba-

ni (sacriﬁce) and divides

it into three portions:

for the poor; friends

and family; and his own

household

20 December 2008

27 November 2009

12 November 2010

6 November 2011

26 October 2012

(varies)

C-1

APPENDIX C

LANGUAGE

Arabic Alphabet

Arabic, considered by Muslims to be the language of Allah, is

spoken by more than 197 million people worldwide. English is

widely spoken in ofﬁcial and business circles. Farsi is common-

ly heard in Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE, while Urdu/Hindi is

common throughout the Gulf due to the large number of Pakistani

and Indian expatriates who work there.

The Arabic alphabet is written from right to left but numerals are

written from left to right. There are 28 characters, all of which

are consonants, and 10 numerals. Vowels are unwritten, although

three markers are used to ensure proper pronunciation. While

there is no capitalization in Arabic, each letter has a different form

depending on where it falls in the word -- at the beginning, middle,

end, or standing alone.

Arabic is a Semitic language; its structure and grammar are dif-

ferent from English. Words are formed from roots by changing the

vowels between the consonants, which usually begin and end the

word. For example, the word for book is Ketab and the word for

library is Maktabah. The root is K-T-B.

Key phrases in Arabic

English Arabic

Yes.

aywaa

No.

laa

Please.

min faadlaak

Welcome.

aahlaan wa saahlaan

C-2

English Arabic

Thank you.

shokran

Hello.

marhaba

How are you?

keef halaak?

Good morning.

sobah alKher

Good morning. (reply)

sobah an noor

Good evening.

maasa alKher

Good evening. (reply)

maasa an noor

Good night.

laylaa saaidaa

Goodbye.

maa al saalamaa

With the grace of God.

al hamdu allah

Where?

aayn?

When?

maati?

What?

ma?

How?

kayf?

How much/many?

kaam?

Who?

maan?

Why?

limaza?

Which?

ay?

What is this?

ma esm haaza?

What does this mean?

ma maa’ni haaza?

Do you speak English?

haal taataakaalaam Englizi?

I understand.

aana aafhaam.

I don’t understand.

aana laa aafhaam.

Can you help me?

momkin tisa’idini?

I’m hungry.

aana gaa’anaa.

I’m thirsty.

aana aatshan.

I’m tired.

aana taa’aabanaa.

I’m lost.

aana toht.

Hurry!

bisor’aa!

No smoking!

maamnoo’ al taadkheen!

C-3

Vocabulary

English Arabic

Arm (body)

zaara’

Bandage

aasaabe

Beach

al shati

Blanket

Baataniye

Book

ketab

Boots

boot

Bridge

al koobri

Building

al maabni

Coat

mi’taf

Entrance

Dokhool

Exit

khorooj

First Aid Kit

ilbah is’aafaat aawaalliyaa

Flashlight

baatariyaa

Gloves

jowanti

Gulf

al khaalij

Harbor

al mina

Hat

kobaa’aa

Head

raa’aas

Highway

taarig

Hospital

mostaashﬁ

Insect Repellent

tarid lilhaashaarat

Knife

saakin

Leg

sag

Map

khaarita

Market

Sook

Matches

ood sagab

Medicine

Daava’

Mosque

al jami’

C-4

English Arabic

Police

bolis

Radio

radyo

River

al naahr

Sea

al baahr

Seacoast

shati al Baahr

Shoes

hiza

Soap

saboon

Taxi

taaksi

Toilet

al twaaleet

Tower

al borj

Watch

sa’aah

Big

kaabir

Small

saagir

Fast

saari’

Slow

bati

Early

mobaakir

Late

mit’akher

Near

Kaarib

Far

baa’id

Hot

sakhen

Cold

Barid

Heavy

taagil

Light

khaaﬁf

Open

maaftuh

Shut

maa’ful

Right

sahh

Wrong

gaalaat

Old

gaadim

New

Jaadid

C-5

Military Vocabulary

English Arabic

Aircraft

ta’ereh

Aircraft Carrier

hameleh ta’erat

Air Defense

defa’ javi

Airﬁeld

motar

Ammunition

zaakhireh

Amphibious

baar ma’i

Anti-air artillery

maadfa’iyeh modade al-ta’erat

Antilanding Defense

defa’ zed al-aabrar

Antitank artillery

maadfa’iyeh modade al-daababat

Army

jish

Artillery

maadfa’iyeh

Aviation

tiran

Battalion

kaatibeh

Battleship

baraajeh

Bomb

gaanbaaleh

Camouﬂage

taamooyeh

Cruiser (ship)

torad

Chemical Weapon

saalah Kimavi

Coastal Defense

defa’ saheli

Corps

ﬁlg

Destroyer (ship)

maadmor

Division

faaraageh

Engineer

mohandes

Garrison

hamieh

Gun

maadfa’

Hand grenade

gaanbeleh baadwiyeh

Headquarters

giadeh

Helicopter

helicoopter

Howitzer

hawetzer

C-6

English Arabic

Infantry

mosha’e

Latitude

khat al-aarad

Longitude

khat al-tool

Machinegun

reshash

Map

khaariteh

Military

aaskaari

Mine

al-laagam

Mineﬁeld

haagl al-laagam

Mortar

haven

Nuclear Weapon

saalah noovi

Platoon

faasileh

Radar

radar

Reconnaissance

‘estaatla’

Riﬂe

bandgiyeh

Submachinegun

reshash gaasir

Tank

daababeh

Tactics

taktiki

Torpedo

toorpid

Topography

toboograﬁa

Weapon

saalah

Weather

al-taages

D-1

APPENDIX D:

DANGEROUS PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Snakes

Gasperetti’s

Horned Desert

Viper

Description:

Adult length usually

0.3 to 0.6 meter, maxi-

mum of 0.85 meter.

Background generally

yellowish, yellow-

ish brown, pale gray,

pinkish, or pale brown with rows of dark spots along the back.

Belly whitish. Tip of tail may be black. May have a long spine-like

horn above each eye.

Habitat:

Found in deserts with rock outcroppings and ﬁne sand. Often in

very arid places, however, may be found near oases.

Activity and behavioral patterns:

Nocturnal. Can make itself almost invisible by wriggling down

into loose sand. Hides in rodent holes and under stones. When

angered, rubs inﬂated loops of body together to make rasping hiss.

Can strike quickly if disturbed.

Venom’s effects:

Venom primarily hemotoxic. Local symptoms include pain,

edema, redness, possible hematoma at site of bite.No fatalities

reported.

D-2

Central Asian

Saw-scaled Viper

Description:

Adult length usually 0.4

to 0.6 meter, maximum of

0.85 meter. Background

color grayish, greenish,

or yellowish brown; bel-

ly white, speckled with

brown or black. Well-deﬁned pale continuous undulating line

along ﬂanks. Distinctive cruciform white marking on top of head

appears like imprint of bird’s foot.

Habitat:

Found in open scrubby, dry, sandy, and rocky areas.

Activity and behavioral patterns:

Mainly nocturnal in hot weather; sometimes diurnal in cool

weather. When alarmed, throws itself into double coil somewhat

like ﬁgure eight and rubs sides of body together, producing violent

rustling sound. Very nervous; quick to strike at slightest provoca-

tion. Often climbs shrubs and low-lying trees during rainy season.

Venom’s effects:

Little known about venom. Characteristics likely similar to other

Echis spp. Likely hemotoxic. Fangs relatively large compared to

size of snake. Local symptoms likely include pain, swelling, and

enlarged tender lymph glands. Fatalities recorded.

Sochurek’s Saw-scaled Viper

No Photograph Available

Description:

Maximum length of 0.8 meter. Background color gray-beige; belly

whitish, usually with dark gray spots. Series of pale, dark-edged

D-3

dorsal spots, which may connect in zig-zag line. Incomplete un-

dulating pale line along sides. Distinctive gray cross pattern on

top of head.

Habitat:

Very adaptable. Found in sandy, rocky, and cultivated areas. Avoids

wet terrain, but may enter water if necessary.

Activity and behavioral patterns:

Primarily nocturnal and terrestrial; but climbs low bushes and trees.

Venom’s effects:

Potent hemotoxin. Pain and swelling start soon after bite. Systemic

bleeding may start within 6 hours after bite. Other symptoms may

include vomiting, abdominal pain, regional lymph node enlarge-

ment, hematuria, and shock. Deaths recorded.

False-horned Viper

Description:

Adult length usually

0.5 to 0.7 meter, maxi-

mum of 0.9 meter.

Background generally

pale or bluish gray to

khaki; gray or brown-

gray blotches or cross-

bands on back. Alternating faint spots on throat and body sides.

Ventral side white; tail black. Head very broad; distinct from neck.

Horn, composed of several overlapping scales, above each eye.

Habitat:

Most often found in desert bush. Also found in sandy, rocky terrain,

as well as burrows and crevices in elevations of up to 2,000 meters.

D-4

Activity and behavioral patterns:

Nocturnal. Sluggish, placid, less likely to bite during the day.

Dangerously active and aggressive at night. When disturbed, hisses

loudly but not particularly vicious. Locomotion characteristically

sidewinding. Frequently hides in rodent tunnels and beneath rocks.

Venom’s effects:

Primarily neurotoxic. May produce a few local symptoms such

as minor pain, mild tingling of the local area, stiffness; more seri-

ous bite causes weakness followed by ptosis. Victim may be con-

scious, but be unable to respond due to paralysis.

Dangerous Invertebrates

Scorpions

Although scorpions in

the region are capable of

inﬂicting a painful sting,

none are known to be

life-threatening.

Spiders

Although there are several spider species found in the region

that are capable of inﬂicting a painful bite, including some very

large and physically imposing tarantulas, none are known to be

life-threatening.

Millipedes

Millipedes do not bite and in general are harmless to humans. If

handled, some larger millipedes (may be more than 50 centimeters

long) secrete a very noxious ﬂuid that can cause severe blistering

upon contact; some can squirt this ﬂuid at least 2 feet.

D-5

Centipedes

Although area centipedes

are capable of inﬂicting a

painful bite, none are known

to be life-threatening.

Insects

There is little speciﬁc information of medical importance re-

garding insects. However, nearly all countries have at least one

species of moth having venomous/urticating hairs and/or whose

larva (caterpillar) has venomous spines. Some caterpillars are

very hairy (such as puss moths and ﬂannel moths) and almost

unrecognizable as caterpillars, with long silky hairs completely

covering the shorter venomous spines. Others bear prominent

clumps of still, venomous spines on an otherwise smooth body.

Contact with these caterpillars can be very painful. Some are

brightly colored.

Paederus are small (usually 4 to 7 millimeters), slender rove bee-

tles that do not look like typical beetles and have very short wing

covers that expose most of their ﬂexible abdomens. When crushed,

their body ﬂuid contains an agent that will blister skin on contact.

The lesions take about a week to heal, and the area remains pain-

ful for several weeks. The substance is extremely irritating if it

gets into the eyes; temporary blindness has been reported.

Dangerous Plants

Velvet Bean

Other names:

Cowitch, cowhage, pica-pica, ox eye bean, horse-eye bean.

D-6

Mechanisms of toxicity:

Many of the species’ pods

and ﬂowers are covered

with irritant hairs (pro-

teolytic enzymes). Can be

dangerous if they become

embedded in the eye.

Beans tend to be foul tast-

ing, even after thorough

boiling, so little danger of ingestion exists.

Comments:

Many species are widely naturalized.

Bushman’s Poison

Other name:

Poison tree, wintersweet.

Mechanisms of toxicity:

Seeds have a high con-

centration of toxin (car-

diac glycosides); fruit

pulp contains only traces.

Wood extract is easily ab-

sorbed through the skin; can be mixed with latex from one of the

Euphorbia family and gum from Acacia to make arrow poison;

also used as an ordeal poison. Extracts applied to prickly fruits

and laid in paths of barefoot enemy to kill. Symptoms of toxicity

include pain, nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea. Variable

latent period (interval between exposure and symptoms) with

cardiac conduction defects and sinus bradycardia; hyperkalemia.

Some species cause dermatitis, but this is not a common problem.

D-7

Comments:

Dense evergreen shrubs or small trees with a milky sap found in

Arabia and tropical eastern and southern Africa. Fruit resembles

an olive or small ellipsoidal plum and turns reddish to purple-black

at maturity (one to two seeds). Fruit exudes a milky sap when cut.

Aromatic ﬂowers are tubular, white/pink, in dense clusters in the

forks of the leaves.

Panama Tree

Other names:

Castano, tartargum.

Mechanisms of toxicity:

Seeds are edible, but pods

have internal stiff bristles

that easily penetrate skin,

causing intense irritation.

Comments:

There are 200 tropical

species.

Desert Rose

Other names:

Monkey poison, mock

azalea, impala lily.

Mechanisms of toxicity:

Cardiac glycosides; used

for ordeals, arrow poison,

and as a ﬁsh stupiﬁer.

Comments:

Five species; shrubs or trees; tropical and subtropical African and

Arabian distribution. Thrive best in dry areas; have thick stems.

D-8

Gomboge Tree

No Photograph Available.

Mechanisms of toxicity:

The bark exudate is a drastic purgative. Can be fatal.

Comments:

The gum resin is called gomboge; used in lacquers, metal ﬁn-

ishes, and watercolors in China since the 13th century. A non-

toxic plant; aril is delicious; one of the best tropical fruits; only in

Malaysia/Thailand.

Heliotrope

Other names:

Cherry pie, scorpion’s tail,

Indian heliotrope.

Mechanisms of toxicity:

Contains pyrrolizidine alka-

loids. Cause of large epidem-

ics (Afghanistan, India) of

illness following ingestion of

bread made with ﬂour contam-

inated with members of this

genus. The pathologic effects

(Budd-Chiari syndrome) take

weeks to months, and death

comes slowly over years.

Chronic copper poisoning has

occurred associated with this plant.

Comments:

A large genus of worldwide distribution (250 tropical and temper-

ate trees and shrubs).

D-9

English Yew

Other names:

Ground hemlock, American

yew, Japanese yew.

Mechanisms of toxicity:

Taxine A and B, classed

as steroid alkaloids, are

present in all plant parts

except the aril. A single

chewed seed is deadly. An hour after ingestion, nausea, dizziness,

and abdominal pain begin. This is followed by reddening of the

lips, dilatation of the pupils, shallow breathing, tachycardia, and

coma. Then the pulse slows, blood pressure drops, and death oc-

curs through respiratory paralysis. No proven treatment exists.

Emptying the stomach hours after ingestion may be helpful as

leaves may not pass through the GI tract expeditiously. Various

clinical measures (circulatory stimulants, artiﬁcial respiration,

cardiac pacemaker) have not prevented death in suicide cases.

Comments:

An evergreen shrub or small tree bearing a characteristic ﬂeshy,

red, sweet-tasting aril with a single green to black, partly exposed,

hard-shelled seed within. In North America, the Japanese yew, the

toxicity of which may exceed that of the English yew, has repeat-

edly caused fatal animal poisonings. Was once known as the “tree

of death.”

Notes