The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.

Topic: Afghanistan2.3% (2022 est.)

Topic: Albania0.22% (2022 est.)

Topic: Algeria1.34% (2022 est.)

Topic: American Samoa-1.92% (2022 est.)

Topic: Andorra-0.1% (2022 est.)

Topic: Angola3.36% (2022 est.)

Topic: Anguilla1.8% (2022 est.)

Topic: Antigua and Barbuda1.15% (2022 est.)

Topic: Argentina0.82% (2022 est.)

Topic: Armenia-0.38% (2022 est.)

Topic: Aruba1.14% (2022 est.)

Topic: Ashmore and Cartier Islands0.32% (2021 est.)

Topic: Australia1.25% (2022 est.)

Topic: Austria0.32% (2022 est.)

Topic: Azerbaijan0.67% (2022 est.)

Topic: Bahamas, The0.82% (2022 est.)

Topic: Bahrain0.88% (2022 est.)

Topic: Bangladesh0.93% (2022 est.)

Topic: Barbados0.26% (2022 est.)

Topic: Belarus-0.31% (2022 est.)

Topic: Belgium0.57% (2022 est.)

Topic: Belize1.64% (2022 est.)

Topic: Benin3.34% (2022 est.)

Topic: Bermuda0.34% (2022 est.)

Topic: Bhutan0.97% (2022 est.)

Topic: Bolivia1.12% (2022 est.)

Topic: Bosnia and Herzegovina-0.22% (2022 est.)

Topic: Botswana1.4% (2022 est.)

Topic: Brazil0.7% (2022 est.)

Topic: British Virgin Islands1.91% (2022 est.)

Topic: Brunei1.45% (2022 est.)

Topic: Bulgaria-0.67% (2022 est.)

Topic: Burkina Faso2.53% (2022 est.)

Topic: Burma0.78% (2022 est.)

Topic: Burundi3.63% (2022 est.)

Topic: Cabo Verde1.21% (2022 est.)

Topic: Cambodia1.08% (2022 est.)

Topic: Cameroon2.75% (2022 est.)

Topic: Canada0.75% (2022 est.)

Topic: Cayman Islands1.83% (2022 est.)

Topic: Central African Republic1.78% (2022 est.)

Topic: Chad3.09% (2022 est.)

Topic: Chile0.66% (2022 est.)

Topic: China0.19% (2022 est.)

Topic: Christmas Island1.11% (2014 est.)

Topic: Cocos (Keeling) IslandsNA

Topic: Colombia0.59% (2022 est.)

Topic: Comoros1.37% (2022 est.)

Topic: Congo, Democratic Republic of the3.14% (2022 est.)

Topic: Congo, Republic of the2.34% (2022 est.)

Topic: Cook Islands-2.39% (2022 est.)

Topic: Costa Rica1.01% (2022 est.)

Topic: Cote d'Ivoire2.19% (2022 est.)

Topic: Croatia-0.47% (2022 est.)

Topic: Cuba-0.21% (2022 est.)

Topic: Curacao0.32% (2022 est.)

Topic: Cyprus1.06% (2022 est.)

Topic: Czechia0.02% (2022 est.)

Topic: Denmark0.44% (2022 est.)

Topic: Djibouti1.97% (2022 est.)

Topic: Dominica0.05% (2022 est.)

Topic: Dominican Republic0.91% (2022 est.)

Topic: Ecuador1.13% (2022 est.)

Topic: Egypt1.68% (2022 est.)

Topic: El Salvador0.57% (2022 est.)

Topic: Equatorial Guinea3.5% (2022 est.)

Topic: Eritrea1.03% (2022 est.)

Topic: Estonia-0.71% (2022 est.)

Topic: Eswatini0.75% (2022 est.)

Topic: Ethiopia2.46% (2022 est.)

Topic: European Union-0.69% (2021 est.) 0.10%

Topic: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)0.01% (2014 est.)

Topic: Faroe Islands0.63% (2022 est.)

Topic: Fiji0.44% (2022 est.)

Topic: Finland0.24% (2022 est.)

Topic: France0.32% (2022 est.)

Topic: French Polynesia0.73% (2022 est.)

Topic: Gabon2.4% (2022 est.)

Topic: Gambia, The2.29% (2022 est.)

Topic: Gaza Strip2.02% (2022 est.)

Topic: Georgia0.03% (2022 est.)

Topic: Germany-0.11% (2022 est.)

Topic: Ghana2.23% (2022 est.)

Topic: Gibraltar0.19% (2022 est.)

Topic: Greece-0.34% (2022 est.)

Topic: Greenland-0.02% (2022 est.)

Topic: Grenada0.32% (2022 est.)

Topic: Guam0.16% (2022 est.)

Topic: Guatemala1.58% (2022 est.)

Topic: Guernsey0.23% (2022 est.)

Topic: Guinea2.76% (2022 est.)

Topic: Guinea-Bissau2.53% (2022 est.)

Topic: Guyana0.24% (2022 est.)

Topic: Haiti1.2% (2022 est.)

Topic: Holy See (Vatican City)0% (2014 est.)

Topic: Honduras1.19% (2022 est.)

Topic: Hong Kong0.17% (2022 est.)

Topic: Hungary-0.3% (2022 est.)

Topic: Iceland0.93% (2022 est.)

Topic: India0.67% (2022 est.)

Topic: Indonesia0.79% (2022 est.)

Topic: Iran0.98% (2022 est.)

Topic: Iraq2% (2022 est.)

Topic: Ireland0.94% (2022 est.)

Topic: Isle of Man0.52% (2022 est.)

Topic: Israel1.44% (2022 est.)

Topic: Italy-0.13% (2022 est.)

Topic: Jamaica0.08% (2022 est.)

Topic: Japan-0.39% (2022 est.)

Topic: Jersey0.64% (2022 est.)

Topic: Jordan0.81% (2022 est.)

Topic: Kazakhstan0.77% (2022 est.)

Topic: Kenya2.12% (2022 est.)

Topic: Kiribati1.04% (2022 est.)

Topic: Korea, North0.46% (2022 est.)

Topic: Korea, South0.24% (2022 est.)

Topic: Kosovo0.57% (2022 est.)

Topic: Kuwait1.17% (2022 est.)

Topic: Kyrgyzstan0.86% (2022 est.)

Topic: Laos1.34% (2022 est.)

Topic: Latvia-1.11% (2022 est.)

Topic: Lebanon0.66% (2022 est.)

Topic: Lesotho0.76% (2022 est.)

Topic: Liberia2.73% (2022 est.)

Topic: Libya1.65% (2022 est.)

Topic: Liechtenstein0.72% (2022 est.)

Topic: Lithuania-1.04% (2022 est.)

Topic: Luxembourg1.64% (2022 est.)

Topic: Macau0.75% (2022 est.)

Topic: Madagascar2.27% (2022 est.)

Topic: Malawi2.34% (2022 est.)

Topic: Malaysia1.03% (2022 est.)

Topic: Maldives-0.14% (2022 est.)

Topic: Mali2.95% (2022 est.)

Topic: Malta0.67% (2022 est.)

Topic: Marshall Islands1.34% (2022 est.)

Topic: Mauritania1.99% (2022 est.)

Topic: Mauritius0.1% (2022 est.)

Topic: Mexico0.51% (2022 est.)

Topic: Micronesia, Federated States of-0.67% (2022 est.)

Topic: Moldova-1.12% (2022 est.)

Topic: Monaco0.6% (2022 est.)

Topic: Mongolia0.88% (2022 est.)

Topic: Montenegro-0.41% (2022 est.)

Topic: Montserrat0.5% (2022 est.)

Topic: Morocco0.91% (2022 est.)

note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara

Topic: Mozambique2.56% (2022 est.)

Topic: Namibia1.82% (2022 est.)

Topic: Nauru0.42% (2022 est.)

Topic: Nepal0.78% (2022 est.)

Topic: Netherlands0.36% (2022 est.)

Topic: New Caledonia1.19% (2022 est.)

Topic: New Zealand1.17% (2022 est.)

Topic: Nicaragua0.92% (2022 est.)

Topic: Niger3.66% (2022 est.)

Topic: Nigeria2.53% (2022 est.)

Topic: Niue-0.03% (2021 est.)

Topic: Norfolk Island0.01% (2014 est.)

Topic: North Macedonia0.12% (2022 est.)

Topic: Northern Mariana Islands-0.35% (2022 est.)

Topic: Norway0.8% (2022 est.)

Topic: Oman1.84% (2022 est.)

Topic: Pakistan1.95% (2022 est.)

Topic: Palau0.39% (2022 est.)

Topic: Panama1.53% (2022 est.)

Topic: Papua New Guinea2.35% (2022 est.)

Topic: Paracel Islands0.75% (2021 est.)

Topic: Paraguay1.14% (2022 est.)

Topic: Peru0.51% (2022 est.)

Topic: Philippines1.6% (2022 est.)

Topic: Pitcairn Islands0% (2014 est.)

Topic: Poland-0.26% (2022 est.)

Topic: Portugal-0.2% (2022 est.)

Topic: Puerto Rico-1.38% (2022 est.)

Topic: Qatar1.04% (2022 est.)

Topic: Romania-1.09% (2022 est.)

Topic: Russia-0.22% (2022 est.)

Topic: Rwanda1.74% (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Barthelemy-0.16% (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha0.13% (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Kitts and Nevis0.61% (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Lucia0.29% (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Martin0.33% (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Pierre and Miquelon-1.2% (2022 est.)

Topic: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-0.17% (2022 est.)

Topic: Samoa0.63% (2022 est.)

Topic: San Marino0.61% (2022 est.)

Topic: Sao Tome and Principe1.48% (2022 est.)

Topic: Saudi Arabia1.63% (2022 est.)

Topic: Senegal2.57% (2022 est.)

Topic: Serbia-0.75% (2022 est.)

Topic: Seychelles0.64% (2022 est.)

Topic: Sierra Leone2.49% (2022 est.)

Topic: Singapore0.92% (2022 est.)

Topic: Sint Maarten1.23% (2022 est.)

Topic: Slovakia-0.1% (2022 est.)

Topic: Slovenia-0.06% (2022 est.)

Topic: Solomon Islands1.72% (2022 est.)

Topic: Somalia2.42% (2022 est.)

Topic: South Africa0.93% (2022 est.)

Topic: South Sudan4.91% (2022 est.)

Topic: Spain0.13% (2022 est.)

Topic: Sri Lanka0.61% (2022 est.)

Topic: Sudan2.55% (2022 est.)

Topic: Suriname1.13% (2022 est.)

Topic: Svalbard-0.03% (2019 est.)

Topic: Sweden0.5% (2022 est.)

Topic: Switzerland0.65% (2022 est.)

Topic: Syria5.91% (2022 est.)

Topic: Taiwan0.04% (2022 est.)

Topic: Tajikistan1.4% (2022 est.)

Topic: Tanzania2.78% (2022 est.)

Topic: Thailand0.23% (2022 est.)

Topic: Timor-Leste2.15% (2022 est.)

Topic: Togo2.48% (2022 est.)

Topic: Tokelau-0.01% (2019 est.)

Topic: Tonga-0.26% (2022 est.)

Topic: Trinidad and Tobago0.14% (2022 est.)

Topic: Tunisia0.69% (2022 est.)

Topic: Turkey (Turkiye)0.67% (2022 est.)

Topic: Turkmenistan0.99% (2022 est.)

Topic: Turks and Caicos Islands1.86% (2022 est.)

Topic: Tuvalu0.83% (2022 est.)

Topic: Uganda3.27% (2022 est.)

Topic: Ukraine-0.5% (2022 est.)

Topic: United Arab Emirates0.58% (2022 est.)

Topic: United Kingdom0.53% (2022 est.)

Topic: United States0.69% (2022 est.)

Topic: Uruguay0.27% (2022 est.)

Topic: Uzbekistan0.83% (2022 est.)

Topic: Vanuatu1.63% (2022 est.)

Topic: Venezuela2.43% (2022 est.)

Topic: Vietnam0.97% (2022 est.)

Topic: Virgin Islands-0.45% (2022 est.)

Topic: Wallis and Futuna0.25% (2022 est.)

Topic: West Bank1.69% (2022 est.)

Topic: World1.03% (2021 est.)

note: this rate results in about 154 net additions to the worldwide population every minute or 2.6 every second

Topic: Yemen1.88% (2022 est.)

Topic: Zambia2.9% (2022 est.)

Topic: Zimbabwe1.95% (2022 est.)


Topic: Photos of United Arab Emirates

Topic: Introduction
Background: The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Dhabi, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. For more than three decades, oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. In 2008-09, the confluence of falling oil prices, collapsing real estate prices, and the international banking crisis hit the UAE especially hard. The UAE did not experience the "Arab Spring" unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East in 2010-11, partly because of the government's multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates, and its aggressive pursuit of advocates of political reform. The UAE in recent years has played a growing role in regional affairs. In addition to donating billions of dollars in economic aid to help stabilize Egypt, the UAE was one of the first countries to join the Defeat-ISIS coalition, and to participate as a key partner in a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. On 15 September 2020, the UAE and Bahrain signed a peace agreement (the Abraham Accords) with Israel – brokered by the US – in Washington DC. The UAE and Bahrain thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 54 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 83,600 sq km

land: 83,600 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total: 1,066 km

border countries (2): Oman 609 km; Saudi Arabia 457 km
Coastline: 1,318 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert; mountains in east
Elevation: highest point: Jabal Bil 'Ays 1,905 m
note - the Factbook map is incorrect; it shows the wrong location of the high elevation

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

mean elevation: 149 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas
Land use: agricultural land: 4.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 3.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 3.8% (2018 est.)

other: 91.6% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 923 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population
Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms
Geography - note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Map description: United Arab Emirates map showing major population centers as well as parts of neighboring countries and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.  United Arab Emirates map showing major population centers as well as parts of neighboring countries and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 9,915,803 (2022 est.)

note: the UN estimated the country's total population was 10,082,000 as of 2022; immigrants make up 88.1% of the total population, according to UN data (2020)
Nationality: noun: Emirati(s)

adjective: Emirati
Ethnic groups: Emirati 11.6%, South Asian 59.4% (includes Indian 38.2%, Bangladeshi 9.5%, Pakistani 9.4%, other 2.3%), Egyptian 10.2%, Filipino 6.1%, other 12.8% (2015 est.)

note: data represent the total population; as of 2019, immigrants make up about 87.9% of the total population, according to UN data
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Muslim (official) 76%, Christian 9%, other (primarily Hindu and Buddhist, less than 5% of the population consists of Parsi, Baha'i, Druze, Sikh, Ahmadi, Ismaili, Dawoodi Bohra Muslim, and Jewish) 15% (2005 est.)

note: data represent the total population; as of 2020, immigrants make up about 88.1% of the total population, according to UN data
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.45% (male 745,492/female 698,330)

15-24 years: 7.94% (male 431,751/female 361,804)

25-54 years: 68.03% (male 5,204,618/female 1,592,987)

55-64 years: 7.68% (male 658,892/female 108,850)

65 years and over: 1.9% (2020 est.) (male 146,221/female 43,138)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 19.2

youth dependency ratio: 17.7

elderly dependency ratio: 1.5

potential support ratio: 66.4 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 38.4 years

male: 40.4 years

female: 31.5 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.58% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 10.81 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 1.56 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population
Urbanization: urban population: 87.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 2.964 million Dubai, 1.786 million Sharjah, 1.540 million ABU DHABI (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.2 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 3.32 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 5.41 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.86 male(s)/female

total population: 2.21 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.56 years

male: 78.21 years

female: 80.99 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 4.3% (2019)
Physicians density: 2.6 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2020)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: (2020) <1,000
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 100 (2020) <100
Major infectious diseases: note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout UAE; as of 18 August 2022, UAE has reported a total of 1,007,039 cases of COVID-19 or 10,181.98 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with a total of 2,340 cumulative deaths or a rate of 23.65 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 31.7% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: 3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.6%

male: 98%

female: 96.9% (2019)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2020)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 7.2%

male: 4.9%

female: 15% (2019 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: air pollution; rapid population growth and high energy demand contribute to water scarcity; lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; land degradation and desertification; waste generation, beach pollution from oil spills
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 39.44 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 206.32 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 56.55 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Land use: agricultural land: 4.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 3.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 3.8% (2018 est.)

other: 91.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 87.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout UAE; as of 18 August 2022, UAE has reported a total of 1,007,039 cases of COVID-19 or 10,181.98 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with a total of 2,340 cumulative deaths or a rate of 23.65 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 5,413,453 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,082,691 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20% (2015 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 617 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 69 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 3.312 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 150 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: United Arab Emirates

conventional short form: none

local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah

local short form: none

former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States

abbreviation: UAE

etymology: self-descriptive country name; the name "Arabia" can be traced back many centuries B.C., the ancient Egyptians referred to the region as "Ar Rabi"; "emirates" derives from "amir" the Arabic word for "commander," "lord," or "prince"
Government type: federation of monarchies
Capital: name: Abu Dhabi

geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: in Arabic, "abu" means "father" and "dhabi" refers to "gazelle"; the name may derive from an abundance of gazelles that used to live in the area, as well as a folk tale involving the "Father of the Gazelle," Shakhbut bin Dhiyab al Nahyan, whose hunting party tracked a gazelle to a spring on the island where Abu Dhabi was founded
Administrative divisions: 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Independence: 2 December 1971 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), 2 December (1971)
Constitution: history: previous 1971 (provisional); latest drafted in 1979, became permanent May 1996

amendments: proposed by the Supreme Council and submitted to the Federal National Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote of Federal National Council members present and approval of the Supreme Council president; amended 2009
Legal system: mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law and civil law
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 30 years
Suffrage: limited; note - rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that together account for about 12 percent of Emirati citizens
Executive branch: chief of state: President MUHAMMAD bin Zayid Al-Nuhayan (since 14 May 2022); Vice President MUHAMMAD bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (since 5 January 2006); note - MUHAMMAD bin Zayid Al-Nuhayan elected president by the Federal Supreme Council following the death of President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayan on 13 May

head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President MUHAMMAD bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers SAIF bin Zayid Al-Nuhayan, MANSUR bin Zayid Al-Nuhayan (both since 11 May 2009), and MAKTOUM bin Mohammed Al-Maktoum (since 25 September 2021)

cabinet: Council of Ministers announced by the prime minister and approved by the president

elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the Federal Supreme Council - composed of the rulers of the 7 emirates - for a 5-year term (no term limits); unscheduled election held on 14 May 2022, following the death of President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayan (next election NA); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president

election results: MUHAMMAD bin Zayid Al-Nuhayan elected president; Federal Supreme Council vote NA

note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the 7 emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets 4 times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members indirectly elected using single non-transferable vote by an electoral college whose members are selected by each emirate ruler proportional to its FNC membership, and 20 members appointed by the rulers of the 7 constituent states; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held for indirectly elected members on 5 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)

election results: all candidates ran as independents; seats by emirate - Abu Dhabi 4, Dubai 4, Sharjah 3, Ras al-Khaimah 3, Ajman 2, Fujairah 2, Umm al-Quwain 2; composition (preliminary) - 13 men, 7 women, percent of elected women 35%; note - to attain overall FNC gender parity, 13 women and 7 men will be appointed; overall FNC percent of women 50%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Federal Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 4 judges; jurisdiction limited to federal cases)

judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the federal president following approval by the Federal Supreme Council, the highest executive and legislative authority consisting of the 7 emirate rulers; judges serve until retirement age or the expiry of their appointment terms

subordinate courts: Federal Court of Cassation (determines the constitutionality of laws promulgated at the federal and emirate level; federal level courts of first instance and appeals courts); the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra's al Khaymah have parallel court systems; the other 4 emirates have incorporated their courts into the federal system; note - the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts and the Dubai International Financial Center Courts, the country’s two largest financial free zones, both adjudicate civil and commercial disputes.
Political parties and leaders: none; political parties are banned
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yousif Mana Saeed Ahmed ALOTAIBA (since 28 July 2008)

chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400

FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432

email address and website:
info@uaeembassy-usa.org

https://www.uae-embassy.org/

consulate(s) general: Boston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sean MURPHY (since January 2021)

embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi

mailing address: 6010 Abu Dhabi Place, Washington DC 20521-6010

telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200

FAX: [971] (2) 414-2241

email address and website:
abudhabiacs@state.gov

https://ae.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Dubai
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side; the flag incorporates all four Pan-Arab colors, which in this case represent fertility (green), neutrality (white), petroleum resources (black), and unity (red); red was the traditional color incorporated into all flags of the emirates before their unification
National symbol(s): golden falcon; national colors: green, white, black, red
National anthem: name: "Nashid al-watani al-imarati" (National Anthem of the UAE)

lyrics/music: AREF Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB

note: music adopted 1971, lyrics adopted 1996; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of Tunisia
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud, and Oases Areas)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP from the oil and gas sector to 30%.   Since the discovery of oil in the UAE nearly 60 years ago, the country has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. The country's free trade zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors.   The global financial crisis of 2008-09, tight international credit, and deflated asset prices constricted the economy in 2009. UAE authorities tried to blunt the crisis by increasing spending and boosting liquidity in the banking sector. The crisis hit Dubai hardest, as it was heavily exposed to depressed real estate prices. Dubai lacked sufficient cash to meet its debt obligations, prompting global concern about its solvency and ultimately a $20 billion bailout from the UAE Central Bank and Abu Dhabi Government that was refinanced in March 2014.   The UAE’s dependence on oil is a significant long-term challenge, although the UAE is one of the most diversified countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Low oil prices have prompted the UAE to cut expenditures, including on some social programs, but the UAE has sufficient assets in its sovereign investment funds to cover its deficits. The government reduced fuel subsidies in August 2015, and introduced excise taxes (50% on sweetened carbonated beverages and 100% on energy drinks and tobacco) in October 2017. A five-percent value-added tax was introduced in January 2018. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on economic diversification, promoting the UAE as a global trade and tourism hub, developing industry, and creating more job opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment.The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP from the oil and gas sector to 30%. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE nearly 60 years ago, the country has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. The country's free trade zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors. The global financial crisis of 2008-09, tight international credit, and deflated asset prices constricted the economy in 2009. UAE authorities tried to blunt the crisis by increasing spending and boosting liquidity in the banking sector. The crisis hit Dubai hardest, as it was heavily exposed to depressed real estate prices. Dubai lacked sufficient cash to meet its debt obligations, prompting global concern about its solvency and ultimately a $20 billion bailout from the UAE Central Bank and Abu Dhabi Government that was refinanced in March 2014. The UAE’s dependence on oil is a significant long-term challenge, although the UAE is one of the most diversified countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Low oil prices have prompted the UAE to cut expenditures, including on some social programs, but the UAE has sufficient assets in its sovereign investment funds to cover its deficits. The government reduced fuel subsidies in August 2015, and introduced excise taxes (50% on sweetened carbonated beverages and 100% on energy drinks and tobacco) in October 2017. A five-percent value-added tax was introduced in January 2018. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on economic diversification, promoting the UAE as a global trade and tourism hub, developing industry, and creating more job opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $655.79 billion (2019 est.)

$644.97 billion (2018 est.)

$637.384 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 0.8% (2017 est.)

3% (2016 est.)

5.1% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $67,100 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

$67,000 (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

$67,184 (2017 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $421.077 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -1.9% (2019 est.)

3% (2018 est.)

1.9% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: AA- (2020)

Moody's rating: Aa2 (2007)

Standard & Poors rating: AA (2007)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 0.9% (2017 est.)

industry: 49.8% (2017 est.)

services: 49.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 34.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 12.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 23% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.8% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 100.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -72.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: dates, cucumbers, tomatoes, goat meat, eggs, milk, poultry, carrots/turnips, goat milk, sheep milk
Industries: petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, commercial ship repair, construction materials, handicrafts, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 5.344 million (2017 est.)

note: expatriates account for about 85% of the workforce
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 7%

industry: 15%

services: 78% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.6% (2016 est.)

3.6% (2014 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 7.2%

male: 4.9%

female: 15% (2019 est.)
Population below poverty line: 19.5% (2003 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 32.5 (2014 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
Budget: revenues: 110.2 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 111.1 billion (2017 est.)

note: the UAE federal budget does not account for emirate-level spending in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -0.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 19.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

20.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 28.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: $26.47 billion (2017 est.)

$13.23 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $308.5 billion (2017 est.)

$298.6 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - partners: India 11%, Japan 10%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Switzerland 6%, China 6%, Iraq 6% (2019)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, jewelry, broadcasting equipment (2019)
Imports: $229.2 billion (2017 est.)

$226.5 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - partners: China 15%, India 12%, Untied States 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities: gold, broadcasting equipment, jewelry, refined petroleum, diamonds (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $95.37 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$85.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $237.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$218.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar -

3.67315 (2020 est.)

3.67315 (2019 est.)

3.67315 (2018 est.)

3.673 (2014 est.)

3.673 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 35.173 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 122.386 billion kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 257 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 245 million kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 7.011 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 95.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 2.563 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 2,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 2.565 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 3,769,100 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 863,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 2,427,200 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 172,900 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 97.8 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 943,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 817,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 392,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 62,889,064,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

consumption: 73,750,936,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports: 7,673,768,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports: 20,041,951,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves: 6,090,887,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 276.236 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.032 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 126.524 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 144.681 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 471.788 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 2,380,866 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 19,602,800 (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 200.63 (2019)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: the UAE has a strong mobile market, dominated by Etisalat and du; both are majority-owned by the government; in a bid to attract additional foreign investment, it was resolved in early 2021 that the stake held by foreigners in the two companies could be increased; Etisalat and du have deployed LTE networks providing national coverage, while the 5G penetration rate is the second highest globally after China; this has underpinned growth in the mobile broadband sector, and has enabled the strong development in the take-up of rich content and applications, as well as m-commerce; to help increase the capacity of 5G networks in coming years, and so keep up with data demand, the government has allowed for the GSM networks to be closed down and for spectrum and other assets to be re-purposed for 5G by the end of 2022; the fixed-broadband network in the UAE is dominated by fiber, with DSL having a minor and declining presence; this focus on a fully fiber infrastructure has also facilitated growth in e-commerce, and has supported the government’s long-term aim of transitioning the economy from its dependence on oil to being knowledge-based and supported by digital services; the country stands to benefit from having signed the Abraham Accord Declaration with Israel, which aims to normalize relations between the two countries; such benefits can be seen in the agreement to enable local ISPs to access Bezeq International’s submarine cable infrastructure, and so improve direct connectivity to Europe, South East Asia, and Africa; the UAE’s ISPs can also access Bezeq International’s data center in Tel Aviv, improving internet services. (2022)

domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic and coaxial cable; fixed-line roughly 24 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 186 per 100 (2020)

international: country code - 971; landing points for the FLAG, SEA-ME-WE-3 ,-4 & -5, Qater UAE Submarine Cable System, FALCON, FOG, Tat TGN-Gulf, OMRAN/EPEG Cable System, AAE-1, BBG, EIG, FEA, GBICS/MENA, IMEWE, Orient Express, TEAMS, TW1 and the UAE-Iran submarine cables, linking to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian) (2020)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: except for the many organizations now operating in media free zones in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, most TV and radio stations remain government-owned; widespread use of satellite dishes provides access to pan-Arab and other international broadcasts; restrictions since June 2017 on some satellite channels and websites originating from or otherwise linked to Qatar (2018)
Internet country code: .ae
Internet users: total: 9,890,400 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 100% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 3,245,123 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 10 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 497

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 95,533,069 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 15,962,900,000 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A6
Airports: total: 43 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 25

over 3,047 m: 12

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 2 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 6 (2021)
Heliports: 5 (2021)
Pipelines: 533 km condensate, 3,277 km gas, 300 km liquid petroleum gas, 3287 km oil, 24 km oil/gas/water, 218 km refined products, 99 km water (2013)
Roadways: total: 4,080 km (2008)

paved: 4,080 km (2008) (includes 253 km of expressways)
Merchant marine: total: 623

by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 3, general cargo 117, oil tanker 19, other 483 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Al Fujayrah, Mina' Jabal 'Ali (Dubai), Khor Fakkan (Khawr Fakkan) (Sharjah), Mubarraz Island (Abu Dhabi), Mina' Rashid (Dubai), Mina' Saqr (Ra's al Khaymah)

container port(s) (TEUs): Dubai Port (14,111,000) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (export): Das Island

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy Forces, Air Force, Presidential Guard (includes special operations forces); Ministry of Interior: Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Patrol Agency (CICPA) (2022)

note: each emirate maintains a local police force called a general directorate, which is officially a branch of the federal Ministry of Interior; all emirate-level general directorates of police enforce their respective emirate’s laws autonomously; they also enforce federal laws within their emirate in coordination with one another under the federal ministry
Military expenditures: 5.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

5.4% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $29 billion)

5.5% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $28.7 billion)

5.2% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $26.9 billion)

6% of GDP (2016 est.) (approximately $30 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 65,000 active personnel (45,000 Land Forces; 3,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force; 12,000 Presidential Guard) (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the UAE Armed Forces inventory is comprised of wide variety of mostly modern imported equipment; since 2010, the UAE has acquired military equipment from more than 20 countries with France, Russia, and the US as the leading suppliers; in recent years, the UAE has tried to boost its domestic defense industry (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men (compulsory service initiated in 2014); 17 years of age for male volunteers with parental approval; males can volunteer up to age 40; 24-month general service obligation, 16 months for secondary school graduates; women can volunteer to serve for 9 months regardless of education (2022)

note: compulsory service may be completed in the uniformed military, the Ministry of Interior, the State Security Service, or other institutions designated by the military leadership
Military deployments: estimates vary; reportedly a few hundred remain in Yemen; maintains military bases in Eritrea and Somalia (2022)
Military - note: the UAE hosts a multi-service French military base, which includes the French naval command for the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN); the UAE has a defense cooperation agreement with the US and hosted about 3,500 US troops, mostly air and naval personnel

in 2015, UAE intervened militarily in Yemen as part of the Saudi-led coalition in support of the Republic of Yemen Government with an estimated 3,500 troops, as well as supporting air and naval forces; UAE withdrew its main military force from Yemen in 2019, but has retained a small military presence while working with proxies in southern Yemen, most notably the Southern Transitional Council (STC)

the UAE's military traces its origins to the establishment of the Trucial Oman Scouts in 1951, a joint UK-Abu Dhabi organization modeled after Jordan’s Arab Legion, which became the Abu Dhabi Defense Force in 1965; the modern Emirati armed forces were formed in 1976 (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: UAE-Oman: boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been published UAE-Iran: Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island near the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has occupied since 1971 UAE-Saudi Arabia: the UAE has differences with Saudi Arabia over their border and the sharing of a major oilfield there, although the issue is seldom mentioned publicallyUAE-Oman: boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been publishedUAE-Iran: Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island near the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has occupied since 1971UAE-Saudi Arabia: the UAE has differences with Saudi Arabia over their border and the sharing of a major oilfield there, although the issue is seldom mentioned publically
Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons: 5 (mid-year 2021)
Illicit drugs: a transshipment point for illegal narcotics and a pass-through for drug proceeds; numerous exchange houses and general trading companies increase potential for money; major source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics


Topic: Photos of Saint Barthelemy

Topic: Introduction
Background: Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, Saint Barthelemy was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, which renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1877 and took control the following year. It was placed under the administration of Guadeloupe. Saint Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the islanders voted to secede from Guadeloupe, and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2012, it became an overseas territory of the EU, allowing it to exert local control over the permanent and temporary immigration of foreign workers including non-French European citizens. Hurricane Irma hit the island in September 2017 causing extensive damage, but Saint Barthelemy recovered by early 2018.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean; located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Saint Barthelemy lies east of the US Virgin Islands
Geographic coordinates: 17 90 N, 62 85 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 25 sq km

land: 25 sq km

water: negligible
Area - comparative: less than one-eighth the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Climate: tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)
Terrain: hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with plentiful beaches
Elevation: highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m

lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
Natural resources: few natural resources; beaches foster tourism
Population distribution: most of the populace concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island periphery
Geography - note: a 1,200-hectare marine nature reserve, the Reserve Naturelle, is made up of five zones around the island that form a network to protect the island's coral reefs, seagrass, and endangered marine species
Map description: Saint Barthelemy map showing the islands of this French overseas collectivity in the Caribbean Sea.Saint Barthelemy map showing the islands of this French overseas collectivity in the Caribbean Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 7,103 (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups: French, Portuguese, Caribbean, Afro-Caribbean
Languages: French (primary), English

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witnesses
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.36% (male 524/female 496)

15-24 years: 7.29% (male 272/female 246)

25-54 years: 41.86% (male 1,618/female 1,363)

55-64 years: 16.43% (male 632/female 535)

65 years and over: 21.17% (2022 est.) (male 753/female 751)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: NA

youth dependency ratio: NA

elderly dependency ratio: NA

potential support ratio: NA
Median age: total: 45.6 years

male: 45.5 years

female: 45.8 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.16% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 9.29 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 9.01 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: most of the populace concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island periphery
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.19 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 6.71 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.85 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.58 years

male: 77.48 years

female: 83.81 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020)
Current Health Expenditure: NA
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: NA

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: land-based pollution; urbanization; with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and is provided by the desalination of sea water, the collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker; overfishing
Climate: tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy

conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy

local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy

local short form: Saint-Barthelemy

abbreviation: Saint-Barth (French); St. Barts or St. Barths (English)

etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in honor of his brother Bartolomeo's namesake saint in 1493
Government type: parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France
Dependency status: overseas collectivity of France
Capital: name: Gustavia

geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: named in honor of King Gustav III (1746-1792) of Sweden during whose reign the island was obtained from France in 1784; the name was retained when in 1878 the island was sold back to France
Independence: none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday: Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August (1572)
Constitution: history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

amendments: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply
Legal system: French civil law
Citizenship: see France
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Vincent BERTON (since 28 March 2022)

head of government: President of Territorial Council Xavier LEDEE (since 3 April 2022)

cabinet: Executive Council elected by the Territorial Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council

elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council indirectly elected by its members for a 5-year term; election last held on 27 March 2022 (next to be held in 2027)

election results: Xavier LEDEE (Saint Barth United) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 13 votes for, 6 blank votes
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members elected by absolute majority vote in the first round vote and proportional representation vote in the second round; members serve 5-year terms); Saint Barthelemy indirectly elects 1 senator to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term and directly elects 1 deputy (shared with Saint Martin) to the French National Assembly

elections: Territorial Council - first round held on 20 March 2022 (next to be held in 2027); second round held on 27 March 2022
French Senate - election last held 24 September 2017 (next to be held in September 2020)
French National Assembly - election last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)

election results: Territorial Council - percent of vote by party (first round) - SBA 46.2%, Saint Barth Action Equilibre 27.1%, Unis pour Saint Barthelemy 26.8%; percent of vote by party (second round) - Saint Barth Action Equilibre and Unis pour Saint Barthelemy 50.9%, SBA 49.2%, seats by party - Saint Barth Action Equilibre and Unis pour Saint Barthelemy 13, SBA 6; composition - men NA, women NA, percent of women NA%
French Senate - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party UMP 1
French National Assembly - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party UMP 1
Political parties and leaders: All for Saint Barth (Tous pour Saint-Barth) [Bettina COINTRE]
Saint Barth Action Equilibre [Marie-Helene BERNIER]
Saint Barth First! (Saint-Barth d'Abord!) or SBA [Romaric MAGRAS] (affiliated with France's Republican party, Les Republicans)
Saint Barth United (Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy) [Xavier LEDEE]
International organization participation: UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France)none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
National symbol(s): pelican
National anthem: name: "L'Hymne a St. Barthelemy" (Hymn to St. Barthelemy)

lyrics/music: Isabelle Massart DERAVIN/Michael VALENTI

note: local anthem in use since 1999; as a collectivity of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. The tourism sector creates a strong employment demand and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal. The country’s currency is the euro.
Exports - partners: France 60%, Germany 27% (2019)
Exports - commodities: beauty products, broadcasting equipment, sunflower seed oil, plastics, cars (2019)
Imports - partners: France 78%, Switzerland 7%, Italy 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities: furniture, wine, refined petroleum, jewelry, food preparation materials (2019)
Exchange rates: 0.885 (2017 est.)

0.903 (2016 est.)

0.9214 (2015 est.)

0.885 (2014 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

Topic: Communications
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: fully integrated access; 4G and LTE services (2019)

domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems, 3 FM channels, no broadcasting (2018)

international: country code - 590; landing points for the SSCS and the Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cables providing voice and data connectivity to numerous Caribbean Islands (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: 2 local TV broadcasters; 5 FM radio channels (2021)
Internet country code: .bl; note - .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, might also be encountered
Internet users: total: 7,128 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 72% (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
Airports: total: 1 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Roadways: total: 40 km
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Gustavia
Transportation - note: nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located on Sint Maarten

Topic: Military and Security
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none identified


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