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 States
abbreviation : UAE

Data code TC

Government type federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal governmentand other powers reserved to member emirates

National capital Abu Dhabi

Administrative divisions 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman,Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Ummal Qaywayn

Independence 2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday National Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

Legal system federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy(Dubai) and Ras al Khaymah have joined the federal system; all emirates havesecular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts

Suffrage none

Executive branch
chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), rulerof Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM binRashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), rulerof Dubayy (Dubai) and Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since20 November 1990)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
note : there is also a Supreme Council of Rulers which is composed of the sevenemirate rulers; the council is the highest constitutional authority in theUAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation, Abu Zaby(Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power; meets fourtimes a year
elections : president and vice president elected by the Supreme Council of Rulers(a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held NA October1996 (next to be held NA 2001); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointedby the president
election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of SupremeCouncil of Rulers vote - NA, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashidal-Maktum elected vice president; percent of Supreme Council of Rulers vote- NA, but believed to be unanimous

Legislative branch unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to servetwo-year terms)
elections: none
note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

Judicial branch Union Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders none

Political pressure groups and leaders NA

International organization participation ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Husayn al-SHAALI
chancery: Suite 600, 3000 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 338-6500

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador David C. LITT
embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi
mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi, Department ofState, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note - work week is Saturday throughWednesday
telephone: [971] (2) 436691, 436692
FAX: [971] (2) 435441
consulate(s) general: Dubai

Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with athicker vertical red band on the hoist side

NOTE: The information regarding United Arab Emirates on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of United Arab Emirates Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about United Arab Emirates Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.