Middle East / Africa
Country profile: United Arab Emirates
| Location: | Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia |
| Climate: | desert; cooler in eastern mountains |
| Terrain: | flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east |
| Size: | 83600 sq. km total (Land area: 83600 sq. km ) |
| Population: | 4,621,399 |
| Languages: | Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu |
| Government: | federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates |
| Capital city: | Abu Dhabi |
| Legal system: | based on a dual system of Shari'a and civil courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Currency: | Emirati dirham (AED) |
| Licensing: |
Country profile
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an important oil producer with the fifth largest proven oil reserves in the Middle East. The UAE is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) since joining in 1967. The emirate of Abu Dhabi is the center of the oil and gas industry, followed by Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras al Khaimah. In 2004, natural gas supplied 64 percent of the country’s total energy consumption, and oil supplied the remaining 36 percent. The UAE is a high-income, stable federation of seven emirates with the second largest Arab economy in the Middle East.
The non-oil sectors grew 18.6 percent in 2006 and have tripled during the last three years. Good relations with Asian trading partners and a growing domestic population have helped diversify the thriving economy. However, the country remains dependent on oil revenue, and the government has announced large oil production capacity increases within the next seven years. Abu Dhabi is the major hydrocarbon and industrial power while Dubai is the trading, financial, and tourist center of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai account for 80 percent of the UAE’s income. Hydrocarbon revenues account for around one-third of the UAE’s GDP, though the non-oil finance and service sectors in Dubai are making the city a favored base for multinational corporations in the Gulf.
Energy production and consumption
| Oil | Gas | |
| Production: | 2 million bbl/day (2006 est.) | 45 billion cu m (2005 est.) |
| Consumption: | 372,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) | 39 billion cu m (2005 est.) |
| Exports: | 2 million bbl/day (2006 est.) | 6 billion cu m (2005 est.) |
| Imports: | 137,200 bbl/day (2005 est.) | 1 billion cu m (2005 est.) |
| Reserves: | 97 billion bbl (2007 est.) | 5 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
| Major fields: |
United Arab Emirates - recent news
| 27 Aug 25 |
UAE: EnerMech secures two-year contract extension with Dubai Petroleum Enermech has announced that Dubai Petroleum has extended its crane maintenance services contract for an additional two years, continuing a successful partnership that began in 2022. |
| 27 Aug 25 |
UAE: ADNOC signs 15-year LNG Sales and Purchase Agreement with IndianOil for Ruwais LNG project ADNOC has signed a 15-year Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Indian Oil Corporation (IndianOil), India’s largest integrated and diversified energy company, for the supply of 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) sourced primarily from ADNOC’s lower-carbon Ruwais LNG project. |
| 20 Aug 25 |
UAE: Masdar’s Annual Sustainability Report highlights Company’s increasing global impact with record 62% capacity growth in single year Masdar’s twelfth Annual Sustainability Report shows continued progress in key areas, with the company delivering record 62% portfolio capacity growth, increasing its global footprint. |
| 04 Aug 25 |
UAE: ADNOC Gas signs 10-year LNG Supply Agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation ADNOC Gas plc and its subsidiaries, a world-class integrated gas processing and sales company, has announced the signing of a Heads of Agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) to supply 0.5 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for a 10-year term. |
| 30 Jul 25 |
UAE: ADNOC Drilling delivers record 1H 2025 results ADNOC Drilling Company has announced its financial results for the second quarter (2Q) and first half (1H) of 2025, delivering record-breaking performance across revenue, EBITDA and net profit while maintaining strong momentum in shareholder returns and delivering regional expansion. |
United Arab Emirates - more news
Other countries in this region
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