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
| 18 Apr 25 |
UAE: New Scottish energy transition hub to launch in UAE to boost export sales A new Scottish energy transition hub will be launched in Abu Dhabi, the centre of UAE’s energy sector. The hub will support Scottish companies working in the clean energy sector and provide them with direct access to the substantial United Arab Emirates (UAE) market. The hub is the second phase of a dedicated programme delivered by Scottish Enterprise that aims to generate additional international export sales. |
| 11 Mar 25 |
US/UAE: Positive energy and pragmatic actions needed to drive global growth and rise of AI: Dr. Sultan Al Jaber Speaking at CERAWeek, Dr. Al Jaber calls for durable, stable policies that are pro-growth, pro-investment, pro-energy and pro-people to meet growing global energy demand. Dr. Al Jaber says the race for AI supremacy is an energy play. With energy, AI has the potential to reshape the world. |
| 04 Mar 25 |
UAE/Austria: ADNOC and OMV to create $60+ billion global polyolefins champion ADNOC and OMV have agreed terms of a binding Framework Agreement regarding the proposed combination of shareholdings in Borouge and Borealis. The combination of Borouge and Borealis will create Borouge Group International, with new entity to acquire Nova Chemicals for $13.4 billion, establishing the world’s fourth-largest polyolefins player. |
| 28 Feb 25 |
UAE: ADNOC Signs 15-year sales and purchase agreement with Osaka Gas for Ruwais LNG project ADNOC has signed a Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Osaka Gas, one of Japan’s largest utility companies, for the supply of up to 0.8 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from ADNOC’s lower-carbon Ruwais LNG project. |
| 24 Feb 25 |
UAE: Eni expands collaboration with the UAE in data centres, electricity interconnections and critical minerals Eni has signed three collaboration agreements with Emirati companies covering the development of data centres, renewable energy capacity transmission through cross border interconnection between Albania and Italy, and critical minerals. |
United Arab Emirates - more news
Other countries in this region
- Algeria,
- Angola,
- Bahrain,
- Benin,
- Botswana,
- Burundi,
- Cameroon,
- Central Africa Republic,
- Chad,
- Comoros,
- Congo (Brazzaville),
- Congo (Democratic Rep.),
- Cote d'Ivoire,
- Djibouti,
- Egypt,
- Equatorial Guinea,
- Eritrea,
- Ethiopia,
- Gabon,
- Gambia,
- Ghana,
- Guinea (Republic),
- Guinea Bissau,
- Iran,
- Iraq,
- Israel,
- Jordan,
- Kenya,
- Kuwait,
- Lebanon,
- Liberia,
- Libya,
- Madagascar,
- Malawi,
- Mali,
- Mauritania,
- Mauritius,
- Morocco,
- Mozambique,
- Namibia,
- Niger,
- Nigeria,
- Oman,
- Palestine,
- Qatar,
- Rwanda,
- Sao Tome,
- Saudi Arabia,
- Senegal,
- Seychelles,
- Sierra Leone,
- Somalia,
- Somaliland,
- South Africa,
- South Sudan,
- Sudan,
- Syria,
- Tanzania,
- Togo,
- Tunisia,
- Uganda,
- Western Sahara,
- Yemen,
- Zambia,
- Zanzibar,
- Zimbabwe
