United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates is a federal presidential absolute monarchy with its capital in Abu Dhabi. This page brings together source-cited key facts, international memberships, economic and social indicators and practical information.
Key facts
Core reference data for United Arab Emirates. Numbers in brackets link to the sources at the end of this page.
- Official name
- United Arab Emirates [1]
- Capital
- Abu Dhabi [2]
- Official language
- Arabic [2]
- Population
- 11,513,149 [2]2025
- Area
- 83,600 km² [2]
- Currency
- UAE Dirham (AED)
- Time zone
- Asia/Dubai [4]
- Calling code
- +971
- Internet domain
- .ae
- UN member since
- 9 December 1971 [3]
- Recognition
- Universally Recognized
- Official portal
- government.ae
Government and leadership
- Form of government
- Federal presidential absolute monarchy [1]
- Head of state
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan [1]
- Head of government
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum [1]
- Parliament
- Federal National Council40 seats
- Constitution
- 2 December 1971 [1]
- Independence
- 4 October 2026 [2]
- Legal system
- Civil Law
International memberships
Membership status in major international organizations and groups.
- UNUnited Nations, since 1971Member
- IMFInternational Monetary FundMember
- World BankWorld Bank GroupMember
- WTOWorld Trade OrganizationMember
- G20Group of TwentyMember
- EUEuropean UnionNot a member
- NATONorth Atlantic Treaty OrganizationNot a member
- SchengenSchengen AreaNot a member
- G7Group of SevenNot a member
- UNSC P5Permanent seat, UN Security CouncilNot a member
Economy
Headline indicators. Values marked est. are projections for the current or a future year.
- GDP
- $552 B [5]2024
- GDP per capita
- $50,274 [5]2024
- GDP growth
- 4.0% [5]2024
- Inflation
- 1.3% [5]2025
- Unemployment
- 2.2% [5]2025
- Exports
- $467 B [10]Reference year not recorded
- Imports
- $482 B [10]Reference year not recorded
Main exports
- Crude oil
- Natural gas
- Refined petroleum
- Aluminum
- Dates
Main imports
- Machinery
- Electronics
- Vehicles
- Petroleum
- Jewelry
Top export partners
Top import partners
Geography
- Area
- 83,600square kilometres
- Coastline
- 1,318kilometres
- Highest point
- 1,934 mJebel Hafeet
- Coordinates
- 24.4764, 54.3705Geographic centre (approx.)
Bordering countries
Society and development
- Life expectancy
- 83.1 years [10]Reference year not recorded
- Literacy rate
- 98.8% [10]2024
- Human Development Index
- 0.937 [6]Rank 17, 2022
- Corruption Perceptions Index
- 68/100 [7]Reference year not recorded
- Press freedom rank
- 158 [8]Reference year not recorded
- Internet use
- 100.0% [10]of population
- International tourist arrivals
- 8.1 M [11]2020
- Majority religion
- Islam
Practical information
- Emergency number
- 999
- Driving side
- Right
- Electricity
- 220|240
- Plug types
- Type G
- Tap water
- Generally safe to drinkLocal conditions can vary; follow local advice.
- Calling code
- +971
Travel and visa
- Passport rank
- 7 [9]Henley Passport Index
- Visa-free or on-arrival access
- 185 [9]destinations for this country's passport holders
Visiting United Arab Emirates? Check official sources before you travel
Entry requirements depend on your nationality, the purpose of your trip and the length of your stay, and they can change at short notice. NexaNations does not provide immigration or legal advice.
Quick answers
What is the capital of United Arab Emirates?
The capital of United Arab Emirates is Abu Dhabi.
What currency does United Arab Emirates use?
United Arab Emirates uses the UAE Dirham (AED).
What is the official language of United Arab Emirates?
The official language of United Arab Emirates is Arabic.
What is the emergency number in United Arab Emirates?
The emergency number in United Arab Emirates is 999.
Which side of the road do people drive on in United Arab Emirates?
In United Arab Emirates, traffic drives on the right.
Sources
- Official government portal of United Arab Emirates. government.ae
- Wikidata, item Q878. wikidata.org
- United Nations, member states. un.org
- GeoNames, entry 290557. geonames.org
- International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook. imf.org
- United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report. hdr.undp.org
- Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index. transparency.org
- Reporters Without Borders, World Press Freedom Index. rsf.org
- Henley and Partners, Henley Passport Index. henleyglobal.com
- World Bank, World Development Indicators. data.worldbank.org
- UN Tourism, tourism statistics. untourism.int
Data last updated on 24 September 2026. Read how we select and verify sources in our methodology.
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