conventional short form: none
local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
local short form: none
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
abbreviation: UAE

Government type:
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal
government and other powers reserved to member emirates

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, Umm al Qaywayn

Independence:
2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution:
2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

Legal system:
federal court system introduced in 1971; applies to all emirates
except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah, which are not fully
integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular courts
to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial matters and Islamic
courts to review family and religious disputes

Suffrage:
none

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan
(since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4
November 2004) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since
8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
(since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime
Minister SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990);
Deputy Prime Minister HAMDAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the
seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional
authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions
federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
Supreme Council (composed of rulers of the seven emirates) for
five-year terms; election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death
of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al
Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister and deputy prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan elected
president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MAKTUM