5-64 years: 1.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.99 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.52 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.74 years
male: 70.64 years
female: 74.94 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.46 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Emiri(s)
adjective: Emiri

Ethnic divisions: Emiri 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South
Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians)
8% (1982)
note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

Religions: Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write but definition of
literacy not available (1995 est.)
total population: 79.2%
male: 78.9%
female: 79.8%

Government
----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none
local long form: Al Imarata al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
local short form: none
former: Trucial States
abbreviation: UAE

Data code: TC

Type of government: federation with specified powers delegated to
the UAE central 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: National Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution: 2 December 1971 (provisional)

Legal system: federal court system introduced in 1971; all
emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah have joined the
federal system; all emirates have secular 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), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since NA 1966) and
Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990),
ruler of Dubayy (Dubai) were elected by the Supreme Council of Rulers
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
(since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai) and Deputy Prime
Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) were
appointed by the president
Supreme Council o