Sociocultural Context

Surprisingly, less than 20% of UAE's population are Emirati. The majority is South Asian, originating from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The most widely practiced religion is Islam, with Sunni Muslims making up a majority.  As a result, there are few internal problems regarding religion. The country is also making efforts to improve the educational system, with the student populations at the country's universities rising. This sociocultural context seems to indicate that UAE has the potential for strong growth in coming years.

Government and politics

The government of UAE is a federation with powers being specified for the federal government and for each of the seven individual emirates. Interestingly, UAE does not have any official political parties, according to the US Department of State. Instead, the emirates are ruled by dynasties. However, the modernization efforts have led to modernization in the political arena as well, and the country seems to be moving towards incorporating an election process.

Demographics

From the US Department of State:

"Population (2009 est.): 6 million. 
Ethnic groups: Indian (1.75M); Pakistani (1.25M); Bangladeshi (500,000); Other Asian (1M); European and African (500,000); and Emirati (890,000).
Religions: Muslim (96%), Hindu, Christian.
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali.
Education: Years compulsory - ages 6-12. Literacy - 90%.
Health: Life expectancy - about 78 yrs.
Work force (2008): Total - 2.8 million. Agriculture - 4.9%. Industry - 61.9%. Services -35.8%. Female participation rate – 41.8%."

Imports and Exports

According to the US Department of State, UAE exports $157 billion, with the vast majority of that being petroleum and petroleum products. UAE also imports $126.6 billion, mainly in machinery, chemicals, and food.

History of UAE

UAE started as a group of seven organized sheikdoms between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. After an end of a period of being under British protection, the sheikdoms formally united under UAE in 1972. In 2004, UAE's first president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, died and was succeeded by his son and current president, Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan.

Welcome

Hello, this blog focuses on the economics of United Arab Emirates and the changes that the country has faced over the past several years. I will focus on construction in particular, considering that parts of the country (such as Dubai) are rapidly modernizing.