Short facts about the government of United Arab Emirate

Country name:

conventional long form:  United Arab Emirates 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; 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 6 August 1966) 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) cabinet:  Council of Ministers appointed by the president note:  there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) which is composed of the seven emirate rulers; the council is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation, Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power; meets four times a year elections:  president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held NA October 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results:  ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous

Legislative branch:

unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms) elections:  none note:  reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

Judicial branch:

Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission:  Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI chancery:  Suite 700, 1255 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone:  [1] (202) 955-7999

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission:  Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF embassy:  Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address:  P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note - work week is Saturday through Wednesday telephone:  [971] (2) 4436691 FAX:  [971] (2) 4435441 consulate(s) general:  Dubai

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side

Source: World Factbook