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Country of the Month: UAE |
Motto - God, Nation, President" +971 |
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Introduction
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a Middle Eastern federation of seven states situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. The seven states, termed emirates, are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain.
President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice-President HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum both draw on the rich experience of their family upbringing and the lessons so fluently expressed by their parents. One of the basic tenets of the UAE culture and their faith is that they do not take anything for granted. Despite their huge oil reserves they are maximizing the efficiency of their oil industry and exploring areas of alternative energy. Although they have a well proven federal system of government, they are improving this with initiatives such as the first elections for the Federal National Council and a nationwide project to activate e-government. Despite their advanced education and healthcare systems, they are investing further in these in conjunction with the private sector. Indeed, they are promoting a massive privatization programme in all sectors involving innovative public-private partnership schemes that place a high emphasis on community development and social cohesion. Respecting their past and the impressive endurance and achievements of their forefathers, they have established many museums and heritage centers and are building on this effort, creating some of the finest cultural institutions in the region.
Curlture and Religion
Strong ties with the rest of the Arab and Islamic world. The government is committed to preserving traditional forms of art and culture, primarily through the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation. The first known manuscript produced in the UAE was Al jawaher wal la'li, a text which discusses the emirates of the nation.
Nearly all citizens are Muslims, approximately 85 percent of whom are Sunni and the remaining 15 percent are Shi'a. Although no official figures are available, local observers estimate that approximately 55 percent of the foreign population is Muslim, 25 percent is Hindu, 10 percent is Christian, 5 percent is Buddhist, and 5 percent (most of whom reside in Dubai and Abu Dhabi) belong to other religions, including Parsi, Baha'i, and Sikh.[8].
Dubai is the only emirate of the UAE with both a Hindu Temple and a Sikh Gurdwara. Christian churches are also present in the country. There are a variety of Asian-influenced schools, restaurants and cultural centers. Finally, there also exist a growing number of European centers, schools, and restaurants.
Education
The education system up to the secondary level is monitored by the Ministry of Education. It consists of primary schools, middle schools and secondary schools. The public schools are government-funded and the curriculum is created to match the United Arab Emirates development's goals and values. The medium of instruction in the public school is Arabic with emphasis on English as a second language. There are also many private schools which are internationally accredited. Public schools in the country are free for citizens of the UAE, while the fees for private schools vary.
The higher education system is monitored by the Ministry of Higher Education. The Ministry also is responsible for admitting students to its undergraduate institutions, including the five largest centers of higher education: United Arab Emirates University, Zayed University, Gulf Medical College, University of Sharjah and Higher Colleges of Technology. There are also many other private universities and colleges in the country, including the American University of Sharjah. Finally, other universities based in foreign countries have established campuses in the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE has shown a strong recent interest to improve education and research. Recent enterprises include the establishment of the CERT Research Centers and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology.
Economic Development
The country’s impressive economic performance during the year led to a GDP growth rate of 25.6 % at current prices, while real GDP growth is estimated at 8.2 %. Key factors were the strong oil market, active development of public joint stock companies, increased involvement of free zones and buoyant local stock markets, together with launches of a number of significant new projects. Astute economic policies provided solid foundations for impressive growth in all sectors with GDP at current prices reaching Dh485.5 billion in 2005 compared to Dh386.5 billion in 2004 (based on Ministry of Economy figures and Central Bank Annual Report). According to the Ministry of Economy and the Central Bank, the non-oil sector accounted for 64 % of nominal GDP (73 % of real GDP), rising by 19 % to Dh312 billion, compared to Dh263 billion in 2004. Development of the relatively new private property market in the UAE supported a rise in contribution to GDP of the real estate and business services sector, which formed 11.5 % of the non-oil GDP. Likewise, the building and construction sector continued to boom, adding 11.2 % to GDP. Meanwhile government investment in education, health and social services boosted the government services sector to 11.1 % of non-oil GDP; and infrastructural projects involving transportation, storage and communications contributed 10.4%. The non-oil sector accounted for 64 % of nominal GDP in 2005. Slightly over half of the Dh93.7 billion invested in projects in 2005 was by the private sector. A new private property market in the UAE has boosted the country’s economic.
Tourism
Plans laid in the late 1980s and early 1990s to create an entirely new tourism industry have exceeded expectations. Tourism is now worth more to Dubai than its income from oil. Abu Dhabi has also invested in developing a tourism industry and has announced a number of ambitious projects in this field. All the other emirates consider tourism as an important factor in their future growth and prosperity. With the wisdom of hindsight, this makes sense.
The UAE has warm shallow seas, rich in marine life, long sandy beaches perfect for sun-bathing and relaxation, a climate that delights for much of the year and the resources to mitigate against the discomfort of excessive heat through innovative construction and cooling projects. The addition of first-class shopping malls, leisure and sporting facilities also ensures that boredom is never an issue. The UAE is the ‘right flying distance’ from some of the world’s most populous markets, from the Middle East and Western Asia to Europe, and it has excellent airports and seaports. Its natural and cultural heritage is rich and varied and its people are educated, friendly and hospitable. It is a long-standing melting pot of cultures where foreigners feel at ease. Emiratis have always welcomed visitors: it is not the nature, but the scale of things that has changed.
Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry:
Abu Dhabi International Book Fair:
Abu Dhabi International Hunting
and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX):
Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company:
Abu Dhabi World Leadership Summit:
Source:Wikipedia
