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United Arab Emirates

Federation in southwest Asia, on the Gulf, bounded northwest by Qatar, southwest by Saudi Arabia, and southeast by Oman.

Government

A provisional constitution has been in effect since December 1971. The drawing-up of a permanent constitution has been deferred four times, the last occasion being in 1991. The provisional constitution provides a federal structure for a union of seven sheikdoms. The highest authority is the Supreme Council of Rulers, which includes all seven sheiks. Each is a hereditary emir and an absolute monarch in his own country. The council elects two of its members to be president and vice-president of the federal state for a five-year term. The president then appoints a prime minister and council of ministers.

There is a federal national council of 40 members appointed by the emirates for a two-year term, and this operates as a consultative assembly. There are no political parties.

History

For early history, see Arabia. In 1952 the seven sheikdoms of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al Qaiwain set up, on British advice, the Trucial Council, consisting of all seven rulers, with a view to eventually establishing a federation. In the 1960s the Trucial States, as they were known, became extremely wealthy through the exploitation of oil deposits.

The whole area was under British protection, but in 1968 the British government announced that it was withdrawing its forces within three years. The seven Trucial States, with Bahrain and Qatar, formed the Federation of Arab Emirates, which was intended to become a federal state, but in 1971 Bahrain and Qatar seceded to become independent nations. Six of the Trucial States then combined to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, became the first president. The remaining sheikdom, Ras al Khaimah, joined the UAE in February 1972.

In 1976 Sheikh Zayed, disappointed with the slow progress towards centralization, was persuaded to accept another term as president only with assurances that the federal government would be given more control over such activities as defence and internal security. In recent years the UAE has played an increasingly prominent role in Middle East affairs, and in 1985 it established diplomatic and economic links with the USSR and China. Diplomatic relations were restored with Egypt in 1987.

In 1990-91, the UAE opposed Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and contributed troops and economic support to the UN coalition that defeated Iraq in the Gulf War. The international financial scandal surrounding the 1991 collapse of the Bank of Commerce and Credit International (BCCI) had serious implications for the UAE because Abu Dhabi's ruler held a controlling interest in the bank. In 1994 the Abu Dhabi government agreed to pay a sum amounting to $1.8 billion to creditors and depositors of the former BCCI.

During 1992 the UAE became embroiled in a border dispute with Iran.

Abu Dhabi Ajman Arab Emirates

Arab Monetary Fund Dubai Fujairah

Port Rashid Ras al Khaimah Sharjah

Trucial States Umm al Quwain