United Arab Emirates

The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th-century treaties. In 1971, six of these states -- Abu Dhabi, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn -- merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ra's al Khaymah joined in 1972.

The UAE's per-capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. For more than three decades, oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. In 2008-09, the confluence of falling oil prices, collapsing real estate prices, and the international banking crisis hit the UAE especially hard. The UAE did not experience the "Arab Spring" unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East in 2010-11, partly because of the government's multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates, and its aggressive pursuit of advocates for political reform.

The UAE in recent years has played a growing role in regional affairs. In addition to donating billions of dollars in economic aid to help stabilize Egypt, the UAE was one of the first countries to join the Defeat ISIS coalition, and to participate as a key partner in a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. In 2020, the UAE and Bahrain signed a peace agreement (the Abraham Accords) with Israel -- brokered by the US -- in Washington, D.C. The UAE and Bahrain thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel.

24 00 N, 54 00 E

frequent sand and dust storms

slightly larger than South Carolina; slightly smaller than Maine

air pollution; water scarcity; lack of natural freshwater resources; land degradation and desertification; waste generation, beach pollution from oil spills

Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

desert; cooler in eastern mountains

1,318 km

Total: 1,066 km

Border countries (2): Oman 609 km; Saudi Arabia 457 km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Contiguous zone: 24 nm

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

petroleum, natural gas

strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for crude oil; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) together account for over 90% of UAE's area and two-thirds of the population

flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert; mountains in east

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Middle East

940 sq km (2022)

150 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates -- Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah -- are home to nearly 85% of the population

Highest point: Jabal Bil 'Ays 1,905 m

Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

Mean elevation: 149 m

Total : 83,600 sq km

Land: 83,600 sq km

Water: 0 sq km

Agricultural land: 5.5% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 4.2% (2023 est.)

Forest: 4.6% (2023 est.)

Other: 89.7% (2023 est.)

0-14 years: 16.4% (male 842,577/female 802,302)

15-64 years: 81.4% (male 5,812,470/female 2,353,750)

65 years and over: 2.2% (2024 est.) (male 169,084/female 52,030)

At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 2.47 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 3.25 male(s)/female

Total population: 2.13 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Noun: Emirati(s)

Adjective: Emirati

Urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

3.008 million Dubai, 1.831 million Sharjah, 1.567 million ABU DHABI (capital) (2023)

2.99 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Total dependency ratio: 22.9 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 20.1 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 2.7 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 36.9 (2024 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Emirati 11.6%, South Asian 59.4% (includes Indian 38.2%, Bangladeshi 9.5%, Pakistani 9.4%, other 2.3%), Egyptian 10.2%, Filipino 6.1%, other 12.8% (2015 est.)

Note: Data represent the total population; as of 2019, immigrants make up about 87.9% of the total population, according to UN data

Muslim 74.5% (official) (Sunni 63.3%, Shia 6.7%, other 4.4%), Christian 12.9%, Hindu 6.2%, Buddhist 3.2%, agnostic 1.3%, other 1.9% (2020 est.)

Note: Data represent the total population; as of 2020, immigrants make up about 88.1% of the total population, according to UN data

Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian

Major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Total: 16 years (2023 est.)

Male: 15 years (2023 est.)

Female: 16 years (2023 est.)

5.3% of GDP (2021)

12.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.78 (2024 est.)

Total: 6.4% (2024 est.)

Male: 4.1% (2024 est.)

Female: 12.1% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

-3.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 35.8 years (2024 est.)

Male: 38.1 years

Female: 29.8 years

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.61 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 10,032,213 (2024 est.)

Male: 6,824,131

Female: 3,208,082

Total: 5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Total: 10.7% (2025 est.)

Male: 13.9% (2025 est.)

Female: 2.4% (2025 est.)

31.7% (2016)

1.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

10.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 2.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits: 1.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.)

Male: 78.6 years

Female: 81.4 years

0.6% (2024 est.)

Total population: 98.8% (2024 est.)

Male: 99% (2024 est.)

Female: 98.4% (2024 est.)

67.4% (2018 est.)

3.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

14.8% national budget (2021 est.)

Municipal: 2.297 billion cubic meters (2022)

Industrial: 55 million cubic meters (2022)

Agricultural: 2.466 billion cubic meters (2022)

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 5.618 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 24.5% (2022 est.)

38.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

271.703 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From coal and metallurgical coke: 12.788 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 126.038 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas: 132.876 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

450.432 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Eric GAUDIOSI (since August 2025)

Embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi

Mailing address: 6010 Abu Dhabi Place, Washington DC 20521-6010

Telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200

FAX: [971] (2) 414-2241

Email address and website:
Abudhabiacs@state.gov

https://ae.usembassy.gov/

Consulate(s) general: Dubai

7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

Name: Abu Dhabi

Geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E

Time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Etymology: In Arabic, abu means "father," and dhabi refers to a personal name, Dhabi or Zabi, that comes from the word zab, or "gazelle" 

History: Previous 1971 (provisional); latest drafted in 1979, became permanent May 1996

Amendment process: Proposed by the Supreme Council and submitted to the Federal National Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote of Federal National Council members present and approval of the Supreme Council president

Chief of state: President MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID Al Nuhayyan (since 14 May 2022)

Head of government: Prime Minister and Co-Vice President MUHAMMAD BIN RASHID Al Maktum (since 5 January 2006)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers announced by the prime minister and approved by the president

Election/appointment process: President and vice president indirectly elected by the Federal Supreme Council -- composed of the rulers of the 7 emirates -- for a 5-year term (no term limits);  prime minister appointed by the president

Most recent election date: Unscheduled election held on 14 May 2022, after the death of President KHALIFA bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan

Election results:
2022: MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID Al-Nuhayyan elected president; Federal Supreme Council vote - NA

Expected date of next election: 2027

Note: The Federal Supreme Council (FSC) is composed of the 7 emirate rulers and is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; the FSC establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets 4 times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power

Description: Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black, with a wider vertical red band on the left side

Meaning: The flag incorporates all four pan-Arab colors, which in this case represent fertility (green), neutrality (white), oil (black), and unity (red); red is a traditional color that was part of all the emirates' flags before their unification

2 December 1971 (from the UK)

Highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 4 judges; jurisdiction limited to federal cases)

Judge selection and term of office: Judges appointed by the federal president after approval from the Federal Supreme Council, the highest executive and legislative authority consisting of the 7 emirate rulers; judges serve until retirement age or the expiration of their appointment terms

Subordinate courts: Federal Court of Cassation (determines the constitutionality of laws); the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra's al Khaymah have parallel court systems; the other 4 emirates have incorporated their courts into the federal system

Note: The Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts and the Dubai International Financial Center Courts, the country’s two largest financial free zones, adjudicate civil and commercial disputes

mixed system of Islamic (sharia) law and civil law

Legislature name: Federal National Council (Majlis Watani Itihadi)

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 40 (20 indirectly elected; 20 appointed)

Electoral system: Other systems

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 10/7/2023

Percentage of women in chamber: 50%

Expected date of next election: October 2027

ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, BRICS, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence Day (National Day), 2 December (1971)

Note: Political parties are banned; all candidates run as independents

limited

Note: Rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that accounts for about 12 percent of Emirati citizens

federation of monarchies

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

Etymology: Self-descriptive country name; the name Arabia can be traced back at least as far as the ancient Egyptians, who referred to the region as "Ar Rabi;" "emirates" derives from amir, the Arabic word for "commander," "lord," or "prince;" the former name, Trucial States, refers to a maritime truce from 1820 between the British and the Arab sheikhdoms

Chief of mission: Ambassador Yousif AL OTAIBA (since 28 July 2008)

Chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008

Telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400

FAX: [1] (202) 243-2408

Email address and website:
Info@uaeembassy-usa.org

https://www.uae-embassy.org/

Consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Title: "Nashid al-watani al-imarati" (National Anthem of the UAE)

Lyrics/music: AREF Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB

History: Music adopted 1971, lyrics adopted 1986; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for Tunisia's and Libya's anthem

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

golden falcon

Citizenship by birth: No

Citizenship by descent only: The father must be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen

Dual citizenship recognized: No

Residency requirement for naturalization: 30 years

Total World Heritage Sites: 2 ( both cultural)

Selected World Heritage Site locales: Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud, and Oases Areas); Faya Palaeolandscape (c)

green, white, black, red

Lowest 10%: 2.8% (2018 est.)

Highest 10%: 20.5% (2018 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

China 11%, India 11%, Japan 10%, Iraq 6%, Thailand 4% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

dates, cucumbers/gherkins, camel milk, goat milk, tomatoes, chicken, goat meat, eggs, milk, camel meat (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Revenues: $23.248 billion (2023 est.)

Expenditures: $19.349 billion (2023 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

gold, broadcasting equipment, cars, refined petroleum, diamonds (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
3.672 (2024 est.)
3.672 (2023 est.)
3.672 (2022 est.)
3.672 (2021 est.)
3.672 (2020 est.)

petroleum and petrochemicals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, commercial ship repair, construction materials, handicrafts, textiles

$537.079 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Household consumption: 45.6% (2023 est.)

Government consumption: 12.4% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital: 27.1% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)

Exports of goods and services: 108.6% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services: -93.7% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

China 19%, India 7%, USA 6%, Turkey 4%, Japan 4% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

On food: 12.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On alcohol and tobacco: 0.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

7.09 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

$237.931 billion (2024 est.)
$189.491 billion (2023 est.)
$138.433 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

19.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

2.2% (2024 est.)
2.2% (2023 est.)
2.9% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

0.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

$745.994 billion (2024 est.)
$718.95 billion (2023 est.)
$693.842 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

1.7% (2024 est.)
1.6% (2023 est.)
5.3% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

$68,600 (2024 est.)
$68,600 (2023 est.)
$68,900 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$481.852 billion (2023 est.)
$427.992 billion (2022 est.)
$347.529 billion (2021 est.)

Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$558.402 billion (2023 est.)
$521.897 billion (2022 est.)
$425.156 billion (2021 est.)

Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

3.8% (2024 est.)
3.6% (2023 est.)
7.5% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

0.8% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Agriculture: 0.7% (2023 est.)

Industry: 47.7% (2023 est.)

Services: 51.6% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Consumption: 5.411 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports: 82,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports: 5.512 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels: 75.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear: 19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Solar: 4.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Production: 55.8 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Consumption: 67.734 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Exports: 6.863 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Imports: 18.938 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves: 6.091 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Total petroleum production: 4.146 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 846,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves: 97.8 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Installed generating capacity: 44.462 million kW (2023 est.)

Consumption: 157.974 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Exports: 613 million kWh (2023 est.)

Imports: 501.067 million kWh (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 7.914 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

.ae

most TV and radio stations state-owned, but many private organizations now operating in media free zones in Abu Dhabi and Dubai; widespread use of satellite dishes to access pan-Arab and other international broadcasts (2022)

Total subscriptions: 21.2 million (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 212 (2022 est.)

Total: 3.95 million (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions: 2.259 million (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2023 est.)

A6

42 (2025)

Total: 655 (2023)

By type: Bulk carrier 2, container ship 3, general cargo 122, oil tanker 16, other 512

204 (2025)

18-30 years of age for compulsory national service for men (compulsory service initiated in 2014); 18-40 for voluntary service; 36-month service obligation for men without a secondary education and 11 months for secondary school graduates; women may volunteer for national service (11-month service obligation regardless of education) (2025)

Note 1: Compulsory service may be completed in the uniformed military, the Ministry of Interior, or other security institutions designated by the military leadership

Note 2: The UAE military employs a considerable number of foreign personnel on contracted service

4% of GDP (2024 est.)
4.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
4% of GDP (2022 est.)
4.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
6.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard (includes special operations forces), National Guard (includes Coast Guard) (2025)

Note: Each emirate maintains a local police force called a general directorate, which is officially a branch of the federal Ministry of Interior; all emirate-level general directorates of police enforce their respective emirate’s laws autonomously; they also enforce federal laws within their emirate in coordination with one another under the federal ministry; the State Security Directorate (SSD) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai State Security (DSS) have primary responsibility for counterterrorism law enforcement efforts; local, emirate-level police forces, especially the Abu Dhabi Police and Dubai Police, are the first responders in such cases and provide technical assistance to SSD and DSS

the UAE Armed Forces (UAEAF) are responsible for defending the state, its resources, and territory, preserving internal security, and supporting the UAE's foreign policy objectives; key security concerns include regional stability and cross-border threats, such as piracy and terrorism; in recent years, the UAE has undertaken a military modernization program to go along with an assertive security policy which has included military involvements in Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen

The UAE has close security ties to France and the US; it hosts a multi-service French military base, which includes the French naval command for the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN); the UAE has a defense cooperation agreement with the US and hosts thousands of US military troops, mostly air and naval personnel; it also has defense ties with a number of other countries, including Australia, China, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Malaysia, South Korea, and the UK, as well as NATO and fellow members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, particularly Saudi Arabia

The UAEAF traces its origins to the establishment of the Trucial Oman Scouts in 1951, a joint UK-Abu Dhabi organization modeled after Jordan’s Arab Legion, which became the Abu Dhabi Defense Force in 1965; the modern UAEAF were formed in 1976 (2025)

approximately 65,000 active Armed Forces (45,000 Land Forces; 3,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force; 12,000 Presidential Guard) (2025)

the military's inventory is comprised of a wide variety of mostly modern imported weapons and equipment, and a small, but expanding amount of domestically-produced items; major foreign suppliers have included China, France, Italy, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, and the US; the UAE has a  growing domestic defense industry which produces or co-produces such items as armored vehicles, naval vessels, precision munitions, and unmanned aerial vehicles/drones (2024)

maintains a few hundred troops in Somalia and Yemen (2025)

USG identification:
Major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees: 7,634 (2024 est.)

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 4 (2025)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 5.35GW (2025 est.)

Percent of total electricity production: 19.7% (2023 est.)

UAE Space Agency (created in 2014); Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC; established 2006) (2025)

Total ports: 20 (2024)

Large: 1

Medium: 4

Small: 9

Very small: 6

Ports with oil terminals: 17

Key ports: Abu Zaby, Jabal Az Zannah/Ruways, Khawr Fakkan, Mina Jabal Ali, Zirkuh

Energy: 1,573.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Agriculture: 47.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste: 448.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Other: 2.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

26.4 (2018 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

has an ambitious and growing national space program; focused on satellite development, including communications, remote sensing, and navigation, as well as deep space exploration; is building expertise, infrastructure, technology, and research and development capabilities; has elected to use foreign partners to launch payloads from spaceports abroad; has looked to invest in foreign commercial space companies and develop global partnerships; has a foreign-assisted astronaut training program; seeking to establish UAE as an international hub for space education; founding member of the Arab Space Cooperation Group; works with major global and regional players, including China, Egypt, the ESA, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, and the US; sees its commercial space industry as a key to diversifying and developing the country’s non-oil economy; dozens of space companies operate in the UAE, including international and start-ups, plus several space-science research centers (2025)

1997 - initiated a national space sector

2009 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (DubaiSat-1) developed jointly with South Korea and launched by Russia

2017 - announced Mars 2117 project, which included building a “Mars Science City” as the first step to establishing a human settlement on Mars within 100 years

2018 - first domestically produced RS satellite (KhalifaSat or DubaiSat-3) launched by Japan

2019 - first UAE astronaut (trained by Russia and US) in space on the International Space Station

2020 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration

2021 - became first Arab country to successfully place a probe (al Amal or Hope) in Mars orbit; announced plans to launch a probe in 2028 to land on an asteroid between Mars and Jupiter

2025 - domestically produced advanced RS/Earth imaging satellite (MBZ-SAT) launched by US