United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates, (UAE) separate and unified becomes a major powerhouse in the oil industry. It is an old country with roots has flourished for over five thousand years. The Arab tribes that migrated to this land came from different parts of the Arabian peninsula (History). Yet the country did not form until the oil was discovered. During this time Abu Dhabi and the other six countries were still controlled by the British, but by 1971 the British decided to withdraw (History). Soon after seven Emirates joined to become one united country: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah. These seven countries formed what is now known as the United Arab Emirates on December 2, 1971 (United Arab Emirates). Even with the country being culturally diverse with the type of people, there religion is not diverse at all. The Muslims account for almost ninety-six percent of the population and from there it breaks down into Hindu’s, Christians and so forth (United Arab Emirates). As for the ethnicity of the people, only about nineteen percent are Emirati, twenty-three percent account for other Arab and Iranians, while fifty percent are South Asian, the other eight percent include Westerners and Eastern Asian (United Arab Emirates). Within the Muslin Sect most of them are Sunni who adhere to the Maliki legal traditions. Other Sunni’s within this sect follow a strict interpretation of the Hanbali legal School (United Arab Emirates). The people in this area did not start to begin to socially or economically advance until the discovery of oil in the 1960. After that, the treatment of women evolved into a much healthier outlook, their educational values would grow and plus there outreach to the rest of the world would expand. The president's wife, Shaykha Fatima, heads the Women's Federation and promotes training, education, and the advancement of the status of women (A Country Study: United Arab Emirates). By 1988 women constitute six point two percent of the workforce. From the United Arab Emirates University women graduates have outnumbered men by a ratio of two to one. In the early 1900s, three major schools were established by pearl merchants in Dubayy, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah (ACS:UAE). At this time they taught reading, writing and Islamic studies. In 1953 the British had opened a school in Sharjah that had 450 boys whose age ranged from six to seventeen (ACS:UAE). In addition to the school the British built in 1953, in 1955 they built a school in Abu Dhabi, Ras al Khaymah, and Khawr Fakkan established an agricultural school in Ras al Khaymah in 1955 and a technical school in Sharjah in 1958. Once they began earning oil revenue in the 1960, they were able to start there own educational program. Abu Dhabi had six schools by 1964. There were three hundred and ninety boys and one hundred and thirty eight girls that were taught by thirty-three teachers. In the constitution under section seventeen, states that education is fundamental to the progress of society and is to be compulsory at the primary level and free at all levels (ACS:UAE). The UAE’s economic contribution to the world primarily relies on oil exports. The gross domestic product as of 1989 reached 33.7 billion dollars. The real growth rate at this time was about eleven percent. The oil industry contributed thirty six percent of the GDP in 1987. Other industries include manufacturing, petroleum, utilities and cement. These industries are either fully owned by the government or at least half owned. In the 1990’s there exports were about 20.5 billion dollars while 16.2 billion came from oil and gas. In 1990 there imports mainly consisted of manufactured goods, machinery, transportation equipment, food and live animals; which accumulated to 11.2 billion US dollars (ACS:UAE). Energy Information Administration says that the Oil and Gas Journal reported that the UAE has 98.7 billion barrels of crude oil reserves; this is somewhat less then eight percent of the world total. The oil that is in the UAE reserves is considered pretty light; it has an API range from 32 to 44 degrees. The Emirate Abu Dhabi joined the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1967, four years before forming the UAE (Feld). As of March 16, 2005 the OPEC production quota was 2.40 million bbl/d and as of April 2005 they produced 2.50 million bbl/d (Feld). In June of 2004 the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) brought in ExxonMobil as a strategic partner in the development of the Upper Zakhum field, it was after a competitive bidding process that they got a twenty eight percent ownership (Feld). As of 1972 the Japan Oil Development Company (JODCO) holds a twelve percent stake after helping when the fields first opened (Feld). The United Arab Emirates is a wealthy and flourishing land. This country has been compared to many different places, like Los Angeles, because of its shopping and nightlife and also compares to Singapore or Hong Kong for its engineering marvels, low price commodities and its friendliness to the west. The UAE has much more to offer to the world then just its oil. Unlike the other surrounding countries the UAE used there economic resources to turn themselves into a thriving and open country.