United Arab Emirates:
Population Chapter 3: Persian Gulf, Arabian Peninsula
United Arab Emirates:
Population
Population, Ethnic Groups
/ Language, Religion / Education, Health
/ Statistics
Overview
/ Leadership / System Essentials
/ Infrastructure / Fielded Forces
/ Table of Contents
Student nurses at Abu Dhabi nursing school
The UAE has a population of 2.8 million (1994 est.) with an annual growth rate of 4.79% (1994 est.). However, only about 25% of the total population are UAE citizens and 80% of the work force is foreign.
Emirian comprise approximately 25% of the population while other Arabs account for 23%. The remainder of the population includes South Asians (the majority), East Asians, and Westerners.
The official language of the UAE is Arabic. English is widely used in the commercial sector. Persian, Hindi and Urdu are also common.
The majority of UAE citizens are Sunni Muslims with a small Shiite minority. Most foreigners also are Muslim, although Hindus and Christians make up a portion of the UAE's foreign population.
In 1990-91 academic year, more than 388,000 students (half of them female) attended primary and secondary schools. Education is compulsory at the primary level and free at all levels. Most of the 22,000 teachers and administrators are foreigners. In the 1990-91 academic year, more than 8,900 students, of whom 65 percent were women, attended the United Arab Emirates University.
The UAE has a comprehensive public health care system which is free for citizens but charges for some services provided to foreigners. The majority of medical personnel are foreigners, primarily from Egypt, India, and Pakistan. In 1994, the average life expectancy at birth was 72.2 years.
World ranking (of 191)