President, ruler of Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed
Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a Governor-General Prime minister: Stephen Harper
Population
5,314,317
34,300,083
Life Expectancy
76.710 years
81.480 years
Capital City
Abu Dhabi
Ottawa
Largest city
Dubai (population: 1,137,350)
Toronto (population: 4,612,190)
Human Development Index
0.903
0.967
GDP per capita
$48,800 US
$41,100 US
Literacy Rate
77.9%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
5.9
8.7
Percentage of Women in Parliament
22.5%
24.9%
Wealthiest Citizens
Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair & family ($7.8bn US)
David Thomson & family ($13.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
2.400%
7.500%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates
constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation
Independence date
2 December 1971 (from UK)
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)
Religions
Muslim 96% (Shia 16%), other (includes Christian, Hindu) 4%
Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
Languages
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
Emirati dirhams (AED) per US dollar - 3.673 (2008 est.), 3.673 (2007), 3.673 (2006), 3.6725 (2005), 3.6725 (2004) note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002
Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.0364 (2008 est.), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.100%
1.100%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
18
Location
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Area
83,600 km sq
9,984,670 km sq
Coastline
1,318 km
202,080 km
Climate
desert; cooler in eastern mountains
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
