Facts

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located on the Arabian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and Oman. The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven Emirates:

Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qaiwan, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. 

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as the country’s main political center, as well as the Emirate of Dubai maintains the country's image abroad. 92 billion barrels over 94 percent of the oil reserves and 56 percent of the gross domestic product comes from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

This all too easily leads to a distorted perception that people situated in the UAE are all on the same level financially. Actually, there are  extensive economic differences between the different Emirates and the people in the UAE. 

The United Arab Emirates is one of the wealthiest countries in the middle east with a gross domestic product of 375,0 billion USD (2016) and its approximately 9.9 million inhabitants, of which 85 percent are foreigners. The UAE is also one of the most important trading partners for western countries and has the sixth largest oil and gas reserves all over the world. Before ist slump, the high oil price, which has led to sustained high government revenue, it was the key point of good economic development in the past years. Get more information.