Posted on 02/25/2006 3:37:33 PM PST by sully777
Under Heading of Government
Country name: 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
Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Administrative divisions: SEVEN EMIRATES (imarat, singular - imarah); 1) Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 2) 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, 3) Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), 4) Dubayy (Dubai), 5) Ra's al Khaymah, 6) Umm al Qaywayn
Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Constitution: 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Legal system: federal court system introduced in 1971; applies to all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah, which are not fully integrated into the federal judicial system; all emirates have secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial matters and Islamic courts to review family and religious disputes
Suffrage: none
Under the heading TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES
Disputes - international: because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still unknown; boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and maps showing the alignment have not been published; UAE engage in direct talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Lesser and Greater Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island
Illicit drugs: the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving
1) The country is a federation of various emirs (states) with elected heads of state and a unicameral legislative body. It is important to note that there are no political parties.
2) The government is guided by a form of federalism for civil and commerical matters and Islamic sharia for religious matters. (IRC my civics class, that sounds like a form of theocracy. It is not known how far sharia spills over into secular matters).
3) The Ports Authority of the UAE is a major drug transshipment point and has a problem on this issue. Southwest Asian countries use the UAE to ship opium, etc. to the world markets. The Ports Authority will be responsible for global shipping manifests (not manifolds Mr. Shumer) in the current deal suggested by the Bush Administration. IMO, the current deal with the UAE government will impact the global war on terror and the war on drugs.
4) UAE banks are vulnerable to money laundering. The country is trying to improve this situation.
Let me know what you think of the CIA factbook on the UAE.
I'm sorry, but...breaking news?
What if the USA made the clean up of the drug transshipments...and the clean up of the money launderings..
as part of the deal...then, the UAE wins...and we get more help in that area of the world in getting rid of drug trafficking...and more controls on terrorist and drug financing through their banking.
I had heard the other day...that their banking system HAD changed since 9/11 and was no longer in that "business"..
They got something right...
That was my reaction but I got to wondering. I think that sufferage is the right to vote without referring to gender. Am I mistaken ?
Fascinating....NOT! Yes, all the best intelligence in\s published in the CIA factbook. The amount of money laundered in the US dwarfs that of the UAE. It's called an open financial system.
You're right, but it sounds good when taken the other way...
I'm sorry, but...breaking news?
They left out the part about all the shiny new skyscrapers that Rush thinks should impress all of us rubes back on the farm.
The amount of money laundered in the US dwarfs that of the UAE. It's called an open financial system.
I've been in a skyscraper! Real purty. I just sat there looking at the doors open and close, and the people would appear and disappear. The security guard was real friendly-like. He tells me its an elevator. Hot damn.
I think this information should remain as Breaking News, given the current issue is top of the news and there is an accusation that people are ignorant of the UAE in such discussions.
What would've Ronald Reagan done in this instance?
What would've Ronald Reagan done in this instance?
I thought "emir" was a royal title, similar to a duke or prince.
And how can they have "elected" heads of state when there's no suffrage in the country???
Who the heck "elects" them???
Good Question. The CIA Fact Book says:
Executive branch:
chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004); Vice President MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister HAMDAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Supreme Council (composed of rulers of the seven emirates) for five-year terms; election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan elected president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum unanimously reaffirmed vice president
Legislative branch:
unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: President Khalifa in December 2005 announced that indirect elections would be held in early 2006 for half of the seats in the FNC; the other half would be filled by appointment
note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Does the Panama Canal give you a clue?
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5444.htm
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--U.A.E., Emirati.
Population (2004 est.): 4.3 million.
Annual growth rate: 6.9%.
Ethnic groups: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Egyptian, Jordanian, Iranian, Filipino, Other Arab, (15-20% of residents are U.A.E. citizens).
Religions: Muslim (96%), Hindu, Christian.
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Urdu, Persian.
Education: Years compulsory--ages 6-12. Literacy (U.A.E. citizens)--about 80%.
Health: Life expectancy--About 74 yrs.
Work force (2003) 2.485 million (93% foreign in 15-64 age group): Agriculture--8%; industry--32%; services--60%.PEOPLE
Only 15-20% of the total population of 4.041 million are U.A.E. citizens. The rest include significant numbers of other Arabs--Palestinians, Egyptians, Jordanians, Yemenis, Omanis--as well as many Iranians, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, Afghanis, Filipinos, and west Europeans.
The majority of U.A.E. citizens are Sunni Muslims with a small Shi'a minority. Most foreigners also are Muslim, although Hindus and Christians make up a portion of the U.A.E.'s foreign population.
(snip)
Panama Canal--wasn't that Carter's?
That was one of the worst foreign policies...until this one.
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