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| United Arab Emirates
Not all of the seven princedoms that confederated as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1971 have oil and gas reserves, but those that do have used their wealth to transform this formerly pastoral society. The booming port city of Dubai, in particular, has become a financial center and a leading tourist destination in the region, with attractions like a floating five-star hotel and an indoor ski slope.
While the oil wealth affords most citizens and white-collar expatriates a high standard of living, the Emirates are perhaps the most absolute of the monarchies on the Arabian Peninsula. There are no elections and there is no citizen participation in government. The Supreme Council made up of representatives of the ruling families appoints ministers and the 40-member National Council, which reviews proposed federal laws. Each ruling family runs its own domain in a similarly autocratic fashion.
The indigenous population is dwarfed by non-citizen expatriates, most of whom are low-skilled guest workers from South Asia and elsewhere brought in to work in construction and the service industry. Without labor laws or unions, these workers are mostly unable to advocate for themselves or seek redress for abuses. In recent years, the government has adopted a policy of “Emiratization” of the work force, in order to ease unemployment for university-educated citizens, while simultaneously privatizing key sectors of the economy.
The UAE maintains a close alliance with Washington and hosts a US military base, but seems to seek a primarily commercial role in global affairs. Led by Dubai, the UAE is positioning itself as a bustling hub of trade and cultural exchange between East and West, its ambitions fueled for the time being by high oil prices.
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