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UAE Yearbook 2002
16 united arab emirates yearbook 2002 has developed at a rate that is almost without parallel. the country has been utterly transformed. its population has risen from around 250,000 in 1971 to an estimate of around 3.3 million in mid-2001. progress, in terms of the provision of social services, health and education, as well as in sectors such as communications and the oil and non-oil economy, has brought a high standard of living that has spread throughout the seven emirates, from the ultra-modern cities to the remotest areas of desert and mountains. the change has, moreover, occurred against a backdrop of enviable political and social stability, despite the insecurity and conflict that has dogged much of the rest of the gulf region. the country has also established itself firmly on the international scene, both within the arab region and in the broader community of nations. its pursuit of dialogue and consensus and its firm adherence to the tenets of the charter of the united nations, in particular those dealing with the principle of non-interference in the affairs of other states, have been coupled with a quiet but extensive involvement in the provision of development assistance and humanitarian aid that, in per capita terms, has few parallels. there is no doubt that the experiment in federation has been a success and the undoubted key to the achievements of the uae has been the central role played by sheikh zayed. during his years in al ain he was able to develop a vision of how the country should progress, and, since becoming first ruler of abu dhabi and then president of the uae, he has devoted three and a half decades to making that vision a reality. one foundation of his philosophy as a leader and statesman is that the resources of the country should be fully used to the benefit of the people. the uae is fortunate to have been blessed with massive reserves of oil and gas and it is through careful utilisation of these, including the decision in 1973 that the government of abu dhabi, the emirate with the lion s share of reserves, should take a controlling share of the oil reserves and assume total ownership of associated and non-associated gas, that the financial resources necessary to underpin the development programme have always been available. indeed there has been sufficient to permit the setting aside of large amounts for investment on behalf of future generations and, through the abu dhabi investment authority created by sheikh zayed, the country now has financial reserves unofficially estimated at around us$200 billion. the financial resources, however, have always been regarded by sheikh
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