Review United Arab Emirates

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The United Arab Emirates became an independent country not a long time ago. However, as it is seen in the present days, it has gained success in development extremely quickly. Partly, it was possible to happen due to rich natural resources in the country’s territory, and partly due to wise government policy, which supports its citizens very well. In just several decades, the UAE managed to increase the level of health and education institutions, international relations, trade, standards of living, and other spheres. In order to examine these spheres, the article about the economic development in the UAE by Mohamed Shihab was studied.

Keywords: United Arab Emirates, development, success, institutions, natural resources, oil.

Critical Review United Arab Emirates

As the author of the article says, it can be hard to believe it now, but about thirty years ago, the United Arab Emirates was one of the least developed countries in the world (Shihab, 2001). This state started implementing its development policy extremely quickly. The level it has achieved nowadays can be compared to that of the industrialized countries. The UAE did not even have specific stages of development, which are usual for any other developing country. Instead, massive oil revenues gave it an opportunity to take a short cut. By present days, the Emirates has increased levels of all the institutions within the country, as well as communication with other nations. The researcher gives proofs for the abovementioned, and it can be seen that his position is direct and clear. He provides evidence to his opinion and reflects on the way this Arab state developed throughout its history.

The UAE used the resource-based industries as a development strategy. It became possible due to the abundance of oil, gas and other natural resources within the country. Certainly, the economic development is not possible without the social, cultural, institutional, and political context, as truly as the human factor. Mr. Shihab is sure that the UAE did its best to gain success in these spheres. In following, the main points he reflects upon in his article are examined.

Previously, until the oil was discovered in the UAE, which was called the Trucial States back then, the economy of the country depended upon agriculture, trade of pearls, fishing, seafaring, and so on. In 1970, the United Arab Emirates saw the beginning of economic development. The federation was formed on December 2, 1971, which coincided with an increase of oil production and export and a subsequent rise of prices for oil. The author calls it the major advantage of the country’s development. He must be right because historically, it seems to be truth.

The Emirates has always had political stability. It has a wise system of distribution of oil resources, which results in high social standards, high salaries, high standard of living, as well as in the reduction of internal political and social unrest. This stability resulted in good relations with other countries, international trade and investment.

Being an important life sphere previously, agricultural resources still play a major role for the state’s residents. Government there promotes its development in a very wise way. Thus, agricultural plots are granted, and water wells are drilled for free to all the UAE citizens while small farmers are protected by foreign competition because their products are sold there at favorable prices.

The country’s growth also resulted in an increased population and labor force. In the meantime, the processes of industrialization and urbanization played an important role. Human development is also in progress there, which can be analyzed at two levels. Firstly, it is the national level which happens over time; secondly, it is the international level which provides with an ability to compare it with other developing and industrialized countries. As it can be seen, the UAE achieved improvements on both degrees.

Thus, the educational structure, which was established in the early 1970s, is considered to be one of the best ones in the present days. Health services also improved a lot since the 1970s. The number of health institutions more than doubled since then, while the advancing the level of health education and service is one of the main goals of the government. All the facilities are evenly distributed throughout the regions, the same as special medical centers for children provided in schools.

The author seems to like the way the UAE developed and the way it builds its social structure in the present days. Mr. Shihab’s article makes a reader want to study the economic development of the UAE further, and even see with own eyes that its stability and prosperity are truthful. This country has achieved impressive improvements in many economic and social development indicators, successfully implemented the human development policy and managed to use natural resources wisely. Therefore, it is understood now, why this federation is one of the wealthiest in the world.