United Arab Emirates

Formed in 1971, the United Arab Emirates comprises seven individual emirates, where vast amounts of oil were discovered in the 1950s.

With an oil reserve that makes up almost one-tenth of the world's total, this desert country the size of South Carolina has a stable economy, a labor force that is 13 percent female, and boasts one of the highest standards of living in the world.Although most people living in the UAE are Arabs, about 80 percent of the emirates' inhabitants are foreign workers and their families.

The UAE's tolerant, cosmopolitan atmosphere - which is most notable in the emirate of Dubai - gives resident non-Emiris opportunities to enjoy their own cultural and religious organizations.

This progressive country has survived threats to its regional stability and prospered because of its use of its oil wealth to the benefit of all Emiris and its close relationship with the United States.