UAE: Ras Al Khaimah

As demand for medical treatment rises, the health care sector in RAK has to meet new demands and challenges. Population growth, which climbed to 8% between 2008 and 2010, has necessitated more health care investment and infrastructure upgrades. Indeed, health sector costs in the UAE have tripled in the past decade and, as RAK’s citizens have free access to medical care at public institutions, the...

As the government of RAK makes the necessary changes to drive growth forward and transition to a knowledge-based economy, one thing is clear: education and educational reform are of prime importance. One important measure will be the establishment of a council by RAK’s ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, which will regulate and monitor institutions of higher education in the emirate....

Ras Al Khaimah’s lack of oil and gas resources – relative to other emirates – has encouraged growth in non-hydrocarbons sectors. The most significant of these is industry, which now accounts for around 30% of GDP. However, this high rate of industrial development means that demand for electricity has soared in recent years, becoming the single biggest constraint on expansion in RAK. The...

In recent years an expanding population, a growing industrial base and the increasing number of tourists visiting the emirate have driven RAK’s transport infrastructure growth. Taken together with storage and communications, the transport sector contributed an estimated 6.55%, or about $313.6m, to the economy in 2010. To cater for the 40% increase in the number of registered motor vehicles over...

Ras Al Khaimah’s construction sector remains a key component of the emirate’s growing economy. Following the 2008-09 economic downturn, the emirate’s construction industry seems in good shape, with a number of notable projects already under way. In particular, the government is expecting to welcome 1.2m visitors in 2012, which is spurring sizeable expansion in the hotel segment. The construction...

Industry accounted for more than 30% of RAK’s GDP in 2010, reflecting the emirate’s positioning as a leading manufacturing centre within the UAE and broader region. Although the global credit crunch of 2008 did affect some of RAK’s industries, the emirate’s industrial base grew overall, which has made for a more diverse and resilient economy. RAK’s free trade zones and industrial parks continue...