Dubai has largest bank base in UAE

Dubai maintained its position at the end of 2010 as the largest banking base in the UAE, controlling nearly 39 per cent of the total national bank presence in the country, official data showed.

The emirate, the Gulf’s business and commercial hub, also dominated the foreign banking presence in the UAE, controlling nearly 43 per cent of their total branches.

Central bank figures also showed Emirates NBD, the largest bank in the region by assets, had the largest banking network in the UAE, accounting for nearly 15 per cent of the total national bank branches.

At the end of 2010, the UAE had 23 national banks and 28 foreign units, including six banks from the other members of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the report showed.

Their combined assets stood at around Dh1,609 billion at the end of December, the largest bank asset base in the Arab world.

National banks had 754 branches, including 294 branches in Dubai, the largest base of the local bank network.

Abu Dhabi came second, with 188 branches, following by Sharjah with 109 branches. Banks branches stood at 66 in the eastern oasis town of Al-Ain, 33 in Ras Al-Khaimah, 28 in Fujeirah, 26 in Ajman and 10 in Umm Al-Quwain, the report showed.

Foreign banks had 111 branches, including 47 in Dubai, 27 in Abu Dhabi, 15 in Sharjah, 11 in Al-Ain, six in Ras Al-Khaimah, three in Fujeirah and two in Ajman.

The figures showed Emirates NBD had the largest banking network in the UAE at the end of 2010, controlling 111 branches which accounted for around 15 per cent of the total national bank branches. Most of its branches are based in Dubai, totaling 82.

It was followed by the government-controlled National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), which had 80 branches and Mashreq Bank, which had 66 branches at the end of last year.

Other major banks included the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, with 64 branches, Dubai Islamic Bank with 61 branches, Union National Bank with 52 branches and the government-controlled Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) with 46 branches.

As for foreign banks, the report showed Standard Chartered Bank had the largest foreign banking presence in the UAE, with 11 branches. It was followed by Arab Bank, United Bank LTD and Habib Bank A.G Zurich, which had eight branches each.

There were seven branches each for Bank Meli Iran and Bank Saderat Iran, six for Bank of Baroda, and five for Banque Misr.

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