What is a country calling code?

A country calling code is the numeric prefix you dial before a national phone number to route a call to a specific country. For example, +1 reaches the United States and Canada, +44 reaches the United Kingdom, and +91 reaches India. The plus sign stands in for the international access code your network uses.

How do I dial an international number correctly?

Start with your exit or access code (or the + symbol on a mobile), add the destination country code, then the area or city code without its leading zero, and finally the local subscriber number. So a London line looks like +44 20 7946 0000.

What does the plus (+) sign mean in a phone number?

The + is a universal placeholder for the international dialing prefix. Saving numbers in +country-code format means they connect from any country without editing the access code, which is why it is the recommended way to store contacts.

Why do the United States and Canada share the country code +1?

Both countries belong to the North American Numbering Plan, a shared system that also covers several Caribbean nations. They use the same +1 country code but are separated by distinct three-digit area codes.

Do I need to remove the leading zero from a phone number when calling internationally?

Usually yes. Many countries print a trunk prefix, often a 0, for domestic calls. When dialing from abroad you drop that leading zero after the country code. For example, a UK mobile written as 07700 900000 becomes +44 7700 900000.

What are the UAE's area codes and how do I format a Dubai number in letsdial?

The UAE country code is +971. Abu Dhabi uses area code 2, Dubai uses 4, and Sharjah uses 6. Mobile numbers begin with 05x (e.g., 050, 052, 054, 055, 056, 058). In letsdial, dial +971 4 XXX XXXX for a Dubai landline or +971 50 XXX XXXX for a mobile. There is no trunk prefix to worry about — UAE numbers are dialed in full after the country code.

The UAE follows a Sunday–Thursday working week — how does this affect my letsdial scheduling?

The UAE officially shifted to a Monday–Friday weekend in January 2022 for federal government entities, but many private businesses still operate Sunday to Thursday. Always verify your specific UAE contact's work schedule before placing a letsdial call. Calls on Friday (the Islamic day of prayer) should be avoided, particularly in the morning hours.

Is WhatsApp effective for reaching UAE business contacts before a letsdial call?

Yes — WhatsApp is extremely popular in the UAE and is widely used for both personal and professional communication, including within corporate environments. Sending a WhatsApp message to introduce yourself and propose a call time is standard practice and will significantly improve the likelihood of your letsdial call being answered. Many UAE executives conduct business conversations directly in WhatsApp.

What time zone is the UAE in, and how does the lack of DST help with scheduling?

The UAE operates on Gulf Standard Time (GST, UTC+4) with no daylight saving time adjustments, making scheduling with letsdial straightforward and consistent year-round. The UAE is 4 hours ahead of UTC, placing it between European (CET, UTC+1) and Asian (SGT, UTC+8) time zones — a geographic and temporal middle ground that suits its role as a global business hub.

Can letsdial provide a Dubai virtual number for a regional Middle East business presence?

Yes, letsdial offers UAE virtual numbers including Dubai (+971 4) codes, which carry strong commercial prestige as Dubai is the Middle East's leading financial, trade, and tourism hub. A letsdial Dubai virtual number allows international businesses to present a local UAE presence for inbound customer calls without maintaining a physical office, supporting both B2B and B2C operations in the region.

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United Arab Emirates

+971

Country code

International prefix

The UAE's country code +971 connects a dynamic economy built on oil, tourism, real estate, and financial services. Dubai and Abu Dhabi have transformed into global business hubs attracting companies from every sector — a local UAE number signals serious market presence in the Gulf.

Best hours:9 AM – 5 PM GST

Language:Arabic / English

Capital:Abu Dhabi

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🇦🇪

United Arab Emirates

AE · Middle East

+971

dial code

Capital

Abu Dhabi

Currency

AED (د.إ)

Language

Arabic / English

Population

10 million

Best calling window

9 AM – 5 PM GST

12 AM

12 PM

11 PM

Gulf Standard Time (GST) · UTC+4

Country

United Arab Emirates

2 Digit ISO

Country Calling Code

+971

ISO Alpha-3

AEA

Loading map…

Abu Dhabi

Capital

Live

Abu Dhabi

--:--:-- --

Time Zone

Gulf Standard Time (GST)

Quick Facts

CurrencyAED (د.إ)

LanguageArabic / English

Population10 million

GMT OffsetUTC+4

Best Hours9 AM – 5 PM GST

Step by step

How to call United Arab Emirates from abroad

International dialing is a four-step process.
Use + on mobile to skip the exit code entirely.

Step 01

Exit code

Dial from US/Canada (or use +)

Step 02

+971

Country code

United Arab Emirates international prefix

Step 03

Area / city code

Local routing prefix

Step 04

123 4567

Local number

Subscriber number

dialing-example.txt

International format

00—971—4—123 4567

Shorthand (works from any device): +971 4 123 4567

Why letsdial

Benefits of calling United Arab Emirates
with letsdial

Start free trial

Get a local +971 number

A Dubai +971 4 or Abu Dhabi +971 2 caller ID signals a UAE business presence — critical in a market where VoIP calls from unrecognised numbers are often blocked.

UAE and 50+ countries, one plan

Call the UAE and 50+ global markets from one letsdial subscription — no per-emirate fees for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Sharjah.

Full call analytics

Track every UAE call in GST (UTC+4) — monitor answer rates, peak business windows, and team performance in one real-time dashboard.

Works on any device

Mobile app, desktop, or IP phone — your +971 number works on any licensed VoIP-compatible device in the UAE and abroad.

Unified Communications

One platform. Every call, message and team — connected.

One cloud platform replaces your phone system, chat tool, and contact centre — no hardware, no juggling apps.
Reach United Arab Emirates and 50+ countries from one dashboard.

50+

Countries covered

99.9%

Uptime SLA

2 min

Setup time

Hardware needed

Voice & Video Calls

Crystal-clear HD calls to United Arab Emirates and 50+ countries from one number.

Team Messaging

Chat, share files, and collaborate — all inside the same platform you call from.

Real-Time Analytics

Live dashboards for call volumes, answer rates, and agent performance.

Global Number Coverage

Local +971 numbers plus 50+ country codes — managed from one dashboard.

Format reference

United Arab Emirates & neighbouring countries

UAE numbers under +971 use 1-digit city codes — Abu Dhabi (2), Dubai (4). Drop the leading 0 when dialling from abroad. Mobile numbers use 05x (drop the 0): +971 5x xxx xxxx.

CountryLocal formatInternational format

United Arab Emiratescurrent123 4567+971 4 123 4567

Saudi Arabia234 5678+966 11 234 5678

India1234 5678+91 11 1234 5678

United Kingdom7123 4567+44 20 7123 4567

Germany1234 5678+49 30 1234 5678

Singapore6789 1234+65 6789 1234

Good to know

Tips for calling United Arab Emirates

4 things to check before you dial internationally

UAE: 2 for Abu Dhabi, 4 for Dubai — mobiles use 5x

UAE landline codes are 2 (Abu Dhabi) and 4 (Dubai) — dial +971 2 or +971 4 from abroad. UAE mobile numbers start with 05x — drop the 0: +971 5x xxx xxxx.

WhatsApp is UAE's dominant channel — VoIP rules apply

WhatsApp is the primary business platform across the UAE. Note that some VoIP services may be restricted under UAE TRA regulations — use a licensed provider like letsdial to ensure full compliance.

Show a local +971 caller ID

UAE contacts often don't answer calls from unrecognised international prefixes. A letsdial +971 4 (Dubai) or +971 2 (Abu Dhabi) caller ID signals a local business presence and is far more likely to be answered.

UAE is on GST (UTC+4) — weekend is Friday–Saturday

Gulf Standard Time never changes. UAE business hours are Sunday to Thursday, 8 AM–5 PM or 9 AM–6 PM GST. Note the UAE working week runs Sunday–Thursday — Friday and Saturday are the weekend.

Market data

United Arab Emirates communication insights

99%

Internet penetration

99% of the UAE population uses the internet, one of the highest rates in the world.

99%

Mobile users

99% of UAE residents use mobile phones, supported by full national 4G and 5G coverage.

91%

Smartphone owners

91% of UAE adults own smartphones, with WhatsApp and licensed VoIP apps widely used professionally.

96%

Digital businesses

93% of UAE businesses have adopted digital communication and enterprise technology platforms.

Global directory

List of Country Codes

50+ countries listed with their international dial prefix and ISO code.

Filter by letter or search to find any country code instantly.

United Arab Emirates calling FAQs

Frequently asked about United Arab Emirates

The UAE has historically restricted consumer VoIP services, and platforms like WhatsApp calling and Skype have faced limitations within the country. However, licensed business VoIP solutions and international direct dial via compliant carriers (the infrastructure letsdial uses) are legal and functional. Always use letsdial's standard PSTN-route calls rather than internet-only VoIP apps when connecting to UAE numbers to ensure reliable delivery.

Get a local United Arab Emirates number

Get a local United Arab Emirates number in minutes.

Build trust with United Arab Emirates customers using a local +971 virtual phone number — from the same letsdial dashboard your whole team already uses.

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Looking up US area codes? Browse all US area codes →

United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

How to call United Arab Emirates from abroad

Benefits of calling United Arab Emirateswith letsdial

Get a local +971 number

UAE and 50+ countries, one plan

Full call analytics

Works on any device

One platform. Every call, message and team — connected.

United Arab Emirates & neighbouring countries

Tips for calling United Arab Emirates

UAE: 2 for Abu Dhabi, 4 for Dubai — mobiles use 5x

WhatsApp is UAE's dominant channel — VoIP rules apply

Show a local +971 caller ID

UAE is on GST (UTC+4) — weekend is Friday–Saturday

United Arab Emirates communication insights

List of Country Codes

Frequently asked about United Arab Emirates

Get a local United Arab Emirates number in minutes.

Benefits of calling United Arab Emirates
with letsdial