Asia

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (also called the UAE) is an oil-rich Middle Eastern country situated in the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, comprising seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain. Before 1971, they were known as the Trucial States or Trucial Oman, in reference of a nineteenth-century truce between the British and some Arab Sheikhs. It borders Oman and Saudi Arabia. Being literally crime-free is not the only thing that makes the United Arab Emirates one of the most attractive places to live in. Its amazing amalgamation of the traditional values of the East and the modern technologies of the West, being a melting pot of various nationalities and cultures living together and working in harmony and a standard of living that is comparable to the world's most advanced nations makes it one of 20th century's success stories....UAE General Introduction.

National name: Al-Imarat al-'Arabiyah al-Muttahidah
Area: 32,000 sq mi (82,880 sq km)
Population: 2,563,212 (growth rate: 1.5%); birth rate: 18.8/1000; infant mortality rate: 14.5/1000; life expectancy: 75.2; density per sq mi: 80
Capital City:Abu Dhabi, 539,800
Ethnicity/race: Emiri 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)
Language: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Religion: Islam 96% (Sunni 80%, Shiite 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Literacy rate: 78% (2003 est.)
Government: Federation formed in 1971 by seven emirates known as the Trucial States—Abu Dhabi (the largest), Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, and Umm al-Qaiwain.
Head of State: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (2004)
Head of Government:Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum (1990)

History of UAE

The United Arab Emirates was formed from the group of tribally organized Arabian Peninsula sheikhdoms along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf and the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Oman.This area was converted to Islam in the 7th century; for centuries it was embroiled in dynastic disputes. It became known as the Pirate Coast as raiders based there harassed foreign shipping, although both European and Arab navies patrolled the area from the 17th century into the 19th century. Early British expeditions to protect the India trade from raiders at Ras al-Khaimah led to campaigns against that headquarters and other harbors along the coast in 1819. The next year, a general peace treaty was signed to which all the principal shaikhs of the coast adhered. Raids continued intermittently until 1835, when the shaikhs agreed not to engage in hostilities at sea. In 1853, they signed a treaty with the United Kingdom, under which the sheikhs (the "Trucial Sheikhdoms") agreed to a "perpetual maritime truce." It was enforced by the United Kingdom, and disputes among shaikhs were referred to the British for settlement....UAE's History.

Overview of United Arab Emirates's Economy

GDP: $63.67 billion
GDP per capita: $25,200
Annual Growth: 5.7%.
Inflation: 3.2%
Major Industries: petroleum, fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship repair, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boatbuilding, handicrafts, textiles.
Major Trading Partners: Japan, South Korea, Iran, China, India, Germany, U.S., France, UK, Italy (2003).
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas.
Exports: $69.48 billion (f.o.b., 2004 est.): crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates.
Imports: $45.66 billion (f.o.b., 2004 est.): machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food.
Unemployment: 2.4% (2001)

Also Read: Economy of United Arab Emirates

Political System of UAE

- Government of UAE
- Foreign Relations of UAE
- Politics of UAE


Climate, Vegetation and Fauna

- Languages: Arabic is the official language of the United Arab Emirates. English is also widely spoken, as are Hindi, Urdu, and Persian.
- Population:The UAE had an estimated population of 2,262,309 in 1997, with a density of 27 persons per sq km (70 per sq mi). The emirate of Abu Dhabi contains nearly 40 percent of the total United Arab Emirates population.more...
- Education: In the early 1900s, three major schools were established by pearl merchants in Dubayy...more
- Culture: Etiquette is important here, and by making an effort to understand local custom and culture...more
-Currency: The United Arab Emirates currency is called the Dirham. Arab Emirate Dirham (=Dhs. or AED)100 Fils = 1 Dirhams
-Transportation: Air: Dubai International Airport. Water: Water taxis operate between Dubai and Deira. Rail: Currently no rail network but construction of a rail and underground network is underway. Road: Bus: Public services.


Facts for the Traveler

Visas: Information concerning visa requirements for those wishing to travel to the UAE...more
Time: GMT + 4.
Telephone: IDD is available both to and from all states. Country code: 971. Outgoing international code (Abu Dhabi): 00. Main area codes: Abu Dhabi 2; Ajman, Sharjah and Umm al Quwain 6; Al Ain 3; Dubai 4; Fujairah 9; Jebel Ali 4 and Ras al-Khaimah 7. There is a good local telephone network. Telephone calls within each state are free.
Electricity: 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs are widespread.

What to See in UAE

Major Tourist Attractions in UAE
-Dubai Creek: The natural seawater inlet that cuts through the centre of the city is the historical part of Dubai where visitors can take an abra (small water taxi) and view the old trading port and the dhows from the water. A cruise to Al-Maktoum Bridge will pass many of the city's historic as well as modern landmarks. A stroll around the wharf offers a picturesque glimpse of Dubai's trading heritage, where dhows bound for distant places dock to unload their goods.
- Bastakiya: The old Bastakiya district is a step back in time to the days before electricity and air-conditioning, where traditional courtyard houses were cooled by wind towers. Old Dubai was famous for its wind towers that lined the Creek on both sides, and today the narrow lanes festooned with the distinctively Arabian architecture is a popular historical attraction that has been marked for tourist development. Address: Bur Dubai
-Souks: The souks or traditional markets are popular with bargain hunters as well as sightseers and photographers. The most famous is the gold souk where the narrow streets are lined with shops selling everything golden from 24-carat bars to rings and elaborate necklaces and all at low prices. The tiny lanes of the traditional spice souk are scented with sacks of cinnamon, incense, spices, and dried fruit, while the modern fish souk bustles with activity and is redolent with smells of a more unpleasant nature. At the heart of the Bur Dubai souk lies Al Fahidi Street, selling the latest electronics, photographic equipment and home appliances at competitive prices. Other streets sell everything from materials and carpets to traditional coffee pots, loaves of unleavened bread and hubble-bubble pipes. Address: Both sides of the Creek, in Deira and Bur Dubai; Opening time: Daily 7am to 12pm and 5pm to 7pm; Fridays 5pm to 7pm; Admission: Free

Other Tourist Attractions in UAE more...


Geography of UAE

The United Arab Emirates is situated in Southwest Asia, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia; it is in a strategic location along southern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil. Considered to be one of the fifteen states that comprise the so-called "Cradle of Humanity." The UAE lies between 22°50' and 26° north latitude and between 51° and 56°25' east longitude. It shares a nineteenkilometer border with Qatar on the northwest, a 530-kilometer border with Saudi Arabia on the west, south, and southeast, and a 450-kilometer border with Oman on the southeast and northeast.

The land border with Qatar is one over which in 1993 the UAE continued to have a dispute in the Khawr al Udayd area. The total area of the UAE is approximately 77,700 square kilometers. The country's exact size is unknown because of disputed claims to several islands in the Persian Gulf, because of the lack of precise information on the size of many of these islands, and because most of its land boundaries, especially with Saudi Arabia, remain undemarcated. The largest amirate, Abu Dhabi, accounts for 87 percent of the UAE's total area (67,340 square kilometers). The smallest amirate, Ajman, encompasses only 259 square kilometers.more..

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