United Arab Emirates

Overview

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) occupy a triangle of land and sea on Arabia's eastern flank. It is closely situated to the entrance of the Arabian Gulf with extensive coastlines on its west and north facing shores, together with easterly coastline bordering the Arabian Sea. The UAE has approx. 700 kilometers of coastline, including 100 kilometers on the Gulf of Oman. Along the Arabian Gulf coast are offshore islands, coral reefs and salt marshes. Stretches of gravel plain and barren desert characterise the inland region. To the east lie the Hajar mountains, close to the Gulf of Oman, which reach north into the Musandam peninsula, at the mouth of the Arabian Gulf. The western part of the Federation, most of which is Abu Dhabi territory, consists mainly of desert interspersed with oases. One of the largest oases is Al Liwa, beyond which is the vast Rub al-Khali desert, or Empty Quarter.

Established on 2 December 1971, the UAE is a union of seven sovereign sheikdoms: Abu dhabi , Dubai , Sharjah , Ajman , Umm al-Qaiwain , Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah .

Travel agents are beginning to promote the UAE as the hyped 'land of contrasts'. There is some truth in the cliché, for it boasts mountains, beaches, deserts, oases, camel racing, Bedouin markets and the legendary duty free shopping of Dubai, all packed into a relatively small area. If you only visit one country in the Gulf, the UAE is your best choice: it has the most relaxed entry regulations in...more

History

Kuwait,Bahrain,Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman- are all Arab states on the Persian Gulf that share certain characteristics. But they are not the only countries that border the gulf. Iran,Iraq and Saudi Arabia also share the coastline and thus the countries have a common historical development. Of the so called gulf states, Oman has a particular culture and history that distinguish it from its neighbours. It also is the state with the shortest coastline along the Persian Gulf. Most of Oman lies along the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

The main element that unites these countries is the nature of their involvement with people and nations beyond the region. The gulf has been an important waterway since ancient times bringing the people who live on its shores into early contact with other civilizations. In the ancient world the gulf peoples established trade connections with India; in the Middle Ages they went as far as China; and in the modern era they became involved with the European powers that sailed into the Indian Ocean and around Southeast Asia. In the twentieth century the discovery of massive oil deposits in the gulf made the area once again a crossroads for the modern world.

Other factors also bring these countries together. The people are mostly Arabs and with the exception of Oman and Bahrain stick to Sunni Muslim belief. As they live in basically tribal societies, family and clan connections underlie most political and economic activity. The discovery of oil and the...more