- Flag of the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates is a small nation located on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The country is a union of seven small kingdoms, or emirates. The United Arab Emirates is a leading producer of petroleum. Profits from oil, along with trade and tourism, have made the country wealthy. The capital of the United Arab Emirates is Abu Dhabi. GeographyThe United Arab Emirates is bordered to the west and south by Saudi Arabia. Oman lies to the east and northeast, and Qatar lies nearby to the northwest. The United Arab Emirates has a long coastline along the Persian Gulf to the north. The Gulf of Oman forms a shorter coastline to the east. The United Arab Emirates is a political federation of seven small kingdoms. The kingdom of Abu Dhabi accounts for about 90 percent of the country's area. It stretches along the Persian Gulf. The other six kingdoms are clustered in the northeast. They lie on a piece of land that separates the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman. Dubayy is the second largest kingdom. The other five kingdoms are ?Ajman, Ash-Shariqah, Umm al-Qaywayn, Ra?s al-Khaymah, and Al-Fujayrah. In total, the United Arab Emirates occupies an area of 32,280 square miles (83,600 square kilometers). Most of the country's land consists of flat stretches of sandy desert. In the south are some of the world's largest sand dunes. The only mountainous part of the country lies in the northeast. The climate is hot year-round. Summer temperatures may reach 120° F (49° C). There is very little rain. Plants and animalsThe deserts of the United Arab Emirates are harsh and dry, so there is very little natural vegetation. However, large numbers of trees have been planted along the coast. In order to do this, the country built equipment that removes the salt from water taken from the Persian Gulf. This makes the water suitable for growing plants. Date palm, mango, and guava are among the trees that now grow in the coastal regions. The animal life in the United Arab Emirates is also limited. The deserts are home to snakes and lizards as well as Arabian red foxes, hares, and gerbils and other small rodents. Many different fishes live in the waters off the coasts. People and cultureThe population of the United Arab Emirates is extremely diverse. Only about a quarter of the people who live in the country are citizens. Most of the rest of the people came to the United Arab Emirates to work, chiefly in the oil industry. Ethnic Arabs make up about half the population. South Asians and Iranians make up most of the other half of the population. The vast majority of the people are Muslim. Arabic is the official language. However, Persian, English, Hindi, and Urdu also are spoken. Only about 15 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Most of the country's people live in cities along the coasts. The three largest cities—Dubayy, Abu Dhabi, and Ash-Shariqah—lie on the Persian Gulf coast. Al-?Ayn is one of the few large cities in the interior of the country. EconomyPetroleum and natural gas are the chief resources of the region. Oil has brought the United Arab Emirates great wealth. However, instead of relying entirely on its oil, the United Arab Emirates has used its oil profits to develop other industries. The country has also used income from oil to provide many social services for its citizens. Significant gains have been made in trade and services. In addition, the country's vast beaches, warm waters, and stable political conditions have made it among the most popular tourist destinations in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates has also developed its manufacturing industries. Chemicals, cement, metals, food products, and minerals are produced by the country's industries. Agriculture makes up a smaller part of the economy. Most of the land is not suitable for farming. Among the crops grown are tomatoes, dates, cantaloupes, and watermelons. Farmers also raise chickens, cattle, goats, and sheep. Extensive fishing is conducted along the coast. HistoryThe United Arab Emirates is part of the region of Arabia, and the country's history is rooted firmly in Arab culture and tradition. Arabia has been inhabited for thousands of years. Islam spread through the region in the 7th century AD. Tribal groupsFor a long time, the area of the United Arab Emirates was divided into many different tribal groups and kingdoms. In the late18th century, the Al-Qawasim was one of the most powerful tribal groups. The Al-Qawasim developed an extensive trading network in the lower Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. They also raided foreign ships, including those of Britain and India. In response, the British Navy attacked and defeated the Al-Qawasim in 1819. Trucial StatesThe region's various tribal groups often fought with each other for power. Slowly, the British took control. In 1820 and 1853, the main tribal rulers signed peace agreements, or truces, with Britain. The region then became known as the Trucial States. In 1892 Britain made the Trucial States into a protectorate. The States gave Britain control of their foreign policy in exchange for British protection. However, power within the Trucial States remained with the rulers of each of the seven tribal kingdoms, or emirates. To increase cooperation among the emirates, a council began to meet in the 1950s. FederationIn 1971 British forces left the region, and the emirates became fully independent. Six of the seven emirates joined together to form the United Arab Emirates. In 1972 the seventh emirate, Ra?s al-Khaymah, joined the federation. Oil was first discovered in the country in 1958. Oil prices rose in the early 1970s, and the country's income grew rapidly. The leaders of the United Arab Emirates undertook massive building and development projects to improve the standard of living for the population. In 1971 the United Arab Emirates became a member of an important regional organization called the Arab League. In 1981 the United Arab Emirates joined five neighboring countries—Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait—to form the Gulf Cooperation Council. The council was created to promote economic cooperation and to strengthen the security of the member states. When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, all the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council opposed Iraq. To help free Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates provided troops and let Western military forces set up bases within the emirates. In 1991 the United Arab Emirates joined the United Nations. Population (2001 estimate), 3,108,000. |