United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven independent Arab states in southwestern Asia. These states lie along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, at the south end of the Persian Gulf (commonly known as the Arabian Gulf in Arab countries). From west to east, they are Abu Dhabi, Dubai (also spelled Dubayy), Ash Shariqah, Ajman, Umm al Qaywayn, Ras al Khaymah, and Al Fujayrah. Each state’s capital city has the same name as the state.
The city of Abu Dhabi is the federation’s capital and second largest city. Dubai, the largest city, is an important port and commercial center. Burj Khalifa (Khalifa Tower), near the city’s business district, is the world’s tallest building.
In the early 1800’s, the United Kingdom began to protect the states from attack by outsiders. It also guarded ships near their coastlines against pirate attacks. By the early 1900’s, the United Kingdom had taken control of the states’ foreign affairs and guaranteed their independence. Known as the Trucial States, they remained under British protection until 1971, when they gained full independence. That year, six states formed the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The state of Ras al Khaymah joined the union in 1972.
Before the mid-1900’s, when oil was discovered, most people earned a living by fishing and pearl fishing, herding camels, trading, or date farming. Oil brought sudden wealth to the region and led to the development of modern industries and cities. Many people left their traditional ways of life and took jobs in the oil industry and other modern fields. By the 1970’s, the United Arab Emirates had one of the highest per capita (per person) incomes in the world.
Government.
Each of the seven states of the UAE is called an emirate and is ruled by an emir (prince), commonly called a sheikh. Each emir controls his state’s political and economic affairs. The federal government controls foreign affairs and defense and plays a large role in the country’s economic and social development.
The seven emirs form the Federal Supreme Council. The council elects a president, who serves as chief executive and head of state of the UAE. The president appoints a prime minister and a Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers supervises various federal government departments. The emirs appoint 20 representatives to the federal legislature, called the Federal National Council (FNC). Voters chosen by each emir elect another 20 FNC members.
People.
The citizens of the UAE belong to Arab tribes that have long inhabited the region. But most of the people who live in the UAE are not citizens of the country. Instead, the population consists largely of people who came from other Arab countries and from such countries as Bangladesh, India, Iran, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Most of these people came to work in the oil and construction industries and in commerce.
The tribes of the UAE have similar traditions, but rivalries among them have made it difficult to establish a unified nation. In addition, the rapid increase in population since the 1960’s has brought other challenges, including housing shortages. However, money from the oil industry and other economic activities has enabled the UAE to construct apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, and roads to meet the needs of the growing population.
Citizens of the UAE prefer traditional Arab clothes. Many immigrants wear the clothing of their country of origin. Arabic is the official language, but English is widely used. About 95 percent of people 15 years of age or older can read and write.
Land and climate.
Swamps and marshes cover much of the UAE’s northern coast. The inland area is mostly desert with some water wells and oases. The largest oasis, Al Buraymi, lies in both the UAE and in Oman, the country’s neighbor to the east. Hills and mountains cover much of the eastern part of the UAE.
The UAE has a hot climate with little rainfall. The humidity is often high along the coast, but the inland desert regions are dry. The mountainous areas are generally cooler and receive more rainfall than the rest of the country. Summer temperatures in the UAE average more than 90 °F (32 °C) and often reach as high as 120 °F (49 °C). Temperatures are cooler from about November to April, but still seldom drop below 60 °F (16 °C). The country receives an average of less than 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain a year.
Economy.
The economy of the UAE depends largely on the production and export of petroleum. Abu Dhabi is the largest oil producer, followed by Dubai. Much of the petroleum is exported in crude form, but some of it is refined in the country. The UAE is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC). Other important sources of income for the UAE include natural gas production and trading and banking activities. Dubai is a center for finance, real estate, tourism, and trade.
About 1 percent of the land of the UAE is suitable for raising crops. Farmers in the desert oases and the hilly regions of the eastern UAE grow dates, tomatoes, and other crops. Desert nomads tend herds of camels, goats, and sheep. People who live in the coastal areas catch various types of fish.
The UAE exports more than it imports. Oil and natural gas are the chief exports. Leading imports include chemicals, food products, machinery, and transportation equipment. The country’s main trading partners include China, India, and Japan.
Roads link the major cities and towns of the UAE. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have major ports. Dubai has one of the world’s busiest airports. Dubai Media City, a tax-free zone in Dubai, serves as the headquarters of television stations, news agencies, publishing companies, and other media-related businesses.
History.
People have lived in what is now the United Arab Emirates for thousands of years. Arab chiefs gradually gained control of the region. The Arab groups adopted Islam, the Muslim religion, in the A.D. 600’s.
The Persian Gulf region is part of a major world trade route. Beginning in the 1500’s, various European nations established trading posts in the area. The British became the strongest European power in the Persian Gulf region. During the 1700’s, the Arab states that now make up the UAE began to develop. At first, Ras al Khaymah and Ash Shariqah were the strongest states. Their strength came partly from their naval power, and partly from the wealth they obtained from such activities as pearl fishing and trading.
In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, Ras al Khaymah and Ash Shariqah fought many wars with other gulf states for control of the region’s trade. The British aided the rivals of Ras al Khaymah and Ash Shariqah. In 1820, after destroying the city of Ras al Khaymah, the British forced all the states in the region to sign a truce forbidding warfare at sea and outlawing the slave trade. Two other truces were signed in 1835 and 1853, and the region became known as the Trucial States because of the truces.
By the early 1900’s, Abu Dhabi and Dubai had become the leading states. However, the United Kingdom had taken control of the states’ foreign affairs in agreements signed in 1892. The United Kingdom guaranteed them protection from attack by outsiders. The states’ rulers continued to handle internal matters.
In the mid-1900’s, foreign oil companies began to drill for oil in the Trucial States. In 1958, oil was discovered in Abu Dhabi, and the state began to export crude oil in 1962. Large oil deposits were found in Dubai in 1966. Oil production began in Ash Shariqah in 1974. Money from oil production enabled Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ash Shariqah to begin to develop into modern states. Other states later began to produce some oil. But they continued to rely chiefly on agriculture and fishing as the basis of their economies.
On Nov. 30, 1971, Iran invaded and occupied the islands of Greater and Lesser Tunb and half of Abu Musa Island. At the time, these islands were governed by the emirates of Ras al Khaymah and Ash Shariqah. In 1992, Iran gained control of the rest of Abu Musa. The UAE still claims these islands.
In December 1971, the Trucial States gained full independence from the United Kingdom. In spite of traditional rivalries, all the states except Ras al Khaymah came together and formed the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 2, 1971. Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi became the first president of the UAE. That same year, the UAE became a member of the Arab League and the United Nations. Ras al Khaymah joined the UAE in February 1972.
Under the Provisional Constitution adopted by the UAE in 1971, each emir continued to handle the internal affairs of his state. But the rulers agreed to share their resources and work for the economic development of all the states. The UAE’s economy boomed in the 1970’s as oil production increased. In addition, natural gas deposits were discovered in Ash Shariqah. But in the 1980’s, worldwide oil prices fell, causing difficulties for the UAE’s economy.
In 1981, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman formed the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The members of the GCC work together in such matters as defense and economic projects.
Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. In early 1991, the UAE and the other GCC members took part in the allied air and ground offensive that liberated Kuwait. In 2003, the UAE supported the United States-led invasion of Iraq.
Sheikh Zayid died in 2004. He was succeeded as president by his son, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayid al-Nahyan. In December 2006, the UAE held legislative elections for the first time. The voters, chosen by the emirs, elected half of the Federal National Council members. The remaining members were elected by the emirs. Since then, new presidents and legislators have been elected on a regular basis, as called for by the country’s Constitution.
In 2020, the UAE and Israel agreed to establish official diplomatic ties with each other. Among Arab nations, only Egypt and Jordan had previously established such relations with Israel. In September, representatives of the UAE, Israel, and Bahrain met in Washington, D.C., and signed the Abraham Accords. With the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain formally recognized the Jewish state. The normalization agreements also set up an avenue for further diplomatic relations.
Sheikh Khalifa died in 2022. He was succeeded as president by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
