The United Arab Emirates

About the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates, one of the world's fastest growing tourist destinations, has all the right ingredients for an unforgettable holiday -sun, sand, sea, sports, unbeatable shopping, top-class hotels and restaurants, an intriguing traditional culture, a safe and welcoming environment.

United Arab Emirates, federation of Emirates (1995 est. pop. 2,925,000), 30,000 sq mi (77,700 sq km), SW Asia, on the E Arabian Peninsula, bordered by the Persian Gulf (N), the Gulf of Oman (E), Oman (S), Saudi Arabia (S, W), and Qatar (NW). It comprises the emirates (in fact, sheikhdoms) of Abu Dhabi (with 80% of the area), Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Qaiwain. The city of Abu Dhabi is the capital. The land is largely hot, dry desert; in the east is a portion of the Jabal al Akhdar Mts. Oil, first exploited in the 1960s, is critical to the economy; oil exports rank among the world's largest, and oil revenues have made the per capita income one of the world's highest. There are also rich natural-gas deposits, but banking and financial services, regional corporate headquarters, and tourism are increasingly important. Fishing and pearling are traditional occupations. The indigenous population, Sunni Muslim Arabs, is outnumbered by foreign-born workers, mostly from Asia, originally attracted by the petroleum boom. The official language is Arabic, but Farsi and English are widely used. Overall governmental authority is invested in the Supreme Council, which consists of the seven sheikhs; a majority of five (including both Abu Dhabi and Dubai) must agree to any action.

Fact sheet