UnitedArabEmirates or UAE also called al-ʾImārāt al-ʿArabīyah al-Muttaḥidah or just Emirates is a country in MiddleEastAsia located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. UAE shares land borders with Oman and SaudiArabia, and #maritime borders in the PersianGulf with Qatar and Iran. AbuDhabi is the nation’s capital and the largest emirate, while Dubai, is the most populous city, is an international hub and taxhaven and prime tourist attraction.
United Arab Emirates is an elective monarchy formed from a federation of seven emirates, Abu Dhabi Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, RasAlKhaimah, Sharjah and UmmAlQuwain.Each emirate is ruled by a hereditary Sheikh and, together form Federal Supreme Council. One of them serves as President of the United Arab Emirates.UAE’ is known for its huge crudeoil and naturalgas reserves. Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi and first president, oversaw the development of UAE into a diversified economy among the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
In 21st century, UAE intends to become less reliant on oil and gas, and focus on tourism and business. The government does not levy incometax making it a lucrative destination for business. UAE is a member of UnitedNations, ArabLeague, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, #OPEC, Non-Aligned Movement, and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Islamic age of the UAE dates back to the expulsion of the Sasanians and the subsequent Battle of Dibba. UAE’ history of trade led to the emergence of Julfar, in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, as a regional trading and maritime hub in the area. The maritime dominance of the Persian Gulf by Emirati traders led to conflicts with European powers, including Portuguese and British Empire.
The expansion of the European colonial empire in the Persian Gulf region by the 18th century, created conflict with Bani Yas confederation the dominant force in an area now known as Abu Dhabi, while Northern Al Qawasim (Al Qasimi) dominated maritime commerce. The Portuguese maintained an influence over the coastal settlements, building forts in 16th-century including on the east coast of Muscat, Sohar and KhorFakkan. After decades of maritime conflict, coastal emirates became known as the Trucial States by signing General Maritime Treaty with the British in 1820 which established them as British protectorates. This ended with the independence and establishment of the United Arab Emirates on 2 December 1971 when 6 emirates joined the UAE; Ras Al Khaimah joined on 10 February 1972.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, pearl industry thrived, providing both income and employment to the people of the Persian Gulf. But after World War 2, when the Government of India imposed a heavy tax on pearls imported from Arab states resulted in the extreme decline of the pearl industry and economic hardship. But crude oil and natural gas findings ensured the country bounced back with both offshore and onshore reserves being discovered. But after the 1980s the boom made UAE a top destination, with massive investments from global companies to open a variety of industries.
The UAE coast stretches for nearly 650 km along the southern shore of the Persian Gulf. Six of the emirates are situated along the Persian Gulf, and the seventh, Fujairah is on the eastern coast of the peninsula with direct access to the Gulf of Oman. UAE contains four ecoregions, namely Al Hajar montane woodlands, Gulf of Oman desert and semi-desert, Al-Hajar foothill xeric woodlands and shrublands, and Al-Hajar montane woodlands and shrublands. The UAE offers businesses a strong enabling environment: stable political and macroeconomic conditions, a future-oriented Government, good general infrastructure, and ICT infrastructure.
Moreover, the country has made continuous and convincing improvements to its regulatory environment. Migrantworkers are the backbone of the economy, with most of them coming from the indian subcontinent. Most of the migrant people who make up for 3/4th of the country’s population are involved in construction, manufacturing, services. Tourism has acted as a growing sector for the entire UAE economy in the 2000s. Dubai is the top tourism destination in the Middle East.
Well connected with all the major cities worldwide land, air, and sea; UAE is known for being a multicultural society. Besides being known for Indian and multinational cuisines, UAE is known for its Emirati dishes including three, machboos, khubisa, khameer and chabab bread among others while Lugaimat is a famous Emirati dessert. UAE is known for being a major sports, and education and health. Since the advent of tourism, UAE has become a major shopping hub. There are numerous shoppingmalls, markets known as souq, sell a variety of products including international brands.
Dubai and Sharjah are home to numerous offices of global MNCs.There are numerous hotels, resorts, and restaurants that offer luxurious, mid-range and budget accommodation. There are numerous amusement parks that attract tourists from across the world. The country is known for its beache. DubaiShoppingFestival is another major attraction for tourists coming from across the world. Dubai is the most open emirate in UAE with numerous #entertainment options available.
Alcohol is mostly available in high-end hotels and restaurants in the country. Besides visiting the major cities going on DesertSafari’ trips can be a fun experience for tourists. dunebashing is a major fun activity, and camelsafari to desert camps is also a must-do activity. UAE is known for its nightlife skyscrappers and artificial islands. Some of the world’s largest sand dunes are located east of ʿArādah in the oases of Līwā. Important oases are at Al-Ain about 100 miles (160 km) east of Abu Dhabi and are worth visiting. BurjalArab (“Tower of the Arabs”), which opened in the late 1990s, and BurjKhalifa that opened in 2010 are 2 of the tallest buildings in the world. Overall UAE is a must-visit places
