This group of small sheikhdoms on the coastline of the Persian Gulf was a backwater of the Islamic civilization that prospered in the Middle East from the seventh century onwards. After attacks on British-owned shipping by pirates operating in the Gulf region, they were brought under British suzerainty in the 19th Century. The sheikhdoms – which became known as the Trucial States – carried on largely unmolested and ignored until the 1950s when the British started to relinquish control as part of its post-imperial retrenchment.
The British plan for the Trucial States was to weld
its seven distinct regimes into a single administrative bloc. The discovery of oil in 1966, which gave the local economy a sudden and rapid boost, helped to ease the process and soon transformed the emirate and its way of life. Dubai's first oil exports in 1969 were followed by a period of rapid development that laid the foundations for today's modern society.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven states - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al Qaiwain - formed in 1971 after independence from Britain. Although internal politics are prone to instability, because of the uncertain nature of the federation and boundary disputes, the ruling families in the two main emirates, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have managed to stabilize the federation.
From the timeless tranquility of the desert to the lively bustle of the
souk, Dubai offers a kaleidoscope of attractions for visitors. The emirate embraces a wide variety of scenery in a very small area. In a single day, the tourist can experience everything from rugged mountains and awe-inspiring sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks, from dusty villages and ancient houses with windtowers to luxurious residential districts and from the colorful
souks to ultra-modern shopping malls.
Indeed, one of Dubai’s greatest visitor attractions is its superb shopping. As an open port with low import duties, Dubai’s retail prices are reasonable and the variety of products available is virtually unrivalled. Whatever the visitor’s tastes - be it couture from Paris or Milan, hi-tech electronics from Japan, or a piece of silver Bedouin jewelry - he or she will find it at the right price in Dubai.
Sometimes called the 'Manhattan of the Middle East', Abu Dhabi City is essentially a modern and sleek city, filled with skyscrapers. The United Arab Emirates' capital, located on an island connected to the mainland by two bridges, is often accused of being a rather soulless place, but it does have its attractions: the Petroleum Exhibition and the Heritage Village, the beautiful Corniche (beach), the Al Hisn Fort, the old
souk (market), the Breakwater Island and Sheikh Zayed's palace. The most picturesque place is undeniably the Batin, the oldest part of the town, where the small harbors receive the daily catch brought by the fishing
dhows.
GeographyThe Emirates are bordered to the north by the Gulf and the Musandam Peninsula, to the east by Oman, to the south and west by Saudi Arabia and to the northwest by Qatar. They comprise a federation of seven small former sheikhdoms. Abu Dhabi is the largest Emirate, and the remainder (Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al Qaiwain) are known collectively as the Northern States. The land is mountainous and mostly desert. Abu Dhabi is flat and sandy, and within its boundaries is the Buraimi Oasis. Dubai has a 16km (10 mile) deep-water creek, giving it the popular name of ‘Pearl of the Gulf’. Sharjah has a deep-water port on the Batinah coast at Khor Fakkan, facing the Indian Ocean. Ras al-Khaimah is the fourth emirate in size. Fujairah, one of the three smaller sheikhdoms located on the Batinah coast, has agricultural potential, while Ajman and Umm al Qaiwain were once small coastal fishing villages.
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