دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة Dowlat Al-Imārāt al-‘Arabīya al-Muttaḥida United Arab Emirates
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "God, Nation, President"
Anthem: Ishy Bilady
Capital		Abu Dhabi 22°47′N 54°37′E / 22.783, 54.617
Largest city		Dubai
Official languages		Arabic
Demonym		Emirati
Government		Federal constitutional monarchy
-	President	Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
-	Prime Minister	Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Establishment		December 2, 1971
Area
-	Total	83,600 km² (116th) 32,278 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	2005 estimate	4,496,000 (113th)
-	2006 census	4,588,697
-	Density	64/km² (143rd) 139/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$159. The flag of the United Arab Emirates ( علم الإمارات العربية المتحدة) was adopted on December 2, 1971. The coat of arms of the United Arab Emirates ( شعار الإمارات العربية المتحدة) was officially adopted in 1973 A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's The National Anthem of the United Arab Emirates, (النشيد الوطني الاماراتي also popularly known as Ishy Bilady (عيشي بلادي; literally Long Population: 54 million (2007 est note most of whom are non-nationals Age structure 0-14 years 25 Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place The Emirati people (إماراتي are citizens of the United Arab Emirates (UAE For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A federal monarchy is a federation of states with a single monarch as over-all head of the federation but retaining different monarchs or a non-monarchical system of government in the The President is the Head of State of the United Arab Emirates. Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (خليفة بن زايد بن سلطان النهيان referred to either as Sheikh Nahyan or Sheikh Khalifa is the current The Prime Minister is the Head of Government of the United Arab Emirates. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum ( Arabic محمد بن راشد المكتوم) also Sheikh Mohammed ( Honourific) (born July 22, The United Arab Emirates was formed from the group of tribally organized Arabian Peninsula Sheikhdoms along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf and the Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 3 billion (54th)
-	Per capita	$55,200 (CIA) (5th)
GDP (nominal)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$164 billion (38th)
-	Per capita	$42,275 (16th)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 868 (high) (39th)
Currency		UAE dirham (AED)
Time zone		GMT+4 (UTC+4)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+4)
Internet TLD		.ae
Calling code		+971

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Arabic: دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة, transliteration: Dowlat Al-Imārāt al-‘Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah) is a Middle Eastern federation of seven states situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The dirham (درهم ( sign: دإ; code: AED) is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Different approaches and methods for the Romanization of Arabic exist The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. A federation ( Latin: foedus, covenant is a union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central ("federal" The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi The seven states, termed emirates, are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain. An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Arab Monarch styled Emir. Abu Dhabi, officially the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, (إمارة أبو ظبي, literally "Father of Gazelle " is one of seven emirates that Ajmān (or Ujman; Arabic: عجمان) is one of the seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates (UAE. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Fujairah ( Arabic: الفجيرة,) is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, on the Gulf of Oman in Ras Al-Khaimah ( Arabic: رأس الخيمة,, literally "The Top of the Tent" is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates Sharjah ( Arabic: الشارقة,, pronounced /'ʃɑɹdʒə/ in English) is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Umm al-Quwain ( Arabic: أمّ القيوين,, literally "Mother of two powers" is one of the emirates in the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE, rich in oil and natural gas, has become highly prosperous after gaining foreign direct investment funding in the 1970s. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Foreign direct investment ( FDI) in its classic definition is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country The country has a relatively high Human Development Index for the Asian continent and ranked 39th globally. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP

Before 1971, the UAE were known as the Trucial States or Trucial Oman, in reference to a nineteenth-century truce between Britain and several Arab Sheikhs. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Cheikh, Shaikh, and other variants ( Arabic:, shaykh The name Pirate Coast was also used in reference to the area's emirates in the 18th to early 20th century. ^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Emirates 3 Politics 4 Demographics 5 Culture and religion 6 Economy 7 Education 8 Human rights 9 Transportation 9.1 Airline history 9.2 Ports and Harbours 10 Technology, media and telecommunications 10.1 Media 10.2 Internet 11 Sports 11.1 Football (soccer) 11.2 Tennis 11.3 Cricket 11.4 Camel racing 11.5 F1 11.6 Rugby Sevens 11.7 Falconry 12 Holidays 13 See also 14 References 15 External links

History

Main article: History of the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates was formed from tribally organized Arabian Peninsula sheikhdoms along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf and the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Oman. The United Arab Emirates was formed from the group of tribally organized Arabian Peninsula Sheikhdoms along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf and the The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the The Gulf of Oman or Gulf of Makran ( Arabic: الخليج عمان transliterated: khalīj ʿumān( Urdu / Persian: خليج مکران The area became Islamic in the 7th century. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

Later, portions of the nation came under the direct influence of the Ottoman Empire during the 16th century. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Thereafter the region was known as the Pirate Coast, as raiders based there harassed the shipping industry despite both European and Arab navies patrolling the area from the 17th century into the 19th century. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding British expeditions to protect the Indian trade from raiders at Ras al-Khaimah led to campaigns against that headquarters and other harbors along the coast in 1819. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Ras Al-Khaimah ( Arabic: رأس الخيمة,, literally "The Top of the Tent" is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates The next year, a peace treaty was signed to which all the sheikhs of the coast adhered. Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Cheikh, Shaikh, and other variants ( Arabic:, shaykh Raids continued intermittently until 1835, when the sheikhs agreed not to engage in hostilities at sea. In 1853, they signed a treaty with the United Kingdom, under which the sheikhs (the "Trucial Sheikhdoms") agreed to a "perpetual maritime truce. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located " It was enforced by the United Kingdom, and disputes among sheikhs were referred to the British for settlement.

Primarily in reaction to the ambitions of other European countries, the United Kingdom and the Trucial Sheikhdoms established closer bonds in an 1892 treaty, similar to treaties entered into by the UK with other Persian Gulf principalities. The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the The sheikhs agreed not to dispose of any territory except to the United Kingdom and not to enter into relationships with any foreign government other than the United Kingdom without its consent. In return, the British promised to protect the Trucial Coast from all aggression by sea and to help in case of land attack.

In 1955, the United Kingdom sided with Abu Dhabi in the latter's dispute with Oman over the Buraimi Oasis and other territory to the south. Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast Al Buraimi (البريمي is the newest governorate of Oman which was split from the Ad Dhahirah region A 1974 agreement between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia would have settled the Abu Dhabi-Saudi border dispute; however, the agreement has yet to be ratified by the UAE Government and is not recognized by the Saudi Government. The border with Oman also remains officially unsettled, but the two governments agreed to delineate the border in May 1999. Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast

In the early 1960s Dubai was ahead of all the other states even though oil was not yet discovered in its territories. Abu Dhabi was behind until His Highness Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan became ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1967, and instated Dr. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان‎ (1918 &mdash 2 November 2004) the principal architect of United Arab Mana Alotaiba as Minister of Petroleum, who used his extensive knowledge about economics to build up the petroleum industry. Dr Mana Alotaiba (Arabic الدكتور مانع العتيبه was born on the 15th of May 1946 To Saeed Alotaiba in Abu Dhabi the United Arab Emirates Dr. Mana Alotaiba was also elected as president of OPEC a record of six times. Dr Mana Alotaiba (Arabic الدكتور مانع العتيبه was born on the 15th of May 1946 To Saeed Alotaiba in Abu Dhabi the United Arab Emirates

The British had earlier started a development office that helped in some small developments in the Emirates. The sheikhs of the Emirates decided then to form a council to coordinate matters between them and took over the development office. They formed the Trucial States Council, ^[2] and appointed Adi Bitar, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum's Legal Advisor, as Secretary General and Legal Advisor to the Council. Adi Nasib Al Bitar (1924 - 1973 was a judge a legal advisor and lawyer who worked all over the Middle East. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum ( 1912 - October 7, 1990) (راشد بن سعيد آل مكتوم was the Prime Minister of United Arab The Council was terminated once the United Arab Emirates was formed.

In 1968, the UK announced its decision, reaffirmed in March 1971, to end the treaty relationships with the seven Trucial Sheikhdoms which had been, together with Bahrain and Qatar, under British protection. The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated The nine attempted to form a union of Arab Emirates, but by mid-1971 they were unable to agree on terms of union, even though the termination date of the British treaty relationship was the end of 1971.

Bahrain became independent in August and Qatar in September 1971. When the British-Trucial Shaikhdoms treaty expired on December 1, 1971, they became fully independent.

The rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai decided to form a union between their two Emirates independently, prepare a constitution, then call the Rulers of the other five emirates to a meeting and offer them to join. It was also agreed between both of them that Adi Bitar write the constitution and have it ready by 2 December 1971. Adi Nasib Al Bitar (1924 - 1973 was a judge a legal advisor and lawyer who worked all over the Middle East. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire

On December 2, 1971, at the Dubai Guesthouse Palace four other Emirates agreed to join and enter into a union of six Emirates called the United Arab Emirates. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Ras al-Khaimah joined later, in early 1972.

The UAE sent forces into Kuwait during the 1990–91 Gulf War. The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed

The UAE supports military operations from the United States and other Coalition nations that are engaged in the invasions of Iraq (2003) and Afghanistan (2002) as well as Operations supporting the Global War on Terrorism for the Horn of Africa at the al-Dhafra Air Base located outside of Abu Dhabi. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A coalition is an alliance among individuals during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own Self-interest. The War on Terrorism (also known as the War on Terror) is the common term for the military political and legal, and ideological conflict and specifically for U The Horn of Africa (alternatively Northeast Africa, and sometimes Somali Peninsula; shortened to HOA) is a Peninsula in East Africa The al-Dhafra Air Base also supported American and Allied Operations during the 1991 Persian Gulf War and Operation Northern Watch. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Operation Northern Watch, the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a US European Command Combined Task Force (CTF charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above

On November 2, 2004, the UAE's first president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, died. November 2004: January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان‎ (1918 &mdash 2 November 2004) the principal architect of United Arab His eldest son, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, succeeded him as ruler of Abu Dhabi. Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (خليفة بن زايد بن سلطان النهيان referred to either as Sheikh Nahyan or Sheikh Khalifa is the current In accordance with the Constitution, the UAE's Supreme Council of Rulers elected Khalifa as president. Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan succeeded Khalifa as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

Emirates

Main article: Emirates of the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates is a federation which consists of seven emirates. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Sharjah ( Arabic: الشارقة,, pronounced /'ʃɑɹdʒə/ in English) is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Al Ain ( Arabic: العين,, literally The Spring) is the fourth largest city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE Ajmān (or Ujman; Arabic: عجمان) is one of the seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates (UAE. Ras Al-Khaimah ( Arabic: رأس الخيمة,, literally "The Top of the Tent" is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates Fujairah ( Arabic: الفجيرة,) is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, on the Gulf of Oman in Umm al-Quwain ( Arabic: أمّ القيوين,, literally "Mother of two powers" is one of the emirates in the United Arab Emirates. |||}The United Arab Emirates is composed of 7 Emirates ( imarat; singular imarah) See also ISO 3166-2AE A federation ( Latin: foedus, covenant is a union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central ("federal" An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Arab Monarch styled Emir. The largest emirate is Abu Dhabi which contains the nation's capital city Abu Dhabi. Five emirates have one or more exclaves, in addition to the main territory. The seven emirates:

• Abu Dhabi
• Ajman: 1 exclave
• Dubai: 1 exclave
• Fujairah: 2 exclaves
• Ras al-Khaimah: 1 exclave
• Sharjah: 3 exclaves
• Umm al-Quwain

There are two areas under joint control. Abu Dhabi, officially the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, (إمارة أبو ظبي, literally "Father of Gazelle " is one of seven emirates that Ajmān (or Ujman; Arabic: عجمان) is one of the seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates (UAE. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Fujairah ( Arabic: الفجيرة,) is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, on the Gulf of Oman in Ras Al-Khaimah ( Arabic: رأس الخيمة,, literally "The Top of the Tent" is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates Sharjah ( Arabic: الشارقة,, pronounced /'ʃɑɹdʒə/ in English) is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Umm al-Quwain ( Arabic: أمّ القيوين,, literally "Mother of two powers" is one of the emirates in the United Arab Emirates. One is jointly controlled by Oman and Ajman, the other by Fujairah and Sharjah. Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast

There is an Omani enclave surrounded by UAE territory, known as Wadi Madha. Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast The Omani territory of Madha (مدحاء or Wadi Madha is an exclave of Oman surrounded by the United Arab Emirates, and located halfway between It is located halfway between the Musandam peninsula and the rest of Oman, on the Dubai-Hatta road in the Emirate of Sharjah. The Musandam (مسندم Peninsula is an Exclave of Oman, separated from the rest of the country by the United Arab Emirates. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Hatta is a town (which includes a reconstructed heritage village by the same name in the Hatta mountains in the north of the emirate of Dubai. Sharjah ( Arabic: الشارقة,, pronounced /'ʃɑɹdʒə/ in English) is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE It covers approximately 75 square kilometres (29 sq mi) and the boundary was settled in 1589. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The north-east corner of Madha is closest to the Khor Fakkan-Fujairah road, barely 10 metres (33 ft) away. Khor Fakkan (or Khawr Fakkan') ( Arabic:خورفكان is a town in the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE Fujairah ( Arabic: الفجيرة,) is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, on the Gulf of Oman in Within the enclave is a UAE exclave called Nahwa, also belonging to the Emirate of Sharjah. Nahwa is part of the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. It is about 8 kilometres (5 mi) on a dirt track west of the town of New Madha. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States It consists of about forty houses with its own clinic and telephone exchange.

See also: Ranked lists of UAE Emirates, List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, and Category:Towns and villages in the United Arab Emirates

Politics

Main article: Politics of the United Arab Emirates

See also: Foreign relations of the United Arab Emirates and Military of the United Arab Emirates

The Presidency and Premiership of the United Arab Emirates is de facto hereditary to the Al Nahyan clan of Abu Dhabi and the Al Maktoum clan of Dubai. These are ranked lists of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates. This is a list of the principal cities of the United Arab Emirates, in alphabetical order Abu Dhabi Ajmān An infantry fighting vehicle ( IFV, also known as (mechanized infantry combat vehicle, (MICV) is a type of Armoured fighting vehicle (AFV Politics of the United Arab Emirates takes place in a framework of a federal presidential Elected monarchy, a federation of seven Absolute monarchies The UAE joined the United Nations and the Arab League and has established diplomatic relations with more than 60 countries including the United States, Japan The armed forces of the United Arab Emirates, officially called the Union Defence Force, consists of 65000 troops and is headquartered in Abu Dhabi The Supreme Council, consisting of the rulers of the seven emirates, also elects the Council of Ministers, while an appointed forty-member Federal National Council, drawn from all the emirates, reviews proposed laws. There is a federal court system; all emirates except Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah have joined the federal system; all emirates have both secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the union's president from the nation's founding until his death on 2 November 2004. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان‎ (1918 &mdash 2 November 2004) the principal architect of United Arab Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The Federal Supreme Council elected his son, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president the next day. Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (خليفة بن زايد بن سلطان النهيان referred to either as Sheikh Nahyan or Sheikh Khalifa is the current Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the heir apparent.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the United Arab Emirates

The UAE population has an unnatural sex distribution consisting of more than twice the number of males than females. Population: 54 million (2007 est note most of whom are non-nationals Age structure 0-14 years 25 The 15-65 age group has a male(s)/female sex ratio of 2. Sex ratio is the Ratio of Males to Females in a Population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception secondary sex ratio is 743. UAE's gender imbalance is the highest among any nation in the world followed by Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia - all of which together comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Sex ratio is the Ratio of Males to Females in a Population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception secondary sex ratio is The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( CCASG; مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council ^[3] The GCC states are also what most South and Southeast Asians refer to as the Gulf especially in context of emigration. The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the "Emigrant" redirects here For the Butterflies, see Catopsilia. ^[4]

UAE has one of the most diverse populations in the Middle East. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. ^[5] 19 % of the population is Emirati, and 23 % is other Arabs and Iranians ^[6]. An estimated 85 percent of the population is comprised of non-citizens, one of the world's highest percentages of foreign-born in any nation. In addition, since the mid-1980s, people from all across South Asia have settled in the UAE. The high living standards and economic opportunities in the UAE are better than almost anywhere else in the Middle East and South Asia. This makes the nation an attractive destination for Indians, Filipinos, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis along with a few thousand Sri Lankans. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island In 2006, there were approximately 2. 15 million Indian nationals, Philippines Nationals—OFW, Bangladeshi nationals, and Pakistani nationals in the UAE, making them the largest expatriate community in the oil-rich nation. A non-resident Indian (NRI is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country a person of Indian origin who is born outside India or a person of The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP An Overseas Filipino is a person of Philippine origin who lives outside of the Philippines. Pakistan 's estimated population was 172800000 in July 2008 During 1950-2008 Pakistan's urban population expanded over sevenfold while the total population increased by over fourfold ^[7] Persons from over twenty Arab nationalities, including thousands of Palestinians who came as either political refugees or migrant workers, also live in the UAE. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn There is also a sizable population of Somali nationals who have arrived in the early 80's and 90's as a result of the Somali civil war. The Somali Civil War is an armed conflict in Somalia that started in 1988

There are also residents from other parts of the Middle East, Baluchistan region of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, Africa, Europe, Post-Soviet states, and North America. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Balochistan or Baluchistan is an arid Region located in the Iranian Plateau in Southwest The post-Soviet states, also commonly known as former Soviet republics, are the 15 independent nations that split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics The UAE has attracted a small number of very affluent expatriates (Americans, British, Canadians, Japanese, Chinese and Australians) from developed countries who are attracted to a very warm climate, scenic views (beaches, golf courses, man-made islands and lucrative housing tracts in Abu Dhabi and Dubai), the nation's comparably low cost of living (but in 2006, thousands of real estate properties are valued over millions of dollars) and tax-free incentives for their business or residency in the UAE. An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing They make up under 5 percent of the UAE population; mainly English-speaking. Expatriates adhere to the law and customs of the UAE, their adopted country.

The most populated city is Dubai, with approximately 1. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE 6 million people. Other major cities include Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah, and Fujairah. Al Ain ( Arabic: العين,, literally The Spring) is the fourth largest city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE Sharjah ( Arabic: الشارقة) ( pronounced /'ʃɑɹdʒə/ in English) is the third most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and Fujairah ( Arabic: الفجيرة,) is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, on the Gulf of Oman in About 88% of the population of the United Arab Emirates is urban. ^[8] The remaining inhabitants live in tiny towns scattered throughout the country or in one of the many desert oilfield camps in the nation.

Culture and religion

See also: Islam in the United Arab Emirates, Roman Catholicism in the United Arab Emirates, Bahá'í Faith in the United Arab Emirates, Music of the United Arab Emirates, Cinema of the United Arab Emirates, UAE Public Library and Cultural Center, and Yowla

Rooted in Islamic culture, the UAE has strong ties with the rest of the Arab and Islamic world. More than 80% of the population of the UAE are non-citizens Virtually all of the country's citizens are Muslims approximately 85% are Sunni and the remaining 15% are The Roman Catholic Church in the United Arab Emirates is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia The Bahá'í Faith in the United Arab Emirates began before the country gained independence in 1971 The United Arab Emirates is a part of the Persian Gulf Khaleeji tradition and is also known for Bedouin folk music The Cinema of the United Arab Emirates is minimal There is only one Emirati film as of 2007, Al-Hilm, about a group of frustrated actors/directors wandering This building is actually three buildings a 1000000 volume National Library a performance auditorium and a Conference/Exhibit Center Yowla ( is a type of dance and martial art native to the United Arab Emirates. Muslim Culture is a term primarily used in Secular Academia to describe all cultural practices common to historically Islamic peoples For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The government is committed to preserving traditional forms of art and culture, primarily through the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation. The first known manuscript produced in the UAE was Al jawaher wal la'li, a text which discusses the emirates of the nation. A manuscript is any Document that is Written by hand as opposed to being printed or reproduced in some other way Al jawaher wal la'li is the first known Manuscript in the history of the United Arab Emirates.

Nearly all citizens are Muslims, approximately 85 percent of whom are Sunni and the remaining 15 percent are Shi'a. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic According to official ministry documents, 76 percent of the total population is Muslim, 9% is Christian, and 15 percent is other. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Other unnofficial sources claim that 15 percent is Hindu, 5 percent is Buddhist, and the remaining 5 percent is other (mainly including Parsi, Bahá'í, and Sikh. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. ^[9]

Dubai is the only emirate of the UAE with both a Hindu Temple and a Sikh Gurdwara. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. Christian church buildings are also present in the country. There are a variety of Asian-influenced schools, restaurants and cultural centers.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has a highly industrialized economy that makes the country one of the most developed in the world, based on various socioeconomic indicators such as GDP per capita, energy consumption per capita, and the Human Development Index. The United Arab Emirates (UAE is one of the most developed countries in the world based on various socioeconomic indicators such as GDP per capita, energy consumption per capita Deira (In Arabic: ديرة is an area in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates bordered by the Persian Gulf, Sharjah and Dubai The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP

The GDP per capita is currently the 5th in the world and 3rd in the Middle East after Qatar and Kuwait as measured by the CIA World Factbook, or the 17th in the world as measured by the International Monetary Fund; while at $168 billion in 2006, with a small population of 4 million, the GDP of the UAE ranks second in the CCASG (after Saudi Arabia), third in the Middle East — North Africa (MENA) region (after Saudi Arabia and Iran), and 38th in the world (ahead of Malaysia). This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( CCASG; مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi The term MENA, for " Middle East and North Africa " is an Acronym often used in academic and business writing For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and ^[10]

There are various deviating estimates regarding the actual growth rate of the nation’s GDP. However, all available statistics indicate that the UAE currently has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. According to a recent report by the Ministry of Finance and Industry, real GDP rose by 35 percent in 2006 to $175 billion, compared with $130 billion in 2005. These figures would suggest that the UAE had the fastest growing real GDP in the world, between 2005 and 2006. Real GDP is a macroeconomic measure of the size of an economy adjusted for price changes and inflation ^[11]

Although the United Arab Emirates is becoming less dependent on natural resources as a source of revenue, petroleum and natural gas exports still play an important role in the economy, especially in Abu Dhabi. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, A massive construction boom, an expanding manufacturing base, and a thriving services sector are helping the UAE diversify its economy. Nationwide, there is currently $350 billion worth of active construction projects. In the fields of Architecture and Civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the Building or assembling of Infrastructure ^[12] Such projects include the Burj Dubai, which is slated to become the world's tallest building, Dubai World Central International Airport which, when completed, will be the most expensive airport ever built, and the three Palm Islands, the largest artificial islands in the world. Burj Dubai ( برج دبي "Dubai Tower" is a Skyscraper under construction in the Business Bay district of Dubai, United Arab An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land The Palm Islands are Artificial islands in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on which major commercial and residential infrastructure will be constructed Other projects include the Dubai Mall which will become the world's largest shopping mall when completed, and a man-made archipelago called The World which seeks to increase Dubai's rapidly growing tourism industry. The Dubai Mall is a large mall being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates by Emaar Properties. The World is a man-made Archipelago of 300 islands constructed in the shape of a world map and located 4 kilometres (2 Also in the entertainment sector is the construction of Dubailand, which is expected to be twice the size of Disney World, and of Dubai Sports City which will not only provide homes for local sports teams but may be part of future Olympic bids. Dubailand is an entertainment complex under development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which is owned by Tatweer (which belongs to Dubai Holding Walt Disney World Resort is the most visited and largest recreational resort in the world containing four Theme parks two Water parks twenty-three themed hotels The Dubai Sports City is a $4 billion mixed-use sports city currently being constructed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The currency of the United Arab Emirates is the Emirati Dirham, exchanging at a rate of about 3. 67 per US dollar.

Education

Main article: Education in the United Arab Emirates

The education system up to the secondary level is monitored by the Ministry of Education. Basic education The UAE currently devotes approximately 25 percent of total federal Government spending to Education. The American University of Sharjah (AUS (in Arabic: الجامعة الأميركية في الشارقة is a coeducational higher educational institution in Sharjah It consists of primary schools, middle schools and secondary schools. The public schools are government-funded and the curriculum is created to match the United Arab Emirates development's goals and values. The medium of instruction in the public school is Arabic with emphasis on English as a second language. There are also many private schools which are internationally accredited. Public schools in the country are free for citizens of the UAE, while the fees for private schools vary.

The higher education system is monitored by the Ministry of Higher Education to serve and protect childrens education. The Ministry also is responsible for admitting students to its undergraduate institutions, including the five largest centers of higher education: United Arab Emirates University, Zayed University, Gulf Medical College, University of Sharjah and Higher Colleges of Technology. In some Educational systems undergraduate education is Post-secondary education up to the level of a Bachelor's degree. United Arab Emirates University (in Arabic:جامعة الإمارات العربية المتحدة was established in 1976, and is the oldest of the three Zayed University (ZU is a higher educational institution United Arab Emirates. Gulf Medical College is based in Ajman. The college offers MB The University of Sharjah is a semi-governmental higher educational institution The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT was established in 1988, and is the largest institution of higher learning in the United Arab Emirates (UAE with There are also many other private universities and colleges in the country, including the American University of Sharjah, Institute of Management Technology Dubai, S.P Jain Center of Management in Dubai, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, the American University of Dubai, Abu Dhabi University and Ras Al Khamiah University for medical and health sciences. The American University of Sharjah (AUS (in Arabic: الجامعة الأميركية في الشارقة is a coeducational higher educational institution in Sharjah SPJCM, ( Shriyans Prasad Jain Center of Management is a twin Campus Global Business School having campuses in Dubai and Singapore, Al Ain University of Science and Technology (in Arabic:جامعة العين للعلوم و التكنولوجيا was established in 2005 and is located in The American University in Dubai ( AUD) (in Arabic Abu Dhabi University ( ADU) was established in 2003 after three years of planning by H Finally, other universities based in foreign countries have established campuses in the United Arab Emirates. For instance, there is a Paris-Sorbonne campus in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE has shown a strong recent interest in improving education and research. Recent enterprises include the establishment of the CERT Research Centers and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology.

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in the United Arab Emirates

See also: LGBT rights in United Arab Emirates

Although the UAE government has made some advances in the protection of human rights, the U. The US Department of State notes in its annual report on human rights practices that numerous fundamental practices and policies violate human rights in the United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates includes the Emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras al-Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain Ajman Fujairah and Sharjah. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled S. Department of State notes in its annual report on human rights practices that numerous fundamentalist practices and policies exist to the contrary.

Guest workers are brought in from South Asia, and a common objection is that they are grossly underpaid as their passports are held by their employers. There have been many reports of unskilled workers getting underpaid, and complaints of segregation abound.

The form of Sharia exercised prohibits 'sodomy', effectually outlawing any homosexual relationships. Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. Sodomy (ˈsɒdəmi is a term used today predominantly in Law (derived from traditional Christian usage to describe the act of Anal intercourse, Oral intercourse ^[13][14]

The UAE also does not allow individuals past retirement age to stay within the country without a job. Upon retirement, residents must return to their country of origin.

Discrimination in the workplace is common, prospective employers will specify religion, nationality (and even regional origin in some cases) and also specify the sex of required candidates within job advertisements. It is very common to have different pay scales depending on nationality and sex. Policies are in place in certain instances where state employers are required to fill in vacancies with UAE nationals, a process called "Emiratisation. The Emirati people (إماراتي are citizens of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Emiratisation (or Emiratization) is a movement by the government of the United Arab Emirates to proactively employ its citizens in the public and private " This seems to be in line with similar policies by the EU, for example, where employers, public and private, are "encouraged" to fill in job vacancies with EU nationals. ^[15]

Transportation

Main article: Transport in the United Arab Emirates

Dubai has a public transport system called the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). Railways 0 km Dubai - Construction work on the red and green lines of the Dubai Metro network has already started with the new addition This authority is responsible for the bus network currently in operation. Recently, the RTA purchased 300 buses from Germany's MAN AG in an effort to reduce the city's growing traffic problem. RTA is also developing the Dubai Metro system. The Dubai Metro (In Arabic: مترو دبي is a driverless fully automated metro network which is under construction in the United Arab The first line (Red Line) is expected to complete by September 2009. The yellow lines, currently in development will go through the man-made Palm Islands. The Palm Islands are Artificial islands in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on which major commercial and residential infrastructure will be constructed

Lately, Emirate of Dubai has created new electronic toll collection system in July 2007, which emphasizes the system’s congestion management objectives as well as the choice of technology for the toll system. The new system, which is called Salik (meaning clear and smooth in Arabic) utilizes the latest technology to achieve free flow operation with no toll booths, no toll collectors, and no impact to traffic flow, allowing vehicles to move freely through the toll point at highway speeds. Salik (In Arabic: سالك meaning "clear and moving" is the name given to the road toll system in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Each time one passes through a Salik toll point, the toll of AED 4 (1. 09 USD) will be deducted from his or her prepaid toll account using advanced Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. The new system was introduced and executed by Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai. ^[16]

Airline history

The national airline of Abu Dhabi was formerly Gulf Air, operated jointly with Bahrain and Oman. A flag carrier refers to a Transportation company such as an Airline or Shipping company that is locally registered in a given Country Gulf Air (طيران الخليج is the Flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast On September 13, 2005, Abu Dhabi announced that it was withdrawing from Gulf Air to concentrate on Etihad Airways, designated as the new national carrier of the UAE, established in November 2003. Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Established in 2003, Etihad Airways ( Arabic: الإتحاد, ʼal-ʻitiħād) is the Flag carrier Airline of Abu Dhabi

In 1985, Dubai established its airline Emirates, which, as of 2007, is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Emirates Airline (shortened form Emirates) ( Arabic: طيران الإمارات Tayarān al-Imārāt) is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group ^[17]

Air Arabia, a leading discount airline in the Gulf region, is based in the Emirate of Sharjah. Air Arabia is a low-cost airline based in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

Ports and Harbours

The United Arab Emirates has several major ports, including one of the world's largest, Jebel Ali Port. Jebel Ali (جبل علي is a Port town located 35 Kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE Other important ports in the UAE include Port Zayed, Khalifa Port, Port Rashid, Port Khalid, Hamriyah Port, Port of Ajman, Saqr Port, Um Al Quwain, Khor Fhakan and Fujairah Port. Mina Zayid (ميناء زايد (Port Zayid sometimes written as 'Zayed' is the commercial deep-water port that serves the city and Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Port Rashid (ميناء راشد) also referred to as Mina Rashid, is a man made commercial port in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Hamriyah Port is the collective name for a town deep water Seaport and ancillary facilities located in the Hamriyah Free Zone in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates ^[18]

Technology, media and telecommunications

Main article: Communications in the United Arab Emirates

Media

Media is one of the first industries that the emirate of Dubai has sought to develop through a number of micro-cities. In the United Arab Emirates, Federal Act No 1 of 1976 establishes the Emirates Telecommunications Corporation as the sole Telephone and Telecommunications provider Dubai Media City has helped to make Dubai the media hub for the region, encompassing both the creation of media, from print through television and new media, and the advertising and marketing industry. Dubai Media City (DMC part of Dubai Holding is a tax free zone within Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

A number of international news organizations, including Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France Press, Bloomberg, Dow Jones Newswires, CNN and the BBC, all have a presence in Dubai Media City, and enjoy complete freedom to report on local and regional events.

The leading English-language newspapers based in the UAE are:

• Gulf News, the highest circulating broadsheet
• 7DAYS, the highest circulating tabloid
• Khaleej Times, the second-highest circulating broadsheet
• Emirates Business 24|7, the UAE's first and only business newspaper
• Xpress, a tabloid published every Thursday, by Gulf News

From late 2007, the international editions of The Times of London and its sister paper The Sunday Times will be printed in Dubai for local distribution. The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. The Sunday Times is a Sunday Broadsheet Newspaper distributed in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Internet

Internet access is strictly filtered over the local proxy server of the telecommunication company Etisalat [1]. In Computer networks a proxy server is a server (a computer system or an application program which services the requests of its clients by forwarding Etisalat is one of the largest Telecommunications companies in the world and the largest operator in the Arab world headquartered in the UAE (as per FT500 Officials have never released a clear statement concerning the reason for VoIP being blocked. Voice-over-Internet protocol ( VoIP, vɔɪp is a protocol optimized for the transmission of voice through the Internet The only statement released was that the UAE has no regulation for VoIP and only the local telecommunication companies are allowed to use this technology.

The relative cost of broadband services in the U. A. E compared to Europe is very high, for example a 2 Mbit/s connection would cost AED349 (95 USD) per month from either Etisalat or Du, compared to approximately AED70 (19 USD) per month for up to 8 Mbit/s in Europe.

Sports

New sports are becoming popular alongside traditional camel racing. Camel racing is a popular Sport in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Australia. Examples of these new sports include golf, with two European Tour events in the country (the Dubai Desert Classic and the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship) and the world's richest horse race, the Dubai World Cup, held annually in March. The PGA European Tour is an organisation which operates the three leading men's professional Golf tours in Europe the elite European Tour, the European The Dubai Desert Classic is an annual professional golf tournament which takes place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship is a European Tour Golf tournament that was staged for the first time in January 2006 The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Aside from the international circuit events, the UAE has a healthy indigenous sporting environment with the local community participating in a wide variety of clubs and establishments. The seven emirates regularly compete in national leagues and cups in a multiplicity of sports that are controlled by specialized governing bodies.

The country itself is a prime location for sporting events. The high quality sporting venues (both indoor and outdoor), in addition to the climate, ensure the continuation of activities throughout the winter season. Construction of Dubai Sports City is underway to take advantage of these benefits, and to establish the country as a hub for sports throughout the world. The Dubai Sports City is a $4 billion mixed-use sports city currently being constructed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Football (soccer)

The UAE has a huge interest in football. Al Ain ( Arabic: العين,, literally The Spring) is the fourth largest city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The United Arab Emirates Football Association was first established in 1971 and since then has dedicated its time and effort to promoting the game, organising youth programmes and improving the abilities of not only its players, but of the officials and coaches involved with its regional teams. The United Arab Emirates Football Association (الاتحاد الاماراتي لكرة القدم is the governing body of football in the United Arab Emirates. The U.A.E. football team qualified for the World Cup in 1990 - with Egypt it was the third consecutive World Cup with two Arab nations qualifying after Kuwait and Algeria in 1982 and Iraq and Algeria again in 1986. The United Arab Emirates national football team is the national team of United Arab Emirates and is controlled by the United Arab Emirates Football Association. The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football The Egypt national football team (منتخب مصر لكرة القدم nicknamed The Pharaohs, is the national team of Egypt and is administered by the The Kuwait National Football Team is the national team of Kuwait and is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. The Algeria national football team, nicknamed Les Fennecs (The Desert Foxes, is the national team of Algeria and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th staging of the World Cup was held in Spain from June 13 to July 11. The Iraqi national football team (منتخب العراق لكرة القدم is the national team of Iraq and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association The Algeria national football team, nicknamed Les Fennecs (The Desert Foxes, is the national team of Algeria and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29.

The UAE National Team won the 2005 Kirin Cup, sharing the cup with Peru after a 1-0 victory over host country Japan. The Kirin Cup is an annual football tournament organised in Japan by the Kirin Corporation. The Japan national football team is the national football team of Japan and is controlled by the Japan Football Association.

The UAE team played a four-team friendly in Switzerland in July 2005, in which they beat both Qatar and Kuwait but lost 5–4 on penalties in the final against Egypt. The Qatar national football team is the national team of Qatar and is controlled by the Qatar Football Association. The Egypt national football team (منتخب مصر لكرة القدم nicknamed The Pharaohs, is the national team of Egypt and is administered by the

In 2003 the UAE was the host nation of the FIFA U-20 World Cup between November and December 2003. The FIFA U-20 World Cup, until 2005 known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, is the world championship of Association football for male players under the age of

In April, Dubai Holding agreed to provide the national team with Dh20 million (US$5. 45 million) sponsorship money over the next four years. The fund will also go towards developing the sport.

The UAE also recently won the Gulf Cup soccer championship held in Abu Dhabi January 2007.

The UAE are currently ranked ninety-seventh in the world according to the FIFA World Rankings. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football) History FIFA World Ranking Leaders In December 1992 FIFA first published

Tennis

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (part of the ATP International Series Gold at the Aviation Club, Dubai) was bigger than ever in 2000 with no less than six of the top-seeded women’s players taking centre court, a first time appearance by tennis’ golden boy, Andre Agassi, and the return of the celebrated Roger Federer, who was seeking his third title crown, resulting in some dramatic court action. The Dubai Tennis Championships is a professional Tennis Tournament held in Dubai, U International Series Gold (previously known as the Championship Series) is a series of professional Tennis tournaments held internationally that are part of the Andre Kirk Agassi (born April 29 1970 is a former World No 1 professional American Tennis player who won eight Grand Slam singles tournaments Roger Federer (ˈrɒdʒə ˈfɛdərər born August 8 1981 is a Swiss professional Tennis player who is currently ranked World No In an unprecedented move, Dubai Duty Free, organisers of the championship, decided to switch the men’s tournament to the first week of the competition so that it ran from 21 to 27 February and the women’s was played from 28 February to 5 March.

Cricket

Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the UAE. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium in Sharjah has hosted 5 international Test matches so far. Location The Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium is in the emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Sharjah ( Arabic: الشارقة,, pronounced /'ʃɑɹdʒə/ in English) is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Sheikh Zayed Stadium and Al Jazira Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi also hosts international cricket. Sheikh Zayed Stadium is a multi-use Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Al Jazira Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (ستاد محمد بن زايد is a multi-use Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Dubai also has two cricket stadiums (Dubai Cricket Ground No. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE 1 and No. 2) with a third, 'S3' currently under construction as part of Dubai Sports City. The Dubai Sports City is a $4 billion mixed-use sports city currently being constructed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Dubai is also home to the International Cricket Council. The International Cricket Council (ICC is the international governing body of Cricket. [2]

The United Arab Emirates national cricket team qualified for the 1996 Cricket World Cup and narrowly missed out on qualification for the 2007 Cricket World Cup. The 1996 Cricket World Cup (aka Wills World Cup was won by Sri Lanka who beat Australia by 7 wickets at the final in Lahore. The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was a Men 's Cricket Tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007 using the sport's

Camel racing

The inhabitants of the Gulf states have enjoyed camel racing for many years as it is considered a traditional sport. Camel racing is a popular Sport in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Australia. ^[19] Formalizing camel racing was one way of maintaining its central role in UAE life. In the past, UAE had a reputation for exploiting South Asian children as jockeys. Before 2005 children as young as four are trafficked from countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sudan for use as jockeys in the Persian However, Robot jockeys are now used after strict government regulations were passed prohibiting underage jockeys from racing. A robot jockey is commonly used on Camels in Camel racing as a replacement for human Jockeys Developed beginning in 2004 the Robotic jockeys ^[20]

The UAE now has no fewer than 15 race tracks across the seven emirates. Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, 10 kilometers outside of Dubai, Al Wathba, 30 kilometers south-east of Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain track, which is 20 kilometers west of Al Ain, are all large, well-equipped camel tracks with high-tech facilities. Nad Al Sheba Racecourse is a Thoroughbred Horse racing facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates opened in 1986 Two smaller tracks are located in Sharjah, one in Ra’s al-Khaimah and one in Umm al-Qaiwain. Others are spread throughout the desert areas.

F1

In February 2007 it was announced that Bernie Ecclestone had signed a seven year deal with Abu Dhabi, to host a Formula 1 race there from the 2009 season. Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930 near Bungay Suffolk, England) is the president and CEO of The 5. 6 km circuit is to be set on Yas Island and it will include street and marina sections similar to Monaco's course. Yas Island (جزيرة ياس is one of the largest natural islands in Abu Dhabi. For other uses see Monaco (disambiguation Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco; Monégasque

Rugby Sevens

U. A. E. hosts Dubai Sevens round of the IRB Sevens World Series at Dubai Exiles Rugby Ground. The Dubai Sevens is an annual rugby union sevens tournament held in Dubai, UAE. Dubai Exiles Rugby Ground is a multi-use Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Falconry

The U. A. E. is well-known for its falconry as it is also considered a traditional sport. Falconry or hawking is an Art or Sport which involves the use of trained raptors (birds of prey to hunt or pursue game for humans ^[21] Many of UAE's rulers were enthusiasts in falconry as the nation imports falcons from all across the globe.

Holidays

Date	English	Arabic
1 January	New Year's Day		رأس السنة الميلادية
variable	Day of the Sacrifice	Eid ul-Adha	عيد الأضحى
variable	Islamic New Year	Ra's as-Sana al-Hijria	رأس السنة الهجرية
variable	The Night Journey	Al-Isra'a wal-Mi'raj	الإسراء والمعراج
2 December	National Day	Al-Eid al-Watani	العيد الوطني
variable	End of Ramadan	Eid ul-Fitr	عيد الفطر

See also

• Geography of the United Arab Emirates
• Communications in the United Arab Emirates
• Human rights in the United Arab Emirates
• Freedom of religion in the United Arab Emirates
• Politics of the United Arab Emirates
• List of companies in the United Arab Emirates

References

External links

• Government of United Arab Emirates
• United Arab Emirates at the Open Directory Project
• United Arab Emirates travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: United Arab Emirates
• Wikimedia Atlas of United Arab Emirates
• World Intellectual Property Handbook: United Arab Emirates

The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. Wikia (originally Wikicities) is a selective Free web hosting service for Wikis (or Wiki farm) operated by Wikia Inc

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic