| UAE, United Arab Emirates, federation of seven independent states lying along the east-central coast of the Arabian Peninsula, formerly called the Trucial States (from the Perpetual Maritime Truce signed with Great Britain in 1853), and constituting, with Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, the Persian Gulf States. The states making up the UAE are: Abu Dhabi, 'Ajmân, Dubai, Al Fujayrah, Ra's al Khaymah, Sharjah (or Ash Shâriqah), and Umm al-Qaiwain. The states, occupying a vaguely defined area formerly known as the Pirate Coast, as well as 80 km (50 mi) of coast on the Gulf of Oman, are bordered on the north by Qatar and the Persian Gulf, on the east by the Gulf of Oman, and on the south and west by Saudi Arabia.
In 16th century,The Portuguese starts trade here.In 18th century,The British starts trade in this region.In 1820, The British force the shaykhs on the coast to stop piracy.In 1853, A treaty signed between the shaykhs and the British. The region is given the name of 'Trucial coast'.In 1873, The Trucial Coast is administered by the British.In 1952, The seven emirates establishes a Trucial Council.In 1970, Independence is given to the emirates.In 1971, United Arab Emirates established, and is made up of six of the emirates.In 1972, Ra'su l-Khayma joins the United Arab Emirates.In 1991, UAE participates on the United Nation's side in the conflict with Iraq.
According to archaeologists, warfare was a common activity 5,000 years ago among the peoples of the area of the Middle East that in modern times became Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the smaller gulf states. Intermittent hostilities, often based on rivalries between the Persians of the eastern coast of the gulf and the Arabs of the western coast, have occurred ever since. Sargon, Hammurabi, Nebuchadnezzar II, and Alexander the Great were among the best known kings who led warring armies in the 2,500 years before the birth of Christ. During the centuries of Greek and Roman domination, the gulf region was of limited interest to the major powers, but the area's importance as a strategic and trading center rose with the emergence of Islam in the seventh century A.D. The caliphate's military strength was concentrated at Hormuz. Strategically sited at the mouth of the gulf, its authority extended over ports and islands of the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.
The strategic importance of the Persian Gulf became increasingly apparent as the oil industry developed in the twentieth century. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran all claimed some of the territory of the gulf states during the years between World War I and World War II, but Britain's firm resistance to these claims enabled the amirates to maintain their territorial integrity without resort to arms. Except for a small force of the British Indian Navy to ensure observance of the treaty conditions and maintain maritime peace in the gulf, Britain abstained from direct military involvement. As the wealth of the gulf's oil resources became clear, the size of the British military establishment expanded. By the end of the 1960s, Britain had about 9,000 men in Oman, Sharjah,and Bahrain, where British military headquarters was located. The Trucial Oman Scouts, a mobile force of mixed nationality that Britain supported and British officers commanded, became a symbol of public order in the UAE until Britain's withdrawal from the Persian Gulf in 1971.
Most of the citizens of the UAE are Sunni Muslims who adhere to the Maliki legal tradition. Some Sunnis of the Wahhabi sect (followers of a strict interpretation of the Hanbali legal school) live in the Al Buraymi Oasis, and some who follow the Shafii legal school live along the Al Batinah coast. The foreign population includes Sunni and Shia Muslims, Hindus, and Christians.
Although varying from amirate to amirate, the degree of religious freedom afforded non-Muslims is greater in the UAE than in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. For example, non-Muslims are permitted to worship but not to proselytize. There are several large Christian churches and schools in the UAE, primarily in Dubayy and Abu Dhabi.change is apparent in the nation's cultural life. Changes in attitudes toward marriage and employment of women are discernible. Some women are now given more opportunity for choice in a marriage partner, and education and some types of professional work have become more available to women. New forms of entertainment, ranging from football (soccer) matches to videotape recorders, have affected taste and behaviour.
A harsh environment and marginal economic conditions kept the population of the region low and economically depressed until the exploitation of oil. According to estimates, between 1900 and 1960 there were 80,000 to 95,000 inhabitants in the amirates, mostly in small coastal settlements. Although the population of the amirates likely did not increase a great deal during this time, there were considerable shifts within the territories, caused by changes in economic and political conditions. Whereas Sharjah was dominant in the 19th century, by 1939 Dubayy was the most populous amirate, with an around population of 20,000, one-quarter of whom were foreigners. The largest minorities were Iranians and Indians in Dubayy and in other amirates. Abu Dhabi's onshore oil exports began in 1963, bringing wealth and a demand for foreign labor. The 1968 census, conducted under the British, was the area's first; it enumerated 180,226 inhabitants. Ever greater demands for labor and expertise fueled a population boom throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, but population growth has slowed since 1985.
The UAE had an around population of 2,407,460 in 2001, with a density of 29 persons per sq km. Some 85 % of the nation’s population is urban. The population of the United Arab Emirates is concentrated primarily in cities along both coasts,although the interior oasis settlement of Al-'Ayn has grown into a major population centre as well. Several emirates have enclaves within other emirates. Less than one-fifth of the emirates'residents are citizens. The remainder are mostly male foreign workers and their dependents, with South Asians, mainly Indians and Pakistanis, constituting nearly half of the population. Arabs from countries other than the United Arab Emirates, notably Egypt, account for more than one-tenth and Iranians nearly one-fifth of the population. Southeast Asians, including many Filipinos, have immigrated in increasing numbers to work in various capacities.
United Arab Emirates is predominantly a Islamic society, with 79% Sunni Muslims and 16% Shi'i Muslims. 4% are Christians and about 1% belong to other religions. Of the population, only 20% are natives to the region. The society is dominated by Asians, other Arabs and some Westerners.The area of the Emirates was quick into embracing Islam, but the people here soon left the Caliphate, returning very much to their old beliefs. But the Caliphate forced them back, and the region has stayed Muslim ever since the 7th century. Most of the Shi'is live in the emirate of Dubai. But the true figures given above are not all too certain, as there is uncertainty about who gets counted, and how. There are few reports on religious conflicts in UAE.The immigrants are really dominating the image of public life in the emirates. There are few intermarriages between the different groups, and immigrants do not enjoy all the same rights as the indigenous population, even if they stay here all their life.39% of the total population live in Abu Dhabi, 29% in Dubai, 17% in Sharjah, 6% in Ra'su l-Khayma, 5% in Ajman, 3% in Fujairah and 1,5% in Ummu l-Qaywan.
Almost any type of food is available, from classic European to Pacific Rim. You can eat Mexican, Polynesian, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, Persian, Italian and French cooking, and more, at some of the finest restaurants in the Middle East. International fast-food chains, serving the standard fare of hamburgers, chips, pizzas etc (McDonalds’s, Pizza Hut, Pizza Inn, Hardee’s, Wimpy, Dunkin’ Donut) are also located in the larger cities. Kentucky Fried Chicken seems to be a particular favourite. International theme restaurants such as TGI Friday’s, Planet Hollywood, Fashion Café, Hard Rock Café and Henry J Bean’s are all represented in the Emirates. If you cannot find anything to suit in that list, small ethnic cafés and corner stalls are ubiquitous. Shisha cafés offer an opportunity to smoke a shisha (hubble-bubble pipe) and serve food, coffee, tea and fruit juices and corner stalls serve sharwarmas and other sandwiches.
Gulf and Middle Eastern food is also available in a wide variety of venues, from expensive restaurants to local cafés. Fresh fish from the Arabian Gulf is always good – try lobster, crab, shrimp, or grouper, tuna, kingfish, red snapper, grilled, stuffed, or fried with spices. But it is not just a question of variety, make no mistake the food is generally good and the standard of service is high.Muslims are prohibited from eating pork so it is not included in Arabic menus. Hotels frequently have substitutes such as beef sausages and veal rashers on their breakfast menus. If pork is available, it is clearly labelled as such.Alcohol is generally only served in hotel restaurants and bars (but not in Sharjah). Exceptions are some clubs (e.g. golf clubs) and associations. Restaurants that are not associated with hotels are not permitted to serve alcohol.
Country name: United Arab Emirates(UAE)
Area: 32,000 sq mi (82,880 sq km)
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Other city: Dubai
Population: 2,410,000
birth rate: 18.8/1000;
density per sq mi: 80
Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Currency: UAE Dirham
Religions: Muslim (96%) Hindu, Christian and other (4%)
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