Famous landmarks in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. It borders Saudi Arabia and Oman, with coasts on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The capital is Abu Dhabi.

The UAE is known for its record-breaking skyscrapers, desert dunes, luxury hotels and fast-growing cities built since oil was found. On the globe you can find the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world, the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel and the white-domed Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

Geography and nature

Most of the UAE is sandy desert, with tall red-gold dunes around the Liwa Oasis on the edge of the Empty Quarter. In the east, the rocky Hajar Mountains rise near the border with Oman; Jebel Jais, in Ras Al Khaimah, is the highest peak in the country and has even seen snow. The coast has lagoons, islands and mangrove forests. The warm, shallow waters off Abu Dhabi are home to one of the largest dugong populations in the world, and Arabian oryx and gazelles live in protected reserves.

People, languages and culture

Arabic is the official language, and English is used almost everywhere, because most people living in the UAE come from other countries, especially South Asia. Emirati citizens are only about one in ten residents. Islam is the official religion. Emirati traditions include falconry, camel racing and Arabic poetry. Guests are offered Arabic coffee and dates, and favourite dishes include machboos, spiced rice with meat, and luqaimat, sweet dumplings with date syrup. Men often wear a white kandura and women an abaya.

History in a nutshell

For centuries people here lived by fishing, herding, date farming and diving for pearls. In the 1800s the coastal sheikhdoms signed treaties with Britain and became known as the Trucial States. Oil was discovered in Abu Dhabi in 1958, bringing great wealth. On 2 December 1971 six emirates joined to form the United Arab Emirates, with Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as its first president, and Ras Al Khaimah joined in 1972. Since then the country has built modern cities, airports and ports.