|
| | |
| Official
Name : | ITTIHAD
AL-IMARAT AL-IRABIYAH (United Arab Emirates) |
| Land
Area: | 83,600
square kilometres / 32,270 square miles. |
| Population: | 2,563,000
(est 2005). Density 30.5 persons per square kilometre. |
| Languages: | Arabic
(official), Farsi, Urdu, English. |
| Religions: |
Islam. Sunni 85% (Maliki and Hanbali/Wahhabis). Ibadi Shi'ite 10%. |
| Capital: | Abu
Dhabi (Abu Zabi). Population 770,000 |
| Currency: | Emirian
dirham, divided into 100 fils. |
| United
as One Country: | 2
December 1971. |
| Political: | The
seven emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah and
Umm al-Qaiwain form the United Arab Emirates. Governed by a Supreme Council of
Rulers that include the seven sheiks, who are heriditary emirs and absolute monarchs
in their own emirates. Top positions are rotated and there are no political parties. |
| Geography: | The
Persian Gulf coast is marked by salt marshlands (sabkha) merging inland with a
barren and infertile desert plain, then to rolling sand dunes of a vast desert
wasteland. The emirate of Al Fujairah fronts the Gulf of Oman and contains the
only highland area. Less than 0.2% of the land is considered arable. |
