| Area |
77,700 sq km (30,000 sq miles). |
| Population |
2,724,000 (1998). |
| Capital |
Abu Dhabi- population 1,000,000 (1997) |
| Climate |
Varies from warm around lake Malawi to cool in the highlands. Winter (May to July) is dry and nights can be chilly, especially in the highlands. The rainy season runs from November to March. Around Lake Malawi, in winter, the climate is particularly dry with pleasant cooling breezes. |
| Language |
Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken. |
| Religion |
Mostly Muslim, of which 16 per cent are Shiite and the remainder Sunni. |
| Time |
GMT + 4
|
| Highlights |
Dubai, also known as the 'Pearl of the Arabian Gulf' is the most cosmopolitan (out of the seven Emirates) and lively with many attractive gardens and first-class shopping facilities. When it comes to gold shopping, the Golden Souk (Golden Market) is the place to do so where gold is more or less sold as it did 100 years ago - not to forget that one fifth of the world's gold passes through Dubai by air or sea. The main reason for visiting Dubai is for its beach hotels and resorts which offer superb watersport facilities and dining options. Water parks, golf and indoor skiing are all on offer as well as sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing. Desert safaris by 4-wheel drive, sand-skiing, moonlit Bedouin barbeques and camel riding are other popular excursions.
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| Country Facts |
The 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 (Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm al Qaiwain and Ras al-Khaimah) 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 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. |