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UAE TRAVEL GUIDE
SEVEN EMIRATES ONE DESTINATION
The colours on the United Arab Emirates flag represent the following: white for peace and honesty, red for hardiness, bravery, strength and courage, green for hope, joy, love and optimism and black for the defeat of enemies or strength of mind.
INTERNATIONAL ROLE
Though small in size (similar to the State of Maine), the UAE has become an important player in regional and international affairs.
In 1971, the late President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan unified the small, underdeveloped states into a federation—the only one in the Arab world. With his visionary leadership, oil wealth was used to develop the UAE into one of the world’s most open and successful economies.
In 2004, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan became president and has since continued to strive towards an ambitious vision for the UAE.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES FLAG
CONSTITUTION
The United Arab Emirates (UAE abbreviation) consists of seven independent city-states: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Quiwain, Fujairah, Ajman and Ras al Khaimah.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AS A TOURISM DESTINATION
The United Arab Emirates is one of the world's fastest growing tourist and business destinations. Traditional Arab hospitality and comfortable winter temperatures are complemented by sophisticated infrastructure and world-class amenities.
The UAE also has become a world-class venue for conferences, regional and international exhibitions and major global sports events such as the Dubai World Cup for horse-racing, the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix, the Dubai Desert Classic Golf Tournament, the FIFA Club World Cup, world class film festivals in Dubai as well as Abu Dhabi, and in conjunction with the White House, the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. The UAE has won the bid to host the 2020 World Expo.
The United Kingdom's largest online travel agent, expedia.co.uk, selected Abu Dhabi as one of the world's top 10 travel destinations in 2008. Dubai International Airport won the award for the Middle East's leading airport in the 2012 World Travel Awards.
There is much to do in the UAE beyond Dubai and Abu Dhabi. First settled during the Bronze Age, Sharjah is the cultural capital of the emirates. The Heritage Area of Sharjah City includes a Maritime Museum, an Islamic Museum and museums for traditional and contemporary Arabic art, among many others.
Ajman attracts international visitors with beautiful beaches, as does Fujairah which also offers snorkeling and diving and excursions to the Musandam Peninsula, renowned for the unspoiled nature of its sheer cliffs, rocky coves and coral reefs.
Ras Al Khaima, on the border with Oman, is probably best known among local adventure travelers for the rugged Hajjar Mountains.
GLOBALIZED AND OPEN
In just over four decades, the nation has transformed from a tribal culture reliant on agriculture and fishing to an entrepreneurial success story with world-class infrastructure. The leadership has improved education (effectively eliminating illiteracy), advanced health care and embraced change as the UAE modernizes, consistent with its history and cultural values.
The UAE is also strengthening institutions of government to ensure a transparent legal system with full regard for the quality of life of all citizens and residents. Four members of the Federal Cabinet are women.
The UAE is a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Today the UAE is a strong, vibrant and modern nation that is open to the world.
o 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 coast from all aggression by sea and to help in case of land attack.
The pearling industry thrived in 19th and early 20th centuries, providing income and employment to the people of the Gulf. Many inhabitants were semi-nomadic, pearling in the summer and tending date gardens in the winter. But the economic depression in the late 1920s and early 1930s, coupled with the Japanese invention of the cultured pearl, irreparably damaged the industry.
FACTS & FIGURES
Founded: December 2, 1971
Founder: HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
President: HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Vice President & Prime Minister: HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Total Area: 32,000 sq mi (82,880 sq km), the size of the state of Maine
Population: 9.2 million (12% Emirati, 88% expatriates)
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Monetary Unit: UAE Dirham. The Dirham is index-linked to the dollar, with a fixed exchange rate: Dh 3.671 = US$ 1.00
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Hindi, Urdu
Nationalities: 200 nationalities in resident population
Religions: Islam 96% (Sunni 80%, Shiite 16%), Christian, Hindu and other 4%
Literacy rate: 93%
Time difference: +4 hours from GMT (+3 during Daylight Saving Time)+9 hours from Washington DC (+8 during DST)+12 hours from Los Angeles (+11 during DST)
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES MAP
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Detailed information about UAE and the seven Emirates. Must know before travelling to UAE on UAE EVENT AND TRAVEL PLANNER