Dubai is the most populous and the largest emirate in the UAE with approximately 2,502,715 people. Notably, it is the most progressive emirate among the seven emirates. Dubai is classified as an alpha city due to its strong economy. Despite being a desert, the country has managed to utilize its resources and according to the 2015 statistics, it has an annual GDP of 105.6 billion USD. Unlike its neighboring emirates such as Abu Dhabi, the oil reserves of Dubai have been exhausted; oil contributes only 2 % of the total GDP of this emirate.
Although it started as a port, Dubai has developed into a luxurious emirate that is home to the world's tallest building. Since then, the UAE has been a sovereign nation, enjoying the profits of its natural resources—its reserves of oil and natural gas are the seventh-largest in the world, and it has the seventh-highest GDP per capita. This wealth has turned the Emirates into a major hub of trade, travel, tourism and finance. Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure in the world, is emblematic of the Emirates' dramatic construction boom and rise to global prominence. The United Arab Emirates is a country that is made up of seven emirates. Those are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, and Umm al-Qaiwain.
While the country as a whole has a prime minister and federal president, each emirate has its own ruler that oversees the local governments. The UAE was established in 1971, and since that time, it has seen great population growth. Its largest city is Dubai, which has reached the one million resident milestone with a population of 1.1 million. This is the only city with a population exceeding one million. However, there are other cities within the UAE that have high population counts. The second most populous city, Abu Dhabi, has over 600,000 residents.
There are four additional cities with populations that have surpassed 100,000. Seven cities have populations that are between 10,000 and 100,000, while remaining cities and towns make up the remainder of the population. Human occupation has been traced back to the emergence of anatomically modern humans from Africa some 124,000 BCE through finds at the Faya-2 site in Mleiha, Sharjah. Burial sites dating back to the Neolithic Age and the Bronze Age include the oldest known such inland site at Jebel Buhais.
The ensuing Wadi Suq period and three Iron Ages saw the emergence of nomadism as well as the development of water management and irrigation systems supporting human settlement in both the coast and interior. The Islamic age of the UAE dates back to the expulsion of the Sasanians and the subsequent Battle of Dibba. The UAE' history of trade led to the emergence of Julfar, in the present-day emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, as a regional trading and maritime hub in the area. The maritime dominance of the Persian Gulf by Emirati traders led to conflicts with European powers, including the Portuguese Empire and the British Empire. Islam is the official religion and Arabic is the official language.
The United Arab Emirates' oil and natural gas reserves are the world's sixth and seventh-largest, respectively. Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi and the country's first president, oversaw the development of the Emirates by investing oil revenues into healthcare, education, and infrastructure. The United Arab Emirates has the most diversified economy among the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
In the 21st century, the country has become less reliant on oil and gas, and is economically focusing on tourism and business. The government does not levy income tax, although there is a corporate tax in place and a 5% value-added tax was established in 2018. The waters of the UAE, although definitely more cloudy in recent years due to heavy coastal construction, are still, for those from less torrid climes, remarkably warm, clean, and beautiful. There are long stretches of white-sand beaches, ranging from completely undeveloped to highly touristed . The snorkeling and diving can be magnificent, especially along the eastern coast.
Vast swaths of desert stretch to the south of the major urban areas, offering dramatic views and terrifying rides in fast-driven safaris. The mountains are dramatic, steep rocky crags, and a visit to them is well rewarded with amazing views. Women wearing bathing suits will draw unwanted attention at the public beaches; it is advisable to pay for a one-day entry pass to a private beach at a hotel. Despite being the smallest emirate, Ajman is the fourth most populous state in the UAE with about 258,000 people. The major tourist attractions in this area include cultural destinations, hotels, and shopping malls.
The city hosts the Ruler's office, several banks, and approximately fifty local and international retail shops. Ajman was founded in 1803 after Sheik Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuami conquered the coastal settlements. Apart from being the capital city, it is also the second largest emirate in the world with an approximate population of 1.6 million people.
Abu Dhabi is classified as one of the wealthiest cities in the world with most of its revenue originating from petroleum products. This emirate accounts for approximately two-thirds of the UAE economy. Unlike Dubai which is more Westernized, Abu Dhabi is more into cultural traditions. The UAE has developed from a juxtaposition of Bedouin tribes to one of the world's most wealthy states in only about 50 years.
Between 2000 and 2018, average real gross domestic product growth was at close to 4%. It is the second largest economy in the GCC , with a nominal gross domestic product of US$414.2 billion, and a real GDP of 392.8 billion constant 2010 USD in 2018. Since its independence in 1971, the UAE's economy has grown by nearly 231 times to 1.45 trillion AED in 2013. The non-oil trade has grown to 1.2 trillion AED, a growth by around 28 times from 1981 to 2012.
Nowadays the UAE is one of the world's richest countries, with GDP per capita almost 80% higher than OECD average. Ras al-Khaimah is situated to the northern part of the UAE, bordering part of Oman's territory, the Musandam. The population of this emirate is 205,000 people, and the Emirati citizens are the largest group. Ras al-Khaimah does not have any oil, and it has, therefore, focused on advancing its industrial sector. The primary economic areas of Khaimah include real estate, tourism, building materials, service sector, and agriculture.
The most recognized types of attraction in this emirate include shopping, nature, parks, water, and amusement parks. The capital city of this emirate is also referred to as Ras al-Khaimah and it is a home to most of the citizens of Ras al-Khaimah emirate. As impressive as economic growth has been in the UAE, the total population has increased from just around 550,000 in 1975 to close to 10 million in 2018.
This growth is mainly due to the influx of foreign workers into the country, making the national population a minority. The UAE features a unique labour market system, in which residence in the UAE is conditional on stringent visa rules. This system is a major advantage in terms of macroeconomic stability, as labour supply adjusts quickly to demand throughout economic business cycles.
Much of the work force in the UAE are foreign expatriates - hence the country's population makeup being so diverse, with Emirati citizens being a minority in their own country. All Emirati citizens receive profit sharing cheques from the government and mostly opt to work in the government sector. Migrant workers from the Indian Subcontinent and the Philippines are mostly employed in the service and construction industries for low wages. Many mid-level jobs are filled by expats and Emirati nationals who work in the private sector, in addition to expats who work in high-skilled and managerial positions and typically enjoy a very good standard of living.
If you're interested in working in the UAE there are opportunities in oil and gas, banking, engineering and education. The public school system in Abu Dhabi is hiring a large numbers of English-language teachers from Western countries. These teaching jobs in the UAE are accessible through official recruiters of the Abu Dhabi Education Council. With a total population of 68,000 people, Umm al-Quwain is the least populous state in the UAE. Unlike the other emirates, Quwain has not made any findings of oil products or gas. Therefore, its economy majorly relies on revenue collected from hotels, tourism, and parks.
The UAE lies between 22°30' and 26°10' north latitude and between 51° and 56°25′ east longitude. It shares a 530-kilometre border with Saudi Arabia on the west, south, and southeast, and a 450-kilometre border with Oman on the southeast and northeast. The land border with Qatar in the Khawr al Udayd area is about nineteen kilometres in the northwest; however, it is a source of ongoing dispute. Following Britain's military departure from the UAE in 1971, and its establishment as a new state, the UAE laid claim to islands resulting in disputes with Iran that remain unresolved.
The UAE also disputes claim on other islands against the neighboring state of Qatar. The largest emirate, Abu Dhabi, accounts for 87% of the UAE's total area (67,340 square kilometres ). Dubaimay be the second-largest emirate in the country, but it holds the biggest population, majority of which are expats from around the world.
Dubai has a thriving business and tourism industry, having a skyline dotted by majestic buildings and towers. Here, you will find the Burj Al Arab (a 7-star hotel), the Burj Khalifa , and the luxurious Palm Trilogy islands, among many other attractions. After joining forces, the UAE has grown to become a significant economic center in the Middle East. This exportation has led to a much-diversified economy making most of the seven emirates such as Dubai to transform into global hubs for retail, finance, and tourism.
What Are The 7 States Of The United Arab Emirates Annually, each emirate allocates a certain percentage of their revenue to the central budget of the UAE. The seven emirates have developed differently over the last decade as described below. The UAE's monetary policy stresses stability and predictability, as the Central Bank of the UAE keeps a peg to the US Dollar and moves interest rates close to the Federal Funds Rate. This policy makes sense in the current situation of global and regional economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
In the mid- to long term, however, the peg will become less important, as the UAE transitions to a knowledge-based economy – and becomes yet more independent from the oil and gas sector . Abu Dhabi has an area of 67,340 square kilometres , which is 86.7% of the country's total area, excluding the islands. It has a coastline extending for more than 400 km and is divided for administrative purposes into three major regions. The Emirate of Dubai extends along the Persian Gulf coast of the UAE for approximately 72 km . Dubai has an area of 3,885 square kilometres , which is equivalent to 5% of the country's total area, excluding the islands. The Emirate of Sharjah extends along approximately 16 km of the UAE's Persian Gulf coastline and for more than 80 km into the interior.
The northern emirates which include Fujairah, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, and Umm al-Qaiwain all have a total area of 3,881 square kilometres . One is jointly controlled by Oman and Ajman, the other by Fujairah and Sharjah. The UAE coast stretches for nearly 650 km along the southern shore of the Persian Gulf, briefly interrupted by an isolated outcrop of the Sultanate of Oman. Six of the emirates are situated along the Persian Gulf, and the seventh, Fujairah is on the eastern coast of the peninsula with direct access to the Gulf of Oman. Most of the coast consists of salt pans that extend 8–10 km inland.
The largest natural harbor is at Dubai, although other ports have been dredged at Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and elsewhere. Numerous islands are found in the Persian Gulf, and the ownership of some of them has been the subject of international disputes with both Iran and Qatar. The smaller islands, as well as many coral reefs and shifting sandbars, are a menace to navigation. Strong tides and occasional windstorms further complicate ship movements near the shore. The UAE also has a stretch of the Al Bāţinah coast of the Gulf of Oman. The Musandam Peninsula, the very tip of Arabia by the Strait of Hormuz, and Madha are exclaves of Oman separated by the UAE.
To date, Saudi Arabia continues to play an important role in the region. In fact, in addition to its political influence and its military power, Saudi Arabia has a strong economic leverage on its neighbors. The country has an oil-based economy; it is considered the largest exporter of petroleum in the world; and it owns around 16% of the global petroleum reserves. Petroleum is the core of Saudi's economy and accounts for about 87% of all budget revenues (and 90% of export earnings).
The Emirate of Fujairah incorporates much of the eastern coast of the UAE and a swath of the country's Hajar Mountain region. Its main center is the modern industrial town of Fujairah city, which itself has few tourist attractions. Dubai is the second-largest emirate in the country with an area of 4,114 sq.
Located in the southwest corner of the Arabian Gulf, it is hailed as a global business hub and the commercial capital of the UAE. This cosmopolitan metropolis has more expatriates than Emiratis. Though the local population is Muslim, there are Christian, Hindu and Sikh communities. The states gained autonomy following World War II (1939–45), when the trucial states of Bahrain and Qatar declared independent statehood. The rest were formally united in 1971, with the city of Abu Dhabi serving as the capital.
Over the years, the country has gone through several key demographic changes. The discovery of oil gave momentum to the economy of the country. Recently, the UAE government has also been promoting a tourism and knowledge-based economy to spur the economic momentum.
Today, Dubai ranks among the most visited cities of the world, ranking 6th with 16 million visitors in 2017, as per thisisinsider.com. Public transportation within most cities remains rudimentary. Dubai is building extensive Metro, monorail and tram networks, and has invested heavily in the local bus network in recent years. Abu Dhabi has a network of city buses that cost Dh2 per trip and are fairly reliable, but can be overcrowded for male passengers. Intercity bus services are fast, comfortable and reasonably frequent.
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven different emirates, each with its own sheikh. The capitol emirate, Abu Dhabi, covers about 70% of the nation's land. Each emirate retains considerable autonomy, most notably over oil revenues. In theory, the President and Prime Minister are elected by the Supreme Council, which is composed of the sheikhs of each of the seven emirates. However, in practice, the king of Abu Dhabi is always elected President while the king of Dubai is always elected Prime Minister, making the posts de facto hereditary. As a result the rulers--or Sheikhs--of each emirate are revered and can radically affect the way of life in his respective Emirate.
Each Emirate serves almost like a city-state, like a collection of seven Singapores. For example, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al-Maktoum of Dubai is very modern, so Dubai is slightly less conservative. The ruling sheikhs of Ajman and Sharjah are very conservative, thus the rules there are stricter concerning religion, alcohol, and general living conditions.
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