| AREA: 77,700 sq km (30,000 sq
miles).
POPULATION: 2,443,000 (official estimate 1996).
POPULATION DENSITY: 31.4 per sq km.
CAPITAL: Abu Dhabi. Population: 798,000
(1991).
GEOGRAPHY: 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 (10-mile) 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.
LANGUAGE: Arabic is the official language.
English is widely spoken.
RELIGION: Mostly Muslim, of which 16% are Shiite
and the remainder Sunni.
TIME: GMT + 4.
ELECTRICITY: 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Square
3-pin plugs are widespread.
COMMUNICATIONS: Telephone: IDD is
available both to and from all states. Country code: 971.
Outgoing international codes (Abu Dhabi): 00. Main area
codes: Abu Dhabi 2; Ajman, Sharjah and Umm al Qaiwain 6;
Al Ain 3; Dubai 4; Fujairah 9; Jebel Ali 4 and Ras al
Khaimah 7. There is a good local telephone network.
Telephone calls within each state are free. Fax:
ETISALAT offices at main centres provide a service.
All hotels have facilities. Telegram: Services are
run by ETISALAT, which has offices throughout the
Emirates and are also available through main post offices.
Post: Airmail letters and parcels take about five
days to reach Europe. Press: English-language daily
newspapers include Gulf News, Khaleej Times and Emirates
News. Foreign newspapers are available in hotel
bookshops and supermarkets. |
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