United Arab Emirates - An Overview

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a constitutional federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah. Abu Dhabi is the capital and largest city of the UAE federation, which was formally established on 2 December 1971. This day is now celebrated as the annual National Day when all major cities of the emirates are brightly lit-up and decorated with lights.

The name Arabia, typically heralds exotic images of the desert, sand dunes, oasis, camels, and perfumes. True. However, there is so much more in UAE than the world dreams of. The United Arab Emirates stretches across 83,000 sq km and has Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman as its close neighbors.

Four-fifths of the UAE is desert. Yet the country exposes contrasting landscapes - from awe-inspiring dunes to rich oasis, precipitous rock mountains to fertile plains and lush greenery. The cities are characterized by modern architecture and upscale technology co-existing with tradition and culture.