The United Arab Emirates is an Arab federation state whose capital is Abu Dhabi. The federation comprises seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. The Constitution of the UAE defines the core rules of the political system in the country. It features the principles and goals of the Union of the seven emirates, guarantees freedoms and rights and defines public responsibilities.
The wise leadership
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the head of the state. He is preserving the legacy of late Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of the UAE, and leading the efforts in all sectors to boost the ongoing progress and enhance the nation’s achievements and developments.
His Highness late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan founded the Union of the seven emirates in 1971. He was the first president of the UAE. In 2004, he was succeeded to the presidency by his eldest son His Highness late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed. Sheikh Khalifa passed away in 2022; Subsequently, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan succeeded him as president of the UAE.
Fortunate geography
The total area of the UAE is approximately 83,600 square kilometers. Its population is 10,678,556, according to the latest population census, of 2020, of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre. The UAE is in the east of the Arabian Peninsula, in the southwest of the continent of Asia; It shares land or maritime borders with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman.
Precisely, the country is located between latitudes 22 and 26.5 degrees north of the equator, and longitudes 51 and 56.5 degrees east of Greenwich Line. The UAE has taken advantage of its fortunate geographical location, turning its airports and ports into world-class major commercial and logistical crossroads linking the east and west, and the north and south of the globe.
The founding of the Federation
The UAE as a state was founded in 1971 and celebrates Union Day on December 2 every year. Known as the Father of the Nation for his role in forming the United Arab Emirates, the late H. H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the first President of the UAE. He served this position since the formation of the UAE on 2 December 1971 until he passed away in 2004. He also served as the Ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi from 1966 to 2004.
Thanks to his visionary leadership, the seven emirates came together and formed a sovereign state that gained full recognition from the United Nations General Assembly. The wise leadership of the UAE invested its rich natural resources of crude oil, discovered in the country during the 1950s, to develop the country’s economy and infrastructure, healthcare and education sectors and to advance its diplomatic position worldwide.
It also invested in people and the development of their capabilities. The “Founding Father” stressed that the human capital element is the most vital and reliable resource of the nation.
Tolerant culture
The people of the UAE are among the most tolerant people in the world. They are open-minded and smoothly get along with individuals from different race, faith and culture. Arabic is the official language of the state, however, English is the most used language among the population. People of more than 200 nationalities are working or residing in the UAE. Subsequentially, dozens of languages are spoken in the country, to mention few: Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Nepali, Persian, Russian and Filipino Tagalog. In the recent years, the UAE occupies advanced ranks in the global indicators of the safest and best to live in countries.
Diverse nature
The desert covers four-fifths of the area of the UAE, and is characterized by a breathtaking and diverse landscape, including the dunes of the Liwa Desert, the green palm tree oases in Al Ain, the steep Hajar Mountains, and the fertile massive coastal plains in the northeast of the country.
Robust economy
The UAE is one of the largest crude oil producers in the world. Its oil exports exceeded 2.7 million barrels per day in 2022. It has made great strides in diversifying its economy, as the non-oil foreign trade of the UAE achieved record growth rates in 2022 of AED2 trillion and 233 billion, with a growth rate of 17 percent compared to 2021. The country’s gross domestic product in 2022 amounted to 1.62 trillion dirhams.
The UAE is signatory to free trade agreements and comprehensive economic partnership agreements with dozens of countries, as a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, or bilaterally. Partner countries include New Zealand, Singapore, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Indonesia, Cambodia, Israel, India, Turkey, Morocco, and Japan.