History
: - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES :- History - The United Arab Emirates
(UAE) is a union of Seven Sovereign Sheikhdoms, formed when the British
withdrew from the Gulf in 1971. The earliest significant settlements in the
UAE date from the Bronze Age. In the 3rd century BC, a culture known as Umm
an-Nar's arose near the site of modern Abu Dhabi and its influence extended
well into the interior and along the coast of what is now Oman. The
Portuguese arrived in 1498 and by 1515 had occupied Julfar near Ras
al-Khaimah.The Portuguese stuck around until 1633 and were followed by the
British, who began exercising their naval power in the Gulf in the mid-18th
century. In 1820, a British fleet systematically destroyed or captured every
Qawasim ship it could find. As life quieted down, Europeans took to calling
the area the Trucial Coast, a name it retained until 1971.
The
British were not particularly interested in what the Bedouin got up to; they
were focussed on securing their line of communication to India and keeping
European competitors, such as France and Russia, out of the region. They
formally established a protectorate over the Trucial Coast in 1892 but let
the area remain a backwater of fisherpeople, pearl divers and Bedouin until
the early 20th century. For most of this colonial period, Sharjah was the
most populous and powerful of the emirates but it lost influence to Abu
Dhabi as the 19th century drew to a close; Abu Dhabi was later overshadowed
by Dubai.
In 1968 British announces that it intended to leave the
Gulf in 1971 came as a shock to most of the ruling shaikhs. The British
original plan was to form a single state consisting of Bahrain, Qatar and
the Trucial Coast, but this collapsed almost immediately. Negotiations
eventually led to the independence of Bahrain and Qatar and the formation of
a new federation - the United Arab Emirates - in 1971. The UAE became a
major international business centre and one of the most stable and
untroubled countries in the Arab world.
The UAE contributed troops
to the anti-Iraq coalition in 1990-91, and foreign soldiers were stationed
here during the months prior to the liberation of Kuwait. The result was a
strengthening of the countries already strong ties with the West, though
this has not stopped the UAE - Dubai in particular - from maintaining good
relations with Iran.
Full
Country Name United Arab Emirates
Area - 83,600 sq km
(32,400 sq mi)
Population - 2.3 million
Capital city -
Abu Dhabi (pop 500,000 est.)
People - Arab (61%), South Asian
(22%), Iranian (8%), other expats (9%)
Language - Arabic
Religion
- Muslim (96%) Hindu (4%)
Government - Federated monarchy
Visa
:- British citizens and nationals of most Gulf countries do not require
visas; Gulf citizens can stay as long as they want, Britons for up to three
months. All other visitors are required to have visas. Your hotel can
sponsor you for a 15-day, nonrenewable transit visa or a one-month renewable
visit visa. Note that if your passport shows evidence of travel to Israel
you will be denied entry to the UAE.
Time :- GMT/UTC plus 4 hours
Climate
:- The best time of the year to visit the UAE is between November and
April, when the weather is at its best. The rest of the year you're more
likely to be running from one air-conditioned environment to the next
instead of getting out and about and exploring. Ramadan, the muslim month of
fasting, is strictly adhered to in the UAE; that means no eating, drinking
or smoking in public from sunrise to sunset. Places that normally serve
alcohol stop serving it during this month. Ramadan is in December-January
for the next couple of years.
Currency
:- UAE Dirham
Cities -
Dubai, Of the UAE's seven emirates, Dubai has fought the
hardest to preserve its independence and minimise the power of the country's
federal institutions. Dubai is really two towns: Deira to the north-east,
and Dubai to the south-west. The
Dubai Museum occupies the
Al-Fahaidi Fort, built in the early 19th century on the Dubai side of the
Creek. The fort is thought to be the oldest building in Dubai and for many
years it was both the residence of Dubai's rulers and the seat of
government. Beyond the multimedia displays, not much remains of the city's
old
covered souks, though there are remnants just east of Dubai's
and just north of Deira's abra docks; both have wind towers (the Gulf's
unique architectural form of non-electrical air-conditioning) nearby. The
highlight of the city's markets is Deira's
gold souk, just
north-west of the abra dock.
Abu - Dhabi , You know you're not
here for the antiquities when you realise that the
Al-Hosn Palace,
commonly known as the Old Fort or the White Fort, is one of the few
buildings in the city over 30 years old. Next to the fort is the large,
faceless
Cultural Foundation, which is much more interesting inside
than its exterior suggests. It's mainly used as a library and research and
documentation centre but often has exhibits on local history, Islamic art
and old manuscripts. There's also a government-run
Women's Craft Centre
about 5km (3mi) south of Abu Dhabi where traditional weavings and other
crafts are displayed and sold.For a touch of local colour head to the
north-east of the city and check out the
dhow wharf and fish market.
It's hardly comparable to Dubai's waterfront but there's a decent amount of
bustle, an excellent fish restaurant and a good view of the city. The
old
souk on the city's northern waterfront has a small gold market and lots
of houseware vendors, though it's slated to be replaced by a modern market.
Al-Ain is the main town in the Buraimi Oasis, which straddles the border
between Abu Dhabi and Oman. Its sister town, Buraimi, is on the Omani side
of the border, but visitors can move freely between the two, making this a
fine way to get a taste of Oman without the hassle of obtaining a visa. The
Al-Ain Museum and Eastern Fort share the same compound in south-east
Al-Ain. The museum contains exhibits on life in pre-oil days, Bedouin
jewellery, weaponry, musical instruments and the interior of a Bedouin tent.
If you're in the market for a sheep or goat, stroll over to the nearby
livestock
souk, which attracts Bedouin and townspeople from all over southern UAE
and northern Oman. It's an interesting place to wander around, especially
early in the morning when trading is heaviest. There's also a small
camel
market in the morning close to the centre of town. When you tire of the
stench of animal dung, head north across the border to the atmospheric
Buraimi
Souk, which is full of fruit and vegetable stalls and is backed by the
Al-Hilla Fort. Nearby is the impressively restored, 400 year old
Al-Khandaq Fort; it's well worth prowling around the fort's
courtyard and climbing the battlements.
Camel racing takes place
about 20km (12mi) from Al-Ain, on the road to Abu Dhabi, on Friday mornings
during the winter months. You can also arrange camel safaris, ranging from
one hour jaunts to overnight treks that include a night in a Bedouin tent.
Sharjah The third largest of the seven emirates, Sharjah is a place
that too many visitors to the UAE either miss or pass through quickly. It
has some of the most interesting architecture in the country, the largest
mosque in the UAE, an interesting archaeological museum, a pocket-sized
Disneyland, plenty of watchtowers, a natural history museum that's the
slickest in the entire Gulf, souks to rival Dubai, and an old souk that
offers a window on an older way of life that has now all but disappeared.
Sharjah is on the northern coast, adjacent to Dubai.
