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United
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Current time in Abu Dhabi. Click here to listen to the UAE national anthem.
The United Arab Emirates, also known as the UAE, or just 'the Emirates', has a population of over 3 million people. It is a federation composed of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah.
Sheikh Zayed has provided leadership to his country for over fifty years. He became Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966 and has been President of the whole UAE since its establishment in 1971.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has over 700 kilometres of sea-coastline. From the low coastline and islands of Abu Dhabi, along the Gulf shoreline, where Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain and Ras al-Khaimah each have coastal cities, harbours and extensive shoreline; to the eastern side of the UAE, where Fujairah is situated and where Sharjah has a number of enclaves.
The UAE has the third largest proven oil reserves in the world. Oil and gas production has been the mainstay of the economy of the United Arab Emirates and will remain a major revenue earner for the UAE long into the future. At the current rate of utilization, and excluding any new discoveries, these reserves will continue to provide energy for the United Arab Emirates for more than 150 years.
The non-oil sector of the United Arab Emirates' economy contributes more than twice the oil sector's contribution to GDP (Gross Domestic Product, providing greater stability to the UAE economy, and protecting it from the full impact of oil price fluctuations.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the third most important re-export centre in the world (after Hong Kong and Singapore). The Emirati currency, known as the Dirham (Dh) has a fixed rate of exchange with the US dollar whereby US $1.00 = Dh 3.671.
The Jumeirah Beach Hotel, next to the towering structure of the 'Arabian Tower Hotel' or Burj al Arab, located in Dubai, within the United Arab Emirates, was recently voted 'best in the world'.
The UAE has a rich archaeological heritage that has been traced back more than seven thousand years, towards the beginning of the Late Stone Age. United Arab Emirates based scientists have applied satellite tracking technology to the migration of the houbara, traditional quarry of Arab falconers, recording an individual bird's flight from Abu Dhabi in the UAE, all the way to China - and back again!
The UAE hosts some of the world's premier sporting events including the world's richest horse race, the Dubai World Cup. Sports such as football, cricket, horse racing, sailing, powerboat racing, golf, tennis, bowling, athletics, and ice-hockey are complimented by more traditional sports such as camel racing and traditional boat racing.
Information found at: www.uaeinteract.com
More Interesting Links:
A-Z
of Camels - everything you ever wanted to know about camels!
Ivor's
UAE site - a site built by my friend Ivor
uae
interact.com
Gulf
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