- i24NEWS
- Middle East
- The Gulf
- Explainer: The UAE's other emirates besides Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Explainer: The UAE's other emirates besides Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Gulf Arab state also includes Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah
![Joshua Marks](https://cdn.i24news.tv/upload/image/1352b9caa849f9325c12157cf9dfc47bc0e3c73e.png?width=36&height=36)
![Trainers and guests pass by a laborer during a survival trial at the Jebel Jais, about 16 miles northeast of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, October 8, 2020.](https://cdn.i24news.tv/uploads/a4/78/21/1c/5e/ad/1c/f1/d5/44/16/3d/e8/37/c1/60/a478211c5ead1cf1d544163de837c160.jpg?width=1000)
Beyond the soaring modern skyscrapers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi lies an ancient land of sand dunes, mountains and mosques that make up the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The global economic and cultural hub situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula was a group of tribal confederations that became independent of Britain in 1971, with six of the seven emirates immediately forming a federation, and Ras Al Khaimah joining the following year.
The UAE's seven emirates are Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain.
https://www.facebook.com/mvnVlogs/posts/115324366952763
This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking .
Each emirate is ruled by a different royal family.
His Highness (HH) Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was elected president of the UAE on May 14, a day after the death of president HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan at age 73, although he was already the de facto leader.
Sheikh Khalifa was also ruler of Abu Dhabi, which includes the country's capital city on an island in the Persian Gulf. Sheikh Mohammed, 61, assumed this role as well upon his half-brother's passing.
Sheikh Mohammed holds another title of deputy supreme commander of the UAE armed forces.
https://x.com/i/web/status/1521206787734712321
This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking .
The ruler of Dubai, which includes the country's most populous city on the coast of the Persian Gulf, is HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He holds the positions of vice president, prime minister and defense minister.
Here is a look at the lesser-known emirates — from Fujairah's Al Bidya Mosque to the white sand beaches and coral reefs of Sharjah's Khor Fakkan.
Sharjah
![AP Photo/Jon Gambrell](https://cdn.i24news.tv/uploads/a3/e2/81/b1/76/f2/d7/2c/1e/ea/2d/51/9e/07/0a/b7/a3e281b176f2d72c1eea2d519e070ab7.jpg?width=750)
The UAE's third largest emirate Sharjah is becoming more of a tourist destination with the announcement in May that four more luxury hotels will be opening.
The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) announced the multiple hotel projects at Arabian Travel Market 2022, which took place at Dubai World Trade Centre May 8 to 11.
One of the projects will transform the historic village of Najd Al Meqsar into a luxury resort destination. Guests will be able to book a night at the 300-year-old Meqsar Fortress.
Nearby Khor Fakkan is a popular tourist destination on the Gulf of Oman, featuring white sand beaches and coral reefs. The city also features the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal — the region's only natural deep-sea port and a major container port.
Sharjah is also notable as the only emirate to share two coastlines with both the Persian Gulf on the west and the Gulf of Oman on the east and as home to the UAE's largest number of natural reserves.
Sharjah is ruled by HH Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi of the Al Qasimi dynasty. The crown prince is HH Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Bin Sultan al-Qasimi.
Ajman
The smallest of the seven emirates is ruled by HH Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi. The crown prince is HH Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi. They are members of the Na'im Arab tribe which is also present in Bahrain, Qatar and other Gulf countries.
Ajman lies between the emirates of Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain.
Ajman Fort is one of the UAE's historic landmarks, dating back to the 18th century. It was formerly the residence of the ruler of Ajman and also a police station. It was converted into a museum in 1991.
https://x.com/i/web/status/1461954462151446535
This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking .
Fishing is an important profession in Ajman, and in April Sheikh Humaid announced a grant of $1.77 million to support fishermen and their families.
Tourism is also big in Ajman and at the Arabian Travel Market, the Ajman Free Zone (AFZ) signed four agreements with Fairmont Hotel Ajman, Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel, Zoya Health & Wellbeing Resort Ajman and Altayar Travel & Tourism. Special rates will be offered to AFZ's business partners at these establishments.
Fujairah
![AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili](https://cdn.i24news.tv/uploads/58/bd/14/e7/1f/f0/64/82/07/73/38/01/a4/da/c3/23/58bd14e71ff0648207733801a4dac323.jpg?width=750)
Fujairah was an important Islamic center historically and there are no shortage of heritage sites to explore. However, the emirate is embracing the future as well.
The UAE's highest railway bridge is currently under construction in Al Bithnah. The nearly 2,000-foot bridge that cuts through the Hajar Mountains is part of Etihad Rail's plan to link all of the emirates via an advanced passenger and freight rail network.
Etihad Rail's goal is to transport 36.5 million passengers per year by 2030.
https://x.com/i/web/status/1524048342539513858
This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking .
Fujairah is the only emirate in the UAE whose coastline is entirely along the Gulf of Oman — extending some 43 miles. It shares an international border with the Sultanate of Oman.
The current ruler is HH Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammad Al Sharqi and the crown prince is HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Hamad bin Mohammad Al Sharqi.
The emirate is also home to the Al Hajar Mountains — the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian peninsula, which is also located in Oman.
Fujairah is home to the Al Bidya Mosque, which is one of the oldest known mosques in the country. Estimated to date to the 15th century, the mosque is still in use and notably features four domes but without a minaret.
Ras Al Khaimah
The northernmost emirate Ras Al Khaimah means “top of the tent” in Arabic and it aims to be a top global destination for adventure tourism with a goal to welcome 3 million visitors by the end of the decade.
Also known by its acronym RAK, the emirate last September opened a tourism bureau in Israel, taking advantage of the 2020 Abraham Accords that normalized relations between the UAE and the Jewish state.
The fourth-largest emirate is home to Jebel Jais Mountain in the northwestern Hajar range, which is the UAE's tallest peak at an elevation of 6,207 feet above sea level.
Thrill seekers reaching the summit have the option of grabbing a zip wire or hopping on a toboggan.
Jebel Jais Flight is the world's longest zipline at 9,290 feet that opened in 2018 and the latest addition for adventure-minded tourists is the February opening of the region’s longest toboggan ride — the 1.17-mile Jais Sledder reaching speeds of up to 25 miles per hour.
Ras Al Khaimah is also home to about 1,000 archaeological sites, four of which were added to the UNESCO Tentative List for World Heritage.
https://x.com/i/web/status/1522131262768660480
This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking .
The emirate is ruled by the same family that controls Sharjah — the Al Qasimi clan. The current emir is HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi and the crown prince and deputy ruler is HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi.
Umm Al Quwain
The second smallest and least populated emirate is ruled by HH Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla and the crown prince is HH Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla. The family descend from the Al Ali tribe.
The emirate borders the Persian Gulf and is known as a center of fishing with notable deep-sea fishing points.
Umm Al Quwain is also a key part of the UAE's ambitions to invest more in renewable energy projects and especially in water sustainability.
Suhail Al Mazrouei, the UAE’s minister of energy and infrastructure, in May announced that the value of investment in new desalination plants in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Umm Al Quwain amounted to $2.07 billion.
In December of last year, the UAE launched Phase 1 of the $600 million Umm Al Quwain desalination plant which is expected to be commercially operational in the third quarter of 2022.
https://x.com/i/web/status/1472114411540082688
This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking .
Dreamland Aqua Park is the UAE's largest water park.
Besides modern attractions, Umm Al Quwain is home to Ed Dur, which is one of the largest archaeological sites in the UAE. Excavations have revealed human habitation dating to different historical periods stretching as far back as the Neolithic period of the Stone Age.
Ed Dur is perhaps best known for a 2,000-year-old pre-Islamic temple that was excavated there 30 years ago. The site is the temple of Shamash, the pre-Islamic sun god.