Straddling the Tropic of Cancer, the UAE has a sub-tropical arid climate and is warm and sunny in winter, but hot and humid during the summer months. The humidity is particularly high in the coastal areas. Rainfall is virtually non-existent, with occasional short showers occurring mainly in winter (December to March). Localised thunderstorms sometimes occur in summer.
The dirham (Arabic: درهم) is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. The ISO 4217 code (currency abbreviation) for the United Arab Emirates dirham is AED. Unofficial abbreviations include DH or Dhs. The dirham is subdivided into 100 fils (فلس).
The United Arab Emirates, in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, extends along part of the Gulf of Oman and the southern coast of the Persian Gulf. The nation is the size of Maine. Its neighbors are Saudi Arabia to the west and south, Qatar to the north, and Oman to the east. Most of the land is barren and sandy.
In 1952 a local body, the Trucial Council, comprising the rulers of the seven sheikhdoms, was established.
The object of the Council was to encourage the adoption of common policies in administrative matters, possibly leading to a federation of the states.
Petroleum, the basis of the area´s modern prosperity, was first discovered in 1958, when deposits were located beneath the coastal waters of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the sheikhdoms.
Onshore petroleum was found in Abu Dhabi in 1960. Commercial exploitation of petroleum began there in 1962, providing the state with greatly increased revenue. However, Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan an-Nahyan, the Ruler of Abu Dhabi since 1928, failed: to use the income from petroleum royalties to develop his domain.
In January 1968 the United Kingdom announced its intention of withdrawing British military forces from the area by 1971. In March 1968 the Trucial States joined nearby Bahrain and Qatar (which were also under British protection) in what was named the Federation of Arab Emirates.
It was intended that the Federation should become fully independent, but the interests of Bahrain and Qatar proved to be incompatible with those of the smaller sheikhdoms, and both seceded from the Federation in August 1971 to become separate independent states.
In July six of the Trucial States (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ajman and Fujairah) had agreed on
a federal Constitution for achieving independence as the United Arab Emirates. The UK accordingly terminated its special treaty relationship with the States, and the UAE became independent on 2 December 1971.
The remaining sheikhdom, Ras al-Khaimah, joined the United Arab Emirates in February 1972. At independence Sheikh Zayed of Abu Dhabi took office as the first President of the United Arab Emirates.
Sheikh Rashid bin Said al-Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai since 1958, became Vice-President, while his eldest son, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum (Crown Prince of Dubai), became Prime Minister in the Federal Council of ministers.
In October 1990, upon the death of his father, Sheikh Maktoum acceded to the positions of ruler of Dubai and Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE was a founder member of the GCC of the Gulf (generally known as the Gulf Co-operation Council) in May 1981. The GCC aims to achieve greater political and economic integration between Gulf countries, and from 1983 onwards, the United Arab Emirates took part in joint military exercises with the other member states.
Since the Arab-Israeli war of October 1973, in which it strongly supported the Arab cause, the UAE has contributed large sums of aid to Arab countries. Despite giving aid to Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88), diplomatic relations with Iran were maintained, and the United Arab Emirates offered to mediate between the two countries.
In common with the other Arab states, the United Arab Emirates condemned the 1979 Camp David agreements between Egypt and Israel, and diplomatic relations with Egypt were severed. Full diplomatic relations were restored in November 1987. Commercial links have since been fostered by the two countries.
The UAE had an estimated population of 2,262,309 in 1997, with a density of 27 persons per sq km (70 per sq mi). The emirate of Abu Dhabi contains nearly 40 percent of the total United Arab Emirates population.
Capital: ABU DHABI
Population: about 4,230,000
Area: 83,600 km2
Time zone: +3 h compared to Italy; +2 h when Italy have daylight saving time.
Languages: Arabic, English is widespread
Religions: Muslim
Currency: Dirham (AED)
Prefix for Italy: 0039
Prefix from Italy: 00971
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