Zayid bin Sultan al Nuhayyan
President

(pronounced "ZAH-yid bin SUHL-tahn al NUH-hah-yahn")

"Money is of no value unless it is used for the benefits of the people."

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven former Trucial States (emirates): Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras at Khaimah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, and Fujairah. These states were known as the Trucial States because of truces concluded with the United Kingdom in the 19th century. The UAE was formed in December 1971, when the United Kingdom terminated its treaty relations and ended its security role in the Persian Gulf region. Its total area is estimated to be 82,880 sq km (32,000 sq mi) and it has a coastline of 1,318 km (824 mi). Largely desert, the country's climate is characterized by extreme temperatures and sparse rainfall. The UAE had...