POPULATION 2,445,989
SUNNI MUSLIM 80 percent
SHIITE MUSLIM 16 percent
OTHER 4 percent

Country Overview

Introduction

The United Arab Emirates, founded in 1971, is a federation of seven emirates (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, al-Fujayrah, Ras al-Khaymah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Qaywayn) lying along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Oman and the Gulf of Oman to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south and west, Qatar to the northwest, and the Persian Gulf to the north. The capital is Abu Dahbi town.

The population consists of four social and cultural groups: the Shihu and Habus peoples in the mountainous regions of the north, the lowland peoples living on the plains, the polyglot of workers and immigrants living in the major cities, and the tribal peoples connected by lineage to the old Arabian tribes. A major oil producer, the country has a fast growing Arab and...