United Arab Emirates
Capital
Abu Dhabi
Population
~9.9 million
Currency
UAE Dirham (AED)
Quick Facts
- Languages
- Arabic
- Religion
- Predominantly Sunni Islam
- Climate
- Hot desert; extremely high summer temperatures and humidity
Culture & History
Known for: vast oil wealth (especially Abu Dhabi), luxury shopping and futuristic architecture (especially Dubai - Burj Khalifa), large expatriate majority population, and major airline hubs (Emirates, Etihad)
Also famous for: Man-made islands (Palm Jumeirah), desert safaris, being a federation of seven emirates
Food: Al Machboos, Harees, Shawarma
Brief History
Trucial States under British protection, federation formed 1971, rapid transformation fueled by oil discovery