As-salamu alaykum! Welcome to the land of futuristic skylines and ancient deserts—the United Arab Emirates!
Our journey brings us to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula. There are around 10,000,000 people living here, and the capital is Abu Dhabi, while Dubai is the largest city and a global hub for tourism and trade. The official language is Arabic, though English is the primary language of business and is spoken by almost everyone in the urban centers.
The UAE covers about 83,600 square kilometers (32,278 square miles). That’s roughly the same size as the state of Maine or about one-third the size of the United Kingdom. The landscape is dominated by the rolling dunes of the Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter) desert, but it also features the rugged Al Hajar Mountains in the east.
The most popular sports are Football and Cricket, though traditional sports like Camel Racing and Falconry remain deeply respected cultural pastimes. Their national animal is the Arabian Oryx, a beautiful white antelope with long, straight horns that was once extinct in the wild but successfully reintroduced through conservation.
The flag consists of a red vertical stripe on the hoist side and three horizontal stripes of green, white, and black where the green represents fertility, the white stands for neutrality and peace, the black symbolizes the oil wealth and Islamic heritage, and the red represents the bravery and courage of the nation’s ancestors.
The food is a rich, spiced blend of Middle Eastern and Bedouin traditions. You must try Harees, a slow-cooked mixture of wheat and meat (usually chicken or lamb) that has a porridge-like consistency. Another favorite is Machboos, a fragrant rice dish cooked with meat and seasoned with a distinct spice mix called bezar. For dessert, you cannot miss Luqaimat, deep-fried dough balls drizzled with date syrup and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Arabic Coffee (Gahwa), flavored with cardamom and served with fresh dates, is the ultimate symbol of Emirati hospitality.
The UAE is home to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world, standing at a staggering 828 meters. The country features the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s largest mosques, famous for its 82 marble domes and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet. You can visit the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a stunning “museum city” floating on the sea with a roof that creates a “rain of light.” For an adventure, head to the Palm Jumeirah, a massive man-made archipelago shaped like a palm tree. Interestingly, the UAE has a Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing to ensure the government’s policies align with the social good!
From the traditional souks of Deira to the luxury resorts of Ras Al Khaimah, the UAE is a land where tradition meets the far reaches of the future. Shukran! That means “Thank you!”