The UAE uses the title Sheikh instead of Emir to refer to the rulers of individual emirates. The most complicated borders were in the Western Hajar Mountains, where five of the emirates contested jurisdiction over more than a dozen enclaves. In general, the rulers of the emirates accepted the British interventions, but in the case of boundary disputes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and also between Dubai and Sharjah, conflicting claims were not resolved until after the UAE became independent.
- The UAE has begun production of a greater amount of military equipment, in a bid to reduce foreign dependence and help with national industrialisation.
- British Members of Parliament (MPs) debated the preparedness of the Royal Navy to defend the sheikhdoms.
- The five most populous nationalities in the emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman are Indian (25%), Pakistani (12%), Emirati (9%), Bangladeshi (7%), and Filipino (5%).
- The UAE is the only country in the world that has a Ministry of Tolerance, a Ministry of Happiness, and a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence.
- With alcohol and cohabitation laws being loosened in advance of the 2020 World Expo, Emirati laws have become increasingly acceptable to visitors from non-Muslim countries.
For Education
As a response to their poor human rights records, the government of the UAE has tried to strengthen relations with a number of western private and public entities through whitewashing, to improve their public image. Reports stating the Emirates wanted to provide humanitarian support for the Sudanese people turned out to be an expansion of a covert operation to funnel money, weapons – including drone technology – to opposition forces. In 2013, 94 Emirati activists were held in secret detention centres and put on trial for pin up online allegedly attempting to overthrow the government; a relative of a defendant was arrested for tweeting about the trial, and sentenced to 10 months in jail. Over 4,000 Shia expatriates have been deported from the UAE; including Lebanese Shia families for their alleged sympathies for Hezbollah.
The Trucial Oman Scouts was a small military force used by the British to keep the peace. However, the wealth of oil which the rulers could see from the revenues accruing to surrounding countries remained elusive. Aware of the potential for the development of natural resources such as oil, following finds in Persia (from 1908) and Mesopotamia (from 1927), a British-led oil company, the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC), showed an interest in the region.
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- Other religions also exist in the United Arab Emirates, including Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism, Baháʼís, and Druze.
- Abu Dhabi nationals were brought under the scheme from 1 June 2008 and Dubai followed for its government employees.
- Foreigners living in the Emirates were allowed to follow their native country’s laws on divorce and inheritance.
- The northern emirates which include Fujairah, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, and Umm al-Qaiwain all have a total area of 3,881 square kilometres (1,498 square miles).
- But there, Sheikh Khalid bin Muhammad Al Qasimi had already negotiated with the Iranian shah, and the island was quickly leased to Iran for $3 million a year.
The northern emirates are rapidly following suit, providing major incentives for developers of residential and commercial property. These developments are particularly evident in the larger emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The UAE government implemented value-added tax (VAT) in the country from 1 January 2018, at a standard rate of 5%.While the government may still adjust the exact arrangement of the VAT, it is not likely that any new taxes will be introduced in the foreseeable future. Western states, including the United Kingdom, were also warned by the Emirati Trade Minister, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, to keep politics separate from trade and the economy, as it dilutes the agreements’ main objectives. This growth is mainly due to the influx of foreign workers into the country, making the national population a minority.
In 1922, the British government secured undertakings from the rulers of the Trucial States not to sign concessions with foreign companies without their consent. In 1869, the Qubaisat tribe settled at Khor Al Adaid and tried to enlist the support of the Ottomans. However, the British prohibition of the slave trade meant an important source of income was lost to some sheikhs and merchants. British expeditions to protect their Indian trade routes led to campaigns against Ras Al Khaimah and other harbours along the coast, including the Persian Gulf campaign of 1809 and the more successful campaign of 1819. The charge of piracy is disputed by modern Emirati historians, including the current ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi, in his 1986 book The Myth of Arab Piracy in the Gulf.
The tribal nature of society and the lack of definition of borders between emirates frequently led to disputes, settled either through mediation or, more rarely, force. In 1952, they formed the Trucial States Council, and appointed Adi Al Bitar, Dubai’s Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s legal advisor, as secretary general and legal advisor to the council. The British set up a development office that helped in some small developments in the emirates. In 1906, the British Political Resident, Percy Cox, confirmed in writing to the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan (‘Zayed the Great’), that Khor Al Adaid belonged to his sheikhdom.
Gulf Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, showed interest in engaging with the Syrian transitional government to promote political transition and address regional concerns following the fall of the Assad regime. The northern emirates which include Fujairah, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, and Umm al-Qaiwain all have a total area of 3,881 square kilometres (1,498 square miles). The country, by all measurements is not democratic, with particular weaknesses in political representation, including inclusive suffrage and credible elections. According to human rights organizations, there are systematic human rights violations, including the torture and forced disappearance of government critics.
A 1,200 km (750 mi) country-wide railway is under construction which will connect all the major cities and ports. Due to the announced expansion of Al Maktoum Airport on 28 April 2024, Dubai International Airport will be shut down once Al Maktoum Airport expansion will be completed. Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah will feature the first casino in the country and will also be the country’s first integrated resort when it opens in March 2027. The uniqueness of the country’s natural desert life, especially with the Bedouins, also facilitates the country’s tourist industry.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE has expanded its international influence, subsequently committing human rights abuses across national borders. A December 2024 report by European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR) highlights the country’s acute issue with unlawful, political persecution and absence of judicial independence. Repressive measures, including deportation, were applied on foreigners based on allegations of attempts to destabilize the country. Immigrant workers are often subject to harsh forms of the law within the country, and are often victims of arbitrary detention or torture within the country.
The country’s major tourist attraction includes the famous Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest tower in the world; The World archipelago and Palm Jumeirah also in Dubai; Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi; Al Hajar Mountains in Fujairah. The state oil firm was alleged of exploiting the UAE’s COP28 presidency to pursue oil and gas deals. The Barakah nuclear power plant is the first on the Arabian peninsula and expected to reduce the carbon footprint of the country. Although the oil and gas sector continues to be significant to the UAE economy, these efforts have yielded great resilience during periods of oil price fluctuations and economic turbulence.
Largest cities
In 2023, the country held its largest mass trial where defendants were not given fair treatment. In a mass trial in 2013, human rights activist and lawyer, Salim al-Shehhi claimed he was held in solitary confinement and forced to give a confession to crimes he was accused of. The state security apparatus in the UAE has been accused of human rights abuses including forced disappearance, arbitrary arrests and torture.
Government and politics
Consequently, there are very few anti-discrimination laws in relation to labour issues, with Emiratis – and other GCC Arabs – getting preference in public sector jobs despite lesser credentials than competitors and lower motivation. The major challenge for the country, though, remains translating investments and strong enabling conditions into innovation and creative outputs. From the 2018 Arab Youth Survey, the UAE emerges as the top Arab country in areas such as living, safety and security, economic opportunities, and starting a business, and as an example for other states to emulate. The UAE is ranked as the 26th best country in the world for doing business by the Doing Business 2017 Report published by the World Bank Group.
Investigations have found that Qatari men have been abducted by the UAE government and allegedly withheld information about the men’s fate from their families. Trials are often held in secrecy and the defendants’ lawyers are neglected from accessing case files and court documents. Those convicted were Bangladeshi individuals in the UAE, protesting their home government, while the UAE claimed the defendants were a part of a terrorist organization. Beginning in December 2023, a trial with 84 defendants resulted in 43 people sentenced to life in prison, ten received sentences up to fifteen years for peaceful protests against the government.
This resulted in a major economic downturn, which eventually led to the merger of more than 50% of the UAE’s federal agencies. Two months later, in March, the government announced the closure of shopping malls, schools, and places of worship, in addition to imposing a 24-hour curfew, and suspending all Emirates passenger flights. In January 2006, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the prime minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, died, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum assumed both roles.
The growing interest in playing a role in the international entertainment industriy is an attempt to scour the country’s image of its ongoing human rights violations. The country’s judicial system lacks any form of transparency or independence, and international organizations have called on the UN to form an independent committee to review all allegations of torture, incommunicado detention, and unfair trials. In 2025, the country ranked 18 out of 100 in terms of the freedom index, due to a lack of free elections, lack of government transparency and accountability, and a lack of free media and independent judicial system, and low scores against other metrics. The United Arab Emirates has a federal court system, and the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras Al Khaimah also have local court systems.
The harsh desert environment led to the emergence of the “versatile tribesman”, nomadic groups who subsisted due to a variety of economic activities, including animal husbandry, agriculture, and hunting. Individual rights such as the freedoms of assembly, association, expression, and the freedom of the press are severely repressed. The country has the most diversified economy among the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), having become less reliant on natural resources in the 21st century and increasingly focusing on tourism and business.
All associations have to be submitted to censorship guidelines and all publications have first to be approved by the government. In the UAE an association requires twenty individuals, none of which can have previous convictions and must be preauthorized and registered with the government. Freedom of association is also severely curtailed, and in most cases, banned under existing law. This development is expected to attract major gaming operators and contribute significantly to the country’s economy. The GCGRA also mandates player management tools, including deposit limits and cooling-off periods for online gaming.
