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The United Arab Emirates is situated in the Eastern of the Arab World. And bordered with Arabian Gulf in the North, Gulf of Oman and Sultanate of Oman in the East, Sultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia in the South, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the West

Being literally crime-free is not the only thing that makes the United Arab Emirates one of the most attractive places to live in. Its amazing amalgamation of the traditional values of the East and the modern technologies of the West, being a melting pot of various nationalities and cultures living together and working in harmony and a standard of living that is comparable to the world's most advanced nations makes it one of 20th century's success stories.

A Peaceful haven in the Arabian peninsula by the Arabian sea. A Tourist's paradise. Trader's delight... the United Arab Emirates is indeed a unique package. Though the desert occupies most of the area of the country

The Interiors: are also covered with a range of mountains and a number of valleys like the Siji and Ham and fertile plains such as the Thaid and Digdaga plains.

The Desert: lies next to the interior plains. As you head towards the Arabian Gulf, you find the long Western Coastal Plain with its Dubai and Maqta creeks and salt flats like the Salina of Mutti. It is longer and wider than the Eastern Coastal Plains which lies overlooking the Gulf of Oman.

The Coast: of UAE consists of many islands. The waters of the gulf flow tranquilly on the shores of the UAE, hardly will you find rough waves...this makes the UAE ideal for water sports.

Pleces to go:

Dubai
Dubai is one of the seven states which make up the United Arab Emirates. Dubai has a long-standing trading tradition that has brought visitors from throughout the Middle East and neighbouring regions. Today, Dubai plays host to an increasing number of visitors from the West and the Far East. The city attracts travellers seeking something new and different, offering international facilities combined with the adventure of the Middle East, and exotic destination with a cosmopolitan lifestyle. Dubai is also the undisputed "sports capital of the Middle East", hosting world class international events that attract some of the biggest names in their respective sports, whether in golf, tennis, horse racing, rallying powerboating, rugby, or sailing. Historically speaking Dubai began as a small fishing settlement. Around 1830 the settlement was taken over by a branch of the Bani Yas tribe from the Liwa Oasis led by the Maktoum family who still rule the Emirate today. The Burj al Arab is an impressive hotel that is built on a man made island. It can be seen as you enter the city from the West and its unmistakable sail like shape cannot be missed. Another place to visit is the gold souq where you can see storefronts lined up one after the other with gold jewelry everywhere. Four wheeling on the dunes and "wadi bashing" are some other things vistors can enjoy. These activites involve driving up huge sand dunes and through springs called "wadis" in 4WD vehicles, mainly Toyota Land Cruisers. It is a great way to experience the desert from within the comfort of a luxury vehicle. You can even opt to spend the night in traditional bedouin tents in the desert. The city is geared towards tourism and it offers a large number of activites and sights. The rules are quite relaxed and it is probably the best city to visit in the Middle East.

Abu dhabi
First settled in 1761 by tribesmen who found fresh water there, the name Abu Dhabi literally means 'place of the gazelle'. Today Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE. It has changed a lot in the last decades. It is a rather cosmopolitan city, with its bold urban architecture and lush gardens. It is also the seat of government for the Emirates.It is the headquarter for the president of the state, the cabinet, and most of the ministries, the Federal institutions, foreign embassies, Broadcast TV, Zayed Port, Abu Dhabi Airport and most of the oil companies, establishments and commercial markets. The Abu Dhabi Corniche, with its public parks and fountains, is a remarkable landscape of the city, The east part of th e Corniche has recently been demolished to make way, via more massive land reclamation, for a new Corniche road to ease the traffic congestion and provide more lush gardens along a new lagoon like waterfront inside the artificial Lulu Island which blocks the veiw of the sea by providing Abu Dhabi its own desert dunes of red sand. The city has grown so rapidly, there is no natural beachfront now, but nonetheless an impressive and attractive city with all modern amenities.

Liwa
Liwa is an oasis area in the Abu Dhabi emirate of the United Arab Emirates. It sits right on the edge of the Rub Al Khali (empty quarter), the largest sand desert in the world (ie. there is more sand in this desert than any other). A number of small towns and villages make up the Liwa area. Farms back right up against towering dunes hundreds of meters high. The sand varies in color from golden to red and changes rapidly during sunrise, sunset, and the specific area. There is a substantial palace in the area and a very nice 5 star hotel, the Liwa Oasis Hotel. The highways to and from the city of Abu Dhabi (about 2.5 hours away) are in excellent condition though there is usually construction near Abu Dhabi.

Al-Ain
Al-Ain is the main town in the Buraimi Oasis, which straddles the border between Abu Dhabi and Oman. Its sister town, Buraimi, is on the Omani side of the border, but visitors can move freely between the two, making this a fine way to get a taste of Oman without the hassle of obtaining a visa.

The oasis is probably the longest inhabited part of what is now the UAE, with settlement dating back to the 4th millenium BC. In more recent times, Al-Ain was the birthplace of Shaikh Zayed, the much loved former ruler of Abu Dhabi, who proudly lavished funds on it.

Culture

Most Emiratis are Sunni Muslims subscribing to the Maliki or Hanbali schools of Islamic law. Many of the latter are Wahhabis, though UAE Wahhabis are not nearly as strict and puritanical as the Saudi variety; the UAE is probably the most liberal country in the Gulf but it is still very conservative by Western standards. There are also smaller communities of Ibadi and Shiite muslims. The oddest thing about the UAE's population is that only 500,000 of the 2 million people living in the country are UAE citizens; the rest are expatriates from other Gulf countries, and from Pakistan, Iran and India.

Arabic is the official language but English is widely understood. In Dubai, you can also get by practicing your Farsi, the Persian language spoken in Iran. Urdu is spoken by the large number of Pakistani expatriates living in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The UAE's cuisine is the staple Middle Eastern fare of fuul (paste made from fava beans, garlic and lemon), felafel (deep fried balls of chickpea paste served in a piece of Arabic flat bread), houmos (cooked chickpea paste served with garlic and lemon) and shwarma (usually lamb or chicken served on a flat bread or pita). The standard range of non-alcoholic drinks are widely available; alcohol is only sold in restaurants and bars attached to three-star hotels or better and prices are pretty outrageous. Alcohol is not sold at all in Sharjah.

Your skin color matters
If you are not of European origin or of white skin, then be warned that as a result you will come across discrimination beginning from the airport, which has different lines categorized by your origin.