I wrote this post for work’s website, but I thought it was pretty interesting so I am going to share it with you here as well (cheeky I know). Think of it as a guest blog, by me. Haha.
If you would like to read it in it’s original setting please click here.
On the 2nd December the United Arab Emirates, or UAE, will be 39 years old. The UAE is a federation of seven states, or emirates (so called as they are ruled by Emirs), which are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah. The capital and second largest city of the United Arab Emirates is Abu Dhabi. It is also the country’s center of political, industrial and cultural activities.
[UAE 39th National Day logo]
Before 1971 the UAE was known as the Trucial States, so named because of a 19th-century truce between the United Kingdom and several Arab Sheikhs; however since then the political system of the UAE has been based on what is known as the 1971 Constitution. Islam is the official religion, and Arabic the official language.
The form of government used in UAE is a constitutional monarchy with a presidential system of government. It is a founding member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and a member state of the Arab League. It is also a member of the United Nations, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the OPEC, and the World Trade Organization.
Whilst the UAE may only be 39 years old, the earliest known habitation in the region dates to 5500 BC. Trade has always been a dominant theme in the area, beginning with copper from the Hajar mountains and pearls. The Portuguese controlled the area for 150 years after their early 16th-century expansion saw them conquer the inhabitants of the Arabian peninsula. Later portions of the nation fell under Ottoman rule and the region became known to the British as the “pirate coast” as raiders harassed the shipping industry well into the 19th-century.
The pearling industry thrived until World War I and the Great Depression, coupled with the Japanese invention of the cultured pearl, all but destroyed it. This heralded the beginning of a difficult era for people in the Gulf, that is until oil revenues began to improve the quality of life from the late 1960s.
Once the United Kingdom ended it’s treaty relationship with the Trucial Sheikhdoms the United Arab Emirates was born. The national flag was adopted on the 2nd December 1971 and contained the Pan-Arab colours of red (unity), white (neutrality), black (oil wealth) and green (fertility).
The National Day logo for this year (as pictured) incorporates the figure 2 in both Arabic and English standing in opposite sides to form a heart in UAE flag colour — indicating Dec 2 — and the figure 39, which indicates the age of the federation and the boom witnessed by the UAE. The day itself is an opportunity for Emiratis to show their national pride, and many decorated cars and buildings can be seen. Last year’s photos are available here on Gulf News.
Information in this article has been gathered from the following stories:
