United Arab Emirates flag

United Arab Emirates

History

British protectorate as part of Trucial States placed the territory under outside administration.
United Arab Emirates became independent from the United Kingdom, marking a key step in modern statehood.
Admission of Ras Al Khaimah appears in United Arab Emirates' historical record.
Asia thumbnailPart ofAsiaMore countries, cities and routes.
CapitalAbu Dhabi
Population11.3M
Area83,600 km2
CurrencyUnited Arab Emirates dirham

Short facts

RegionWestern Asia / Middle East / Arabian Gulf
LanguageArabic
Time zoneGST (UTC+4)
Drives onRight

Worth seeing

  • Burj Khalifa: The world's tallest building at 828m, with observation decks above the clouds.
  • Dubai Mall: One of the world's largest shopping centres with an aquarium, ice rink, and waterfall.
  • Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: Abu Dhabi's breathtaking white marble mosque that can hold 40,000 worshippers.

Find a city in United Arab Emirates

Showing all cities

Abu Dhabi thumbnailAbu DhabiCity

Planning questions

What is United Arab Emirates known for?Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
What is the capital?Abu Dhabi.
Which language is useful?Arabic.
When is the national day?2 December.
How should I browse it here?Start with the facts, jump to linked cities, then check events and topics.

Upcoming events

Showing all 10 events

United Arab Emirates National Day thumbnailUnited Arab Emirates National Day2 December 2026 — Across United Arab Emirates — United Arab EmiratesAbu Dhabi Grand Prix thumbnailAbu Dhabi Grand Prix4 December 2026 – 6 December 2026 — Abu Dhabi — United Arab EmiratesGitex Global thumbnailGitex Global8 December 2026 – 12 December 2026 — Dubai — United Arab EmiratesAbu Dhabi Grand Prix thumbnailAbu Dhabi Grand PrixDec 2026 · United Arab EmiratesDubai Fashion Week thumbnailDubai Fashion Week1 February 2027 – 6 February 2027 — Dubai — United Arab EmiratesRamadan Nights Dubai thumbnailRamadan Nights Dubai8 February 2027 – 8 March 2027 — Dubai — United Arab EmiratesICC Champions Trophy thumbnailICC Champions Trophy19 February 2027–9 March 2027 — Dubai — United Arab EmiratesDubai World Cup thumbnailDubai World Cup27 March–27 March 2027 — Dubai — United Arab EmiratesDubai Food Festival thumbnailDubai Food Festival24 April 2027 – 10 May 2027 — Dubai — United Arab EmiratesEuroLeague Final Four thumbnailEuroLeague Final Four23 May 2027–25 May 2027 — Abu Dhabi — United Arab Emirates

Use Abu Dhabi as the first planning anchor for United Arab Emirates, then compare the city, food and worth-seeing notes on this page.

Food & drink

Kebab thumbnailKebabSignature dishCoffee thumbnailCoffeeLocal drink

Known for

Burj KhalifaDubai MallSheikh Zayed Grand MosqueAbu DhabiKebabCoffee
Eurovision Song Contest thumbnailMusic & CultureFestivals, concerts and cultural calendars.Asia thumbnailCoasts and islandsMarine calendars, islands, reefs and coastal travel timing.