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United Arab Emirates

Asia · 9.5 million

About United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates is a sovereign country located in Asia, specifically within the Western Asia subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Abu Dhabi, and the country is home to approximately 11.3 million people. In its native language, the country is known as “دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة”. Arabic serves as the primary official language, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout United Arab Emirates. The official currency in circulation is the United Arab Emirates dirham (د.إ), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. United Arab Emirates is widely recognised for Dubai's Burj Khalifa, ultramodern skylines and luxury shopping. People from United Arab Emirates are referred to as Emirati.

Geography & climate

United Arab Emirates covers approximately 83,600 km² of territory, making it a relatively compact country by land area. It shares land borders with 2 neighbouring countries — a position that has historically influenced migration patterns, regional politics, and cross-border commerce. Geographically, United Arab Emirates sits in the Northern and Eastern Hemisphere, at roughly 24.0° N, 54.0° E. Standard civil time follows UTC+04:00 year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of United Arab Emirates can be summarised as: arabian desert & coast with extreme heat. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.

People, language & society

With roughly 11.3 million inhabitants, United Arab Emirates is a country of significant population size. The principal spoken language is Arabic, which dominates public life, schooling, signage, and the workplace. Locals refer to their homeland as “دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة”, a name with linguistic and historical roots that long predate modern borders. Citizens are formally known in English as Emirati, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the United Arab Emirates dirham (د.إ) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.

Quick facts at a glance

Practical travel & daily-life info

Visitors planning a trip to United Arab Emirates should familiarise themselves with the capital, Abu Dhabi, the local time zone (UTC+04:00), the local currency (United Arab Emirates dirham). The international dialling prefix is +971, which is required when phoning a United Arab Emirates number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the right side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .ae, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Sunday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.

Government & global standing

United Arab Emirates is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, United Arab Emirates is generally classified within the Asia region and more specifically the Western Asia subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties. GlobeIQ groups it under "Middle East" for the purposes of the game's regional hint.

Bordering countries

United Arab Emirates shares land borders with 2 countries. Click any neighbour to read about it:

Did you know?

The UAE was formed only in 1971 from seven small emirates, and went from desert villages to building the world's tallest tower (Burj Khalifa, 828 m) in just 50 years.

United Arab Emirates in the GlobeIQ atlas

Inside the GlobeIQ game, United Arab Emirates appears as an easier opening puzzle for new players. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, United Arab Emirates carries the personality tags “🏗️ Skyscraper Capital” and “🛢️ Desert Wealth”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding United Arab Emirates to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.

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