The United Arab Emirates is situated in the Middle East and West Asia, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia; it is at a strategic location along the northern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil. The UAE lies between 22°50′ and 26° north latitude and between 51° and 56°25′ east longitude. It shares a 19 km (12 mi) border with Qatar on the northwest, a 530 km (330 mi) border with Saudi Arabia on the west, south, and southeast, and a 450 km (280 mi) border with Oman on the southeast and northeast.
The United Arab Emirates is a high-income developing market economy. The UAE's economy is the 4th largest in the Middle East, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$415 billion in 2021-2023.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East. Located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula, it shares borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia; as well as maritime borders in the Persian Gulf with Qatar and Iran. The United Arab Emirates is an elective monarchy formed from a federation of seven emirates. As of 2023, the UAE has an estimated population of 9.97 million. Emirati citizens are estimated to form 11.6% of the population; the remaining residents are expatriates, the majority of whom are South Asian. Islam is the official religion and Arabic is the official language. Abu Dhabi is the country's capital, while Dubai, the most populous city, is an international hub.
The Emiratis are the native citizen population of the United Arab Emirates. Within the UAE itself, they number approximately 1.15 million.
Mass media in the United Arab Emirates is subject to government control and censorship. Media freedom is severely curtailed in the UAE. Most UAE media is owned by the government or by groups that have ties to the government. UAE law permits the government to censor content critical of the government. Journalists and writers who criticize the government are subject to repression.
Israel–United Arab Emirates relations had been jagged and fueled by mutual distrust and hatred for several decades, but in the 2010s, the countries' informal relations improved considerably and they began engaging in extensive unofficial cooperation based on their joint opposition to Iran's nuclear program and regional influence. In 2015, Israel opened an official diplomatic mission in Abu Dhabi to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
Bilateral ties exist between Australia and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE maintains an embassy in Canberra whilst Australia has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate-general in Dubai.
Dubai features a tropical desert, hot arid climate. Dubai has two seasons – winter and summer. Rainfall has been increasing over the past few decades in the city accumulating to more than 130 mm (5.12 in) per year.
Emirati Americans are Americans who have roots, origin, and descent from the United Arab Emirates.
Emiratis in the United Kingdom are Emirati expatriates in the United Kingdom. They number several thousand and include many students pursuing higher education.
Reem Al Marzouqi is an Emirati engineer and the first female citizen of the UAE to be granted a patent in the United States of America for designing a car that can be driven without hands.
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The first confirmed case in the United Arab Emirates was announced on 29 January 2020. It was the first country in the Middle East to report a confirmed case.
Cloud seeding in the United Arab Emirates is a weather modification technique used by the government to address water challenges in the country. Cloud seeding is also referred to as man made precipitation and artificial rain making. The United Arab Emirates is one of the first countries in the Persian Gulf region to use cloud seeding technology. UAE scientists use cloud seeding technology to supplement the country's water insecurity, which stems from the extremely hot climate. They use weather radars to continuously monitor the atmosphere of the country. Forecasters and scientists have estimated that cloud seeding operations can enhance rainfall by as much as 30-35% percent in a clear atmosphere, and up to 10-15% in a more humid atmosphere. This practice has caused concerns regarding the impact on the environment because it is difficult to predict the long-term global implications.
In 2022, heavy rains caused floods in the United Arab Emirates, lasting from 27 to 29 July 2022. Cities of the northern Emirates, mainly Kalba and Fujairah, and different areas of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, were affected by the heavy rains. According to the Emirati National Center for Meteorology, this was the country's heaviest rainfall recorded in 27 years.
Events in the year 2022 in the United Arab Emirates.
Events in the year 2024 in the United Arab Emirates.
In April 2024, heavy rain severely impacted states in the Persian Gulf, causing flash flooding across the region. Several states recorded nearly a year's worth of rain in a single day. The floods had a significant impact across the region, with Oman and the United Arab Emirates being particularly affected, resulting in the deaths of at least 33 people, including 19 in Oman and 8 in Iran. Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar, and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia also experienced heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding.
The National Center for Meteorology is the national meteorological research and forecasting organization of United Arab Emirates, working under the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates, The center was established in March 2007. The center is tasked with weather forecasting, issuing early warnings, and collaborating with other international meteorology institutions to employ the latest technologies. In addition to its meteorological services, the center is responsible for cloud seeding to increase the rate of precipitation in United Arab Emirates
