1.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
2.
United Arab Emirates
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In 2013, the UAEs population was 9.2 million, of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates. The country is a federation of seven emirates, and was established on 2 December 1971, the constituent emirates are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. Each emirate is governed by a monarch, together, they jointly form the Federal Supreme Council. One of the monarchs is selected as the President of the United Arab Emirates, Islam is the official religion of the UAE and Arabic is the official language. The UAEs oil reserves are the seventh-largest in the world while its natural gas reserves are the worlds seventeenth-largest, Sheikh Zayed, ruler of Abu Dhabi and the first President of the UAE, oversaw the development of the Emirates and steered oil revenues into healthcare, education and infrastructure. The UAEs economy is the most diversified in the Gulf Cooperation Council, while its most populous city of Dubai is an important global city, nevertheless, the country remains principally reliant on its export of petroleum and natural gas. The UAE is criticised for its rights record, including the specific interpretations of Sharia used in its legal system. The UAEs rising international profile has led analysts to identify it as a regional. It appears the land of the Emirates has been occupied for thousands of years, there is no proof of contact with the outside world at that stage, although in time it developed with civilisations in Mesopotamia and Iran. This contact persisted and became wide-ranging, probably motivated by trade in copper from the Hajar Mountains, in ancient times, Al Hasa was part of Al Bahreyn and adjoined Greater Oman. Sassanid groups were present on the Batinah coast, in 637, Julfar was an important port that was used as a staging post for the Islamic invasion of the Sassanian Empire. The area of the Al Ain/Buraimi Oasis was known as Tuam and was an important trading post for camel routes between the coast and the Arabian interior. The earliest Christian site in the UAE was first discovered in the 1990s, a monastic complex on what is now known as Sir Bani Yas Island. Thought to be Nestorian and built in 600 AD, the church appears to have been abandoned peacefully in 750 AD and it forms a rare physical link to a legacy of Christianity which is thought to have spread across the peninsula from 50 to 350 AD following trade routes. Certainly, by the 5th century, Oman had a bishop named John – the last bishop of Oman being Etienne, in 676 AD. This led to a group of travelling to Medina, converting to Islam and subsequently driving a successful uprising against the unpopular Sassanids. Following the death of Prophet Muhammad, the new Islamic communities south of the Persian Gulf threatened to disintegrate, with insurrections against the Muslim leaders. The Caliph Abu Bakr sent an army from the capital Medina which completed its reconquest of the territory with the battle of Dibba in which 10,000 lives are thought to have been lost
3.
Ajman
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Ajman is the capital of the emirate of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates, located along the Persian Gulf. Ajman is the smallest emirate in the UAE, the city has more than 90% of the population of the emirate. The urban area runs directly into the city of Sharjah along the coast to the south west, Ajman is home to the Rulers office, companies, commercial markets, and about 50 international and local retail shops. Banking interests include, Emirates National Bank of Dubai, Ajman Bank, Arab Bank PLC, Bank Saderat Iran, Ajman is also home to fishing industry & Seafood Importers/Exporters in UAE. Ajman is continuing the development stalled by the crisis of 2007–2008. Tourist attractions in the emirate, including hotels, shopping and cultural destinations are growing rapidly, tourist attractions include the Ajman National Museum situated at Ajman Fort, the Red Fort and the museum in the inland enclave of Manama. Ajmans corniche is an evening and weekend destination for families and features a number of fast food outlets, coffee shops. It is home to the Outside Inn, a watering hole with expatriates, as well as to a number of hotels, including the Ramada, Ajman Palace, the Kempinski, the Ajman Saray. The natural port of Ajman is located along a creek which penetrates the town. Ajman is also home to Arab Heavy Industries, one of the worlds largest ship manufacturing firms, the main airport in the emirate is located in the enclave of Manama, about 60 km east of the city, thus in one of the farthest removed parts of the emirate. However, Sharjah International Airport is only a dozen kilometres away
4.
Manama, Ajman
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Manama is a small township in the United Arab Emirates, an exclave of the emirate of Ajman. Its land area is given over to agricultural usage. It is known to collectors as a number of editions of colourful stamps were issued from there in the late 1960s. Manama was also the source of two particularly fine varieties of honey with sidr and simr trees providing two seasonal flows of honey from wild Asiatic honey bees. The gathering of honey was also formalised, this and the agricultural base in Manama providing work for the impoverished men of coastal Ajman into the 1930s. In 1963, Britain ceded responsibility for the Trucial States postal systems and these stamps, luridly illustrated and irrelevant to the actual emirate of Ajman became known together with stamps produced by other Trucial States at the time, as dunes. Among these editions, following the opening of a post office in Manama on July 5,1966, were nine editions published from Manama, few collectors would realise Manama was a remote agricultural village consisting of a few adobe houses on a plain overlooked by the Hajar Mountains
5.
Absolute monarchy
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Absolute monarchy, or despotic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which one ruler has supreme authority that is not restricted by any written laws, legislature, or customs. These are often, but not always, hereditary monarchies, in contrast, in constitutional monarchies, the head of states authority derives from and is legally bounded or restricted by a constitution or legislature. Some monarchies have weak or symbolic legislatures and other bodies that the monarch can alter or dissolve at will. Countries where a monarch still maintains absolute power are Brunei, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the individual emirates composing the United Arab Emirates, Swaziland, in Ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh wielded absolute power over the country and was considered a living god by his people. In ancient Mesopotamia, many rulers of Assyria, Babylonia and Sumer were absolute monarchs as well, in ancient and medieval India, rulers of the Maurya, Satahavana, Gupta and Chalukya Empires, as well as other major and minor empires, were considered absolute monarchs. In the Khmer Empire, the kings were called Devaraja and Chakravartin, in Kingdom of Siam, the kings were esestablished Somburanaya-sittiraj. Throughout Chinese history, many emperors and one empress wielded absolute power through the Mandate of Heaven, in pre-Columbian America, the Inca Empire was ruled by a Sapa Inca, who was considered the son of Inti, the sun god and absolute ruler over the people and nation. Throughout much of European history, the right of kings was the theological justification for absolute monarchy. Many European monarchs, such as those of Russia, claimed supreme autocratic power by right. James VI of Scotland and his son Charles I of Scotland and England tried to import this principle, there is a considerable variety of opinion by historians on the extent of absolutism among European monarchs. Some, such as Perry Anderson, argue that quite a few monarchs achieved levels of absolutist control over their states, a widely held story about Louis XIV of France is that he proclaimed Létat, cest moi. What Louis did say was, The interests of the state come first, when one gives these priority, one labors for ones own good. These advantages to the state redounds to ones glory, although often criticized for his extravagances, such as the Palace of Versailles, he reigned over France for a long period, and some historians consider him a successful absolute monarch. More recently, revisionist historians have questioned whether Louis reign should be considered absolute, the King of France concentrated in his person legislative, executive, and judicial powers. He was the judicial authority. He could condemn men to death without the right of appeal and it was both his duty to punish offenses and stop them from being committed. From his judicial authority followed his power both to make laws and to annul them and this law consequently authorized the king to abolish all other centers of power. Most important was the abolition of the Council of the Realm and his actions largely originated the militaristic streak of the Hohenzollern
6.
Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi
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Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi is the ruler of the Emirate of Ajman and a member of the UAE Supreme Council of the Union. He is the 10th ruler of Ajman, H. H Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuami succeeded his late father Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi on September 6,1981. He was the deputy ruler since 1960, under his reign, the state saw rapid changes from a small fishing town at the time of independence to a modern emirate. He received his education in Dubai in the 1940s and 1950s. In the early 1970s he became active in the affairs of state, as Ajman joined the United Arab Emirates in December 1971 and his elder brother Sheikh Ali was sidelined in the process. He belongs to the Al Nuaim tribe and his sister was the late Sheikha Fatima bint Rashid Al Nuaimi, who died in December 2014. Her only son is the current ruler of Fujairah, HH Sheikh Hamad Al Sharqi and his children include, Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince and President of the Executive Board. Sheikh Ahmed bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Economic Department, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Information. Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Ajman Municipality and Planning and Chief of Ajman Club, head of R Holding
7.
Arabic
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Arabic is a Central Semitic language that was first spoken in Iron Age northwestern Arabia and is now the lingua franca of the Arab world. Arabic is also the language of 1.7 billion Muslims. It is one of six languages of the United Nations. The modern written language is derived from the language of the Quran and it is widely taught in schools and universities, and is used to varying degrees in workplaces, government, and the media. The two formal varieties are grouped together as Literary Arabic, which is the language of 26 states. Modern Standard Arabic largely follows the standards of Quranic Arabic. Much of the new vocabulary is used to denote concepts that have arisen in the post-Quranic era, Arabic has influenced many languages around the globe throughout its history. During the Middle Ages, Literary Arabic was a vehicle of culture in Europe, especially in science, mathematics. As a result, many European languages have borrowed many words from it. Many words of Arabic origin are found in ancient languages like Latin. Balkan languages, including Greek, have acquired a significant number of Arabic words through contact with Ottoman Turkish. Arabic has also borrowed words from languages including Greek and Persian in medieval times. Arabic is a Central Semitic language, closely related to the Northwest Semitic languages, the Ancient South Arabian languages, the Semitic languages changed a great deal between Proto-Semitic and the establishment of the Central Semitic languages, particularly in grammar. Innovations of the Central Semitic languages—all maintained in Arabic—include, The conversion of the suffix-conjugated stative formation into a past tense, the conversion of the prefix-conjugated preterite-tense formation into a present tense. The elimination of other prefix-conjugated mood/aspect forms in favor of new moods formed by endings attached to the prefix-conjugation forms, the development of an internal passive. These features are evidence of descent from a hypothetical ancestor. In the southwest, various Central Semitic languages both belonging to and outside of the Ancient South Arabian family were spoken and it is also believed that the ancestors of the Modern South Arabian languages were also spoken in southern Arabia at this time. To the north, in the oases of northern Hijaz, Dadanitic and Taymanitic held some prestige as inscriptional languages, in Najd and parts of western Arabia, a language known to scholars as Thamudic C is attested
8.
Emirate of Sharjah
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The Emirate of Sharjah is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates. The emirate covers 2,590 square kilometres and has a population of over 800,000, the emirate of Sharjah comprises the capital city of Sharjah, after which it is named, and other minor towns and exclaves such as Kalba, Dibba Al-Hisn and Khor Fakkan. The emirate is a constitutional monarchy and it has been ruled by Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi since 1972. Historically the emirate was one of the wealthiest towns in the region, around 1727, the Al Qasimi clan took control of Sharjah and declared the polity independent. The first in a series of maritime skirmishes between the Al Qasimi and British vessels took place in 1797, when the British-flagged Bassein Snow was seized and released two days later. The cruiser Viper was subsequently attacked off Bushire, on 8 January 1820, Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi signed the General Maritime Treaty with Britain, accepting protectorate status in order to resist Ottoman domination. Like four of its neighbours, Ajman, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah, throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Sharjah was an important pearl fishing port. A British marine survey of 1830 found three to four hundred boats fishing in the season, earning the ruler 100,000 Maria Theresa Dollars, in 1932, Imperial Airways established a regular air service through Sharjah, which was an overnight stop on the Eastern British Empire route. Al Mahatta Fort was built to house the airlines guests, on 2 December 1971, Sheikh Khalid bin Muhammad Al Qasimi joined Sharjah to the United Arab Emirates. On 24 January 1972 the former ruler Sheikh Saqr staged a leftist coup, having previously deposed Saqr, Sheikh Khalid had ordered the demolition of Sharjah Fort to expiate Saqrs memory. Saqr took over Khalids palace, holding him inside and in the ensuing confusion Sheikh Khalid was killed, Saqr was arrested and Khalids brother, Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, an author and historian, came to power. In 1987 Sultans brother Abdulaziz staged a coup while Sultan was abroad, huge state debt was stated as the reason. UAE President Zayed vehemently denounced the coup, and a deal was reached for Sultan to be restored, Sultan, however, dismissed Abdulaziz quite quickly. In 1999, the Crown Prince died while on vacation in their palace in England, Sultan made the decision to testify in front of a UK court. The new Crown Prince was appointed from a branch of the family. Sharjah is the third largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates, the emirate covers 2,590 square kilometres which is equivalent to 3.3 per cent of the UAEs total area, excluding the islands. It has a population of over 800,000, the emirate of Sharjah comprises the city of Sharjah, and other minor towns and enclaves. The city of Sharjah, which overlooks the Persian Gulf, has a population of 519,000, Sharjah City borders Dubai to the south and Ajmân to the north, and the three form a conurbation
9.
Persian Gulf
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The Persian Gulf is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Hormuz, the Shatt al-Arab river delta forms the northwest shoreline. The Persian Gulf was a battlefield of the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War and it is the namesake of the 1991 Gulf War, the largely air- and land-based conflict that followed Iraqs invasion of Kuwait. The gulf has many fishing grounds, extensive coral reefs, and abundant pearl oysters, the body of water is historically and internationally known as the Persian Gulf. Some Arab governments refer to it as the Arabian Gulf or The Gulf, the name Gulf of Iran is used by the International Hydrographic Organization. The Persian Gulf is geologically young, having been formed around 15,000 years ago. Its length is 989 kilometres, with Iran covering most of the northern coast, the Persian Gulf is about 56 km wide at its narrowest, in the Strait of Hormuz. The waters are very shallow, with a maximum depth of 90 metres. Various small islands lie within the Persian Gulf, some of which are the subject of territorial disputes between the states of the region. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the Persian Gulfs southern limit as The Northwestern limit of Gulf of Oman and this limit is defined as A line joining Ràs Limah on the coast of Arabia and Ràs al Kuh on the coast of Iran. The Persian Gulf and its areas are the worlds largest single source of crude oil. Safaniya Oil Field, the worlds largest offshore oilfield, is located in the Persian Gulf, large gas finds have also been made, with Qatar and Iran sharing a giant field across the territorial median line. Using this gas, Qatar has built up a substantial liquefied natural gas, the oil-rich countries that have a coastline on the Persian Gulf are referred to as the Persian Gulf States. In 550 BC, the Achaemenid Empire established the first ancient empire in Persis, consequently, in the Greek sources, the body of water that bordered this province came to be known as the Persian Gulf. In the travel account of Pythagoras, several chapters are related to description of his travels accompanied by the Achaemenid king Darius the Great, to Susa and Persepolis, and the area is described. This water channel separates the Iran Plateau from the Arabia Plate, has enjoyed an Iranian Identity since at least 2200 years ago. Before being given its present name, the Persian Gulf was called many different names, the classical Greek writers, like Herodotus, called it the Red Sea. In Babylonian texts, it was known as the sea above Akkad, the name of the gulf, historically and internationally known as the Persian Gulf after the land of Persia, has been disputed by some Arab countries since the 1960s
10.
Ras al-Khaimah
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Ras al-Khaimah is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The current statehood is the result of the 1909 appanage from Sharjah and its name could be taken to mean headland of the small huts, which can be attributed to the indigenous buildings that existed along the coast. The emirate is in the part of the UAE, bordering Omans exclave of Musandam. It covers an area of 1,684 square km, the capital city and home of most residents is also called Ras Al Khaimah. The emirate had a population of 210,063 at the 2005 Census, latest estimates put the total population at between 250,000 and 300,000. Locals accounted for 97,529 in the estimate for 2010. The city has two sections, Old Ras Al Khaimah and Nakheel, on either side of a creek. It is served by the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport and it consists of a northern part, and a large inland exclave in the south, and a few small islands in the Persian Gulf. Ras al-Khaimah has the most fertile soil in the country, due to a share in rainfall. Ancient graves were found in the Emirate in October 2012, the city was historically known as Julfar. Further, archaeological evidence has demonstrated that the settlement known as Julfar shifted location over time as harbour channels silted up, sources say that Julfar was inhabited by the Azd during the eighth and ninth centuries AD, and that the houses of the Azd were built of wood. In the Battle of Ras Al Khaimah of 1809, the Al Qasimi fleet was largely destroyed, the British operation continued to Linga on the Persian coast which was, like the Greater and Lesser Tunbs islands, administered by the Al Qasimi. The attack on Ras Al Khaimah resulted in the destruction of the tower of the 16th century Dhayah Fort whose remains can be seen at Rams in northern Ras Al Khaimah. The treaty stipulated the end of piracy and slavery, and laid the foundation for the British protectorate over the Trucial States that lasted until 1971, in 1869, Ras Al Khaimah became fully independent from neighbouring Sharjah. However, from September 1900 to 7 July 1921, it was re-incorporated into Sharjah, on 10 February 1972, Ras al-Khaimah, under the leadership of Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammad al-Qasimi, joined the United Arab Emirates. In 1919 shifted capital to Khatt due to British burning, signed General Maritime Treaty of 1820. 1820–1866, Sheikh Sultan Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, in 1820 shifted capital to Sharjah. 1866 – May 1867, Sheikh Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, may 1867 –14 April 1868, Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi
11.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was established as a sovereign state on 1 January 1801 by the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. The growing desire for an Irish Republic led to the Irish War of Independence, Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom, and the state was consequently renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Britain financed the European coalition that defeated France in 1815 in the Napoleonic Wars, the British Empire thereby became the foremost world power for the next century. The Crimean War with Russia and the Boer wars were relatively small operations in a largely peaceful century, rapid industrialisation that began in the decades prior to the states formation continued up until the mid-19th century. A devastating famine, exacerbated by government inaction in the century, led to demographic collapse in much of Ireland. It was an era of economic modernization and growth of industry, trade and finance. Outward migration was heavy to the colonies and to the United States. Britain also built up a large British Empire in Africa and Asia, India, by far the most important possession, saw a short-lived revolt in 1857. In foreign policy Britain favoured free trade, which enabled its financiers and merchants to operate successfully in many otherwise independent countries, as in South America. Britain formed no permanent military alliances until the early 20th century, when it began to cooperate with Japan, France and Russia, and moved closer to the United States. A brief period of limited independence for Ireland came to an end following the Irish Rebellion of 1798, the British governments fear of an independent Ireland siding against them with the French resulted in the decision to unite the two countries. This was brought about by legislation in the parliaments of both kingdoms and came into effect on 1 January 1801, however, King George III was bitterly opposed to any such Emancipation and succeeded in defeating his governments attempts to introduce it. When the Treaty of Amiens ended the war, Britain agreed to return most of the territories it had seized, in May 1803, war was declared again. In 1806, Napoleon issued the series of Berlin Decrees, which brought into effect the Continental System and this policy aimed to eliminate the threat from the British by closing French-controlled territory to foreign trade. Frances population and agricultural capacity far outstripped that of the British Isles, Napoleon expected that cutting Britain off from the European mainland would end its economic hegemony. The Spanish uprising in 1808 at last permitted Britain to gain a foothold on the Continent, after Napoleons surrender and exile to the island of Elba, peace appeared to have returned. The Allies united and the armies of Wellington and Blucher defeated Napoleon once, simultaneous with the Napoleonic Wars, trade disputes, arming hostile Indians and British impressment of American sailors led to the War of 1812 with the United States. The war was little noticed in Britain, which could devote few resources to the conflict until the fall of Napoleon in 1814, American frigates inflicted a series of defeats on the Royal Navy, which was short on manpower due to the conflict in Europe
12.
Umm al-Quwain
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Umm al-Quwain is the least populous of the seven sovereign emirates in the United Arab Emirates, located in the north of the country. The emirate is ruled by Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, the emirate had 72,000 inhabitants in 2007 and has an area of 750 km2. Umm al-Quwain holds significant archaeological interest, with finds at both Tell Abraq and Al Dour. Arrowheads and other polished flint tools have been unearthed in various sites across the UAE while pieces of Ubaid pottery have been unearthed along the shores of the emirate. All evidence obtained so far indicate that contact with Mesopotamia existed as early as the 5th millennium BC as a ceramic industry did not emerge until the 3rd century BC. During the Bronze Age, semi-nomadic tribes inhabited the region, they moved in groups from place to place foraging for timber from the indigenous acacia for smelting copper, the metal was sent to all the prominent ports on the Persian Gulf, Umm Al Nar being one of them. Ties with Mesopotamia were jealously maintained and consequently the trade in copper ushered in prosperity in the region, during the Bronze Age, agriculture flourished, with dates being the prominent crop. Wheat, millet and other grains were also cultivated wherever there was water for irrigation. It is now believed that the climate during the period was more temperate than now. During the Umm al-Nar period, buildings and fortress towers came up in Umm Al Quwain, the most common buildings associated with this era are the circular burial tombs. In 1775, Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, founder of the ruling Al Mu’alla lineage of the Al Ali tribe, established an independent Sheikhdom in Umm al-Quwain. On 8 January 1820, Sheikh Abdullah I signed the General Maritime Treaty with the United Kingdom, like Ajman, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah, its position on the route to India made it important enough to be recognized as a salute state with a three gun salute. On 2 December 1971, Sheikh Ahmad II joined its neighbors Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Fujairah in forming the United Arab Emirates, the rainfall is minimal and averages 42 mm a year. The coastline experiences cooling sea breezes during the day, the UAE culture mainly revolves around the religion of Islam and traditional Arab culture. The influence of Islamic and Arab culture on its architecture, music, attire, cuisine, five times every day, Muslims are called to prayer from the minarets of mosques which are scattered around the country. Since 2006, the weekend has been Friday-Saturday, as a compromise between Fridays holiness to Muslims and the Western weekend of Saturday-Sunday. Al-Sinniyah island, close to the town of Umm al-Qaiwain is home to the UAEs largest Socotra cormorant colony, arabian gazelle have been introduced to Sinniyah and appear to be prospering. Marine life is remarkable for its abundance and diversity, blacktip reef sharks patrol the outer shoreline, while green turtles are ubiquitous in the inner leads in particular
13.
Trucial States
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The Trucial States were a group of sheikhdoms in the south-eastern Persian Gulf, previously known to the British as the Pirate Coast, which were signatories to treaties with the British government. Six were to form the United Arab Emirates on that day and this was an unclear status which fell short of a formal protectorate, but required Britain to defend them from external aggression in exchange for exclusive British rights in the states. In 1952, the Trucial States Council was established to encourage co-operation between the seven Rulers, the first in a long series of maritime skirmishes between the Al Qasimi and British vessels took place in 1797, when the British-flagged Bassein Snow was seized and released two days later. The cruiser Viper was subsequently attacked off Bushire and this version has been particularly well articulated by Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, the current Ruler of Sharjah, in his 1986 book The Myth of Arab Piracy in the Gulf. The next year,1820, a treaty was signed to which all the sheikhs of the coast adhered. On 11 January 1820, again at Ras Al Khaimah, Shakhbut bin Diyab Al Nahyan signed on behalf of his son, Tahnoon, husain bin Ali of Rams signed on the 15th. The uncle of Muhammad bin Hazza of Dubai signed on the 28th in Sharjah, the Rulers of Ajman and Umm Al Qawain acceded to the full treaty on 15 March, signing on board the ship of the commander of the British expeditionary force, Sir William Grant-Keir. The treaty was signed, at Sharjah, by the emir of Bahrain. The Sheikh of Rams lost the support of his soon after. Separate treaties in 1847 and 1856 saw treaties undertaking the abolition of slave trading and, in 1873, the sheikhs agreed not to dispose of any territory except to the United Kingdom and not to enter into relationships with any foreign government other than the United Kingdom without its consent. In return, the British promised to protect the Trucial Coast from all aggression by sea and to help in case of land attack. This treaty, the Exclusive Agreement, was signed by the Rulers of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and it was subsequently ratified by the Viceroy of India and the British Government in London. In 1968 the United Kingdom announced its intention to end its protectorate over the Trucial Coast, the other Trucial States had long been a British protectorate with the British taking care of foreign policy and defence, as well as arbitrating between the rulers of the Eastern Gulf. This changed with Harold Wilsons announcement, on 16 January 1968, the decision pitched the coastal emirates, together with Qatar and Bahrain, into fevered negotiations to fill the political vacuum that the British withdrawal would leave behind. The two agreed to work towards bringing the other emirates, including Qatar and Bahrain, into the union, over the next two years, negotiations and meetings of the rulers followed - often stormy - as a form of union was thrashed out. The nine-state union was never to recover from the October 1969 meeting where heavy-handed British intervention resulted in a walk-out by Qatar, Bahrain and Qatar were to drop out of talks, leaving only six emirates to agree on union on 18 July 1971. On 2 December 1971, Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qawain, the seventh emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, joined the UAE on 10 February 1972 following Irans seizure of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs from Ras Al Khaimah. Trucial Oman Scouts Qatar Digital Library - an online portal providing access to British Library archive materials relating to Gulf history and Arabic science
14.
Pearl hunting
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Pearl hunting is the act of recovering pearls from oysters in the sea. Pearl hunting used to be the industry in the Persian Gulf region. Before the beginning of the 20th century, the means of obtaining pearls was by manually gathering very large numbers of pearl oysters or mussels from the ocean floor or lake or river bottom. The bivalves were then brought to the surface, opened, more than a ton were searched in order to find at least 3-4 quality pearls. Because of the difficulty of diving and the nature of natural pearl growth in pearl oysters, pearls of the time were extremely rare. The Great Depression in the United States made it hard to get good prices for pearl shell, the natural pearls found from harvested oysters were a rare bonus for the divers. Many fabulous specimens were found over the years, by the 1930s, overharvesting had severely depleted the oyster beds. The government was forced to strictly regulate the harvest to prevent the oysters from becoming extinct, in the 19th century, divers in Asia had only very basic forms of technology to aid their survival at such depths. For thousands of years, most seawater pearls were retrieved by divers working in the Indian Ocean, in such as the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea. A fragment of Isidore of Charaxs Parthian itinerary was preserved in Athenaeuss 3rd-century Sophists at Dinner, Pearl divers near the Philippines were also successful at harvesting large pearls, especially in the Sulu Archipelago. In fact, pearls from the Sulu Archipelago were considered the finest of the world which were found in high bred shells in deep, clear, and rapid tidal waters. At times, the largest pearls belonged by law to the sultan, nonetheless many pearls made it out of the archipelago by stealth, ending up in the possession of the wealthiest families in Europe. Pearling was popular in Qatar, Bahrain, Japan, India, the Gulf of Mexico was particularly famous for pearling, which was originally found by the Spanish explorers. In the time of slavery in northern South America, a unique occupation amongst slaves was that of a pearl diver. A divers career was often short-lived because the waters being searched were known to be shark-infested, however, a slave who discovered a great pearl could sometimes purchase his freedom. Today, pearl diving has largely supplanted by cultured pearl farms. Particles implanted in the oyster encourage the formation of pearls, todays pearl industry produces billions of pearls every year. Ama divers still work, primarily now for the tourist industry, Pearl diving in the Ohio and Tennessee rivers of the United States still exists today
15.
Al Buraimi Governorate
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Al Buraimi is a governorate of Oman which was split from the Ad Dhahirah Region. Until October 2006, the area was part of Ad Dhahirah Region, at this time, the new governorate was created from the wilayats Al Buraymi and Mahdah. A third wilayat, Al Sunaynah was created from parts of the two, the town of Al-Buraymi is an oasis town in northwestern Oman, on the border of the United Arab Emirates. An adjacent city on the UAEs side of the border is Al Ain, for many decades there has been an open border between Al-Buraimi located in Oman and Al-Ain. Effective from 16 September 2006, this border has been relocated to an area around Hilli which is around 8 kilometers from the open border. The traditional border near Al-Ain City is now closed to all except to those with valid visas, Al-Buraimi is considerably smaller than the adjoining city of Al-Ain and is visibly less affluent. Streets in Al-Buraimi are not named and development could be considered piecemeal with large villas often appearing some metres from the roads, transport in and around Al-Buraimi is by taxis, which like the majority of taxis in Oman are coloured orange and white. Drivers accept payment in both Omani Riyals and United Arab Emirate Dirhams, a trip within the township of Al-Buraimi will generally cost no more than 5 AED/0.5 OMR to 1.5 OMR. A trip to Mahdha may cost over 50 AED /5 OMR to 10 OMR, Al-Buraimi, like the rest of Oman, features many historic forts in varying condition. The largest mosque in Al-Buraimi is the Masjid Qaboos, named after the Sultan Qaboos, there are ruins of ancient hovels and a fort in Al-Buraimi. Al-Buraimi was part of Oman from early times from around 600 AD the Azd tribes of Oman occupied the area. Then Al-Buraimi town was abandoned in the 700s, Al Nuaimi tribe, the original people of the town, rebuilt and ruled it in the 1800s to the 1950s. It had only two rulers, Sheikh Sulṭan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al-Hamood Al Qurtasi Al Naimi, then Sheikh Saqer bin Sulṭan bin Moḥammed Al Hamood Al Qurtasi Al Naimi, Zayed was raised in a fortified house in the Muwaiji district of Al-Ain. Since 1761, Abu Dhabi was ruled by sheikhs of the Al Abu Falah dynasty, the Saudis relied on historical precedent and tax records. Their claim was backed by the American oil company Aramco, which provided logistics and these were supported by two frigates. These forces were used to blockade the Saudi contingent, with attempts to reinforce them seeing truck convoys, a standstill agreement was implemented and, on 30 July 1954, it was agreed to refer the dispute to an international arbitration tribunal. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia embarked on a campaign of bribery to obtain declarations of loyalty on which its case was based. This campaign even extended to Shaikh Zayed bin Sulṭan al Nahayan, brother of Sh Shakhbout, Zayed reportedly turned down an offer of $20,000,000
16.
Date palm
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Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, the species is widely cultivated and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Date trees typically reach about 21–23 metres in height, growing singly or forming a clump with stems from a single root system. The leaves are 4–6 metres long, with spines on the petiole, the leaflets are 30 cm long and 2 cm wide. The full span of the ranges from 6–10 m. The species name dactylifera date-bearing comes from the Greek words daktylos, which date, and fero. Dates have been a food of the Middle East and the Indus Valley for thousands of years. There is archaeological evidence of cultivation in eastern Arabia between 5530 and 5320 calBC. They are believed to have originated around what is now Iraq, the Ancient Egyptians used the fruits to make date wine, and ate them at harvest. There is also evidence of date cultivation in Mehrgarh around 7000 BCE. Evidence of cultivation is found throughout later civilizations in the Indus Valley. In later times, traders spread dates around South West Asia, northern Africa, dates were introduced into Mexico and California by the Spaniards in 1765, around Mission San Ignacio. A date palm cultivar, known as Judean date palm is renowned for its long-lived orthodox seed and this particular seed is presently reputed to be the oldest viable seed, but the upper survival time limit of properly stored seeds remains unknown. Fossil records show that the palm has existed for at least 50 million years. The fruit is known as a date, the fruits English name, as well as the Latin species name dactylifera, both come from the Greek word for finger, dáktulos, because of the fruits elongated shape. Dates are oval-cylindrical, 3–7 cm long, and 2–3 cm diameter, dates contain a single stone about 2–2.5 cm long and 6–8 mm thick. Three main cultivar groups of date exist, soft, semi-dry, the type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose, and sucrose content. The date palm is dioecious, having male and female plants
17.
Wahhabism
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Wahhabism is an Islamic doctrine and religious movement founded by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. The term Wahhabi is often used polemically and adherents commonly reject its use, the movement emphasises the principle of tawhid. Wahhabism is named after a preacher and activist, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. The alliance between followers of ibn Abd al-Wahhab and Muhammad bin Sauds successors proved to be a durable one, today Ibn Abd Al-Wahhabs teachings are the official, state-sponsored form of Sunni Islam in Saudi Arabia. With the help of funding from Saudi petroleum exports, the movement underwent explosive growth beginning in the 1970s, However, Wahhabism has also been called a particular orientation within Salafism, or an ultra-conservative, Saudi brand of Salafism. Estimates of the number of adherents to Wahhabism vary, with one giving a figure of fewer than 5 million Wahhabis in the Persian Gulf region. The majority of mainstream Sunni and Shia Muslims worldwide strongly disagree with the interpretation of Wahhabism, Islamic scholars, including those from the Al-Azhar University, regularly denounce Wahhabism with terms such as Satanic faith. It has also criticized for the destruction of historic shrines of saints, mausoleums. A misguided creed that fosters intolerance, promotes simplistic theology, and restricts Islams capacity for adaption to diverse, a term used by opponents of Salafism in hopes of besmirching that movement by suggesting foreign influence and conjuring up images of Saudi Arabia. The term is most frequently used in countries where Salafis are a minority of the Muslim community but have made recent inroads in converting the local population to Salafism. The British also adopted it and expanded its use in the Middle East, Wahhabis do not like – or at least did not like – the term. Ibn Abd-Al-Wahhab was averse to the elevation of scholars and other individuals, according to Robert Lacey the Wahhabis have always disliked the name customarily given to them and preferred to be called Muwahhidun. Another preferred term was simply Muslims since their creed is pure Islam, However, critics complain these terms imply non-Wahhabis are not monotheists or Muslims, and the English translation of that term causes confusion with the Christian denomination. Early Salafis referred to simply as Muslims, believing the neighboring Ottoman Caliphate was al-dawlah al-kufriyya. The prominent 20th-century Muslim scholar Nasiruddin Albani, who considered himself of the Salaf, a New York Times journalist writes that Saudis abhor the term Wahhabism, feeling it sets them apart and contradicts the notion that Islam is a monolithic faith. Ingrid Mattson argues that, Wahhbism is not a sect and it is a social movement that began 200 years ago to rid Islam of rigid cultural practices that had acquired over the centuries. Journalist Karen House calls Salafi, a politically correct term for Wahhabi. In any case, according to Lacey, none of the terms have caught on
18.
Sharjah
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Sharjah is the third largest and third most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula, Sharjah is the capital of the emirate of Sharjah. Sharjah has been ruled by the Al Qasimi dynasty since the 18th century, the city is a centre for culture and industry, and alone contributes 7. 4% of the GDP of the United Arab Emirates. The city covers an area of 235 km² and has a population of over 800,000. This has helped Sharjah increase the number of Islamic tourists who visit the country, Sharjah has been officially named as a WHO healthy city. The 2016 edition of QS Best Student Cities ranked Sharjah as the 68th best city in the world to be a university student. Sharjah is regarded as the capital of the UAE, and was the Islamic culture capital in 2014 Sharjah is the third largest city in the United Arab Emirates after Dubai. The palace of the ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi is located about 20 kilometres southeast of the city, the city of Sharjah overlooks the Persian Gulf and has a population of over 800,000. Distinctive landmarks include two major covered souks, reflecting Islamic design, and a number of areas and public parks such as Al Montazah Fun Park. The city is notable for its numerous elegant mosques. After the construction boom took place in Dubai in 2005, towering skyscrapers and modern buildings were constructed in areas like Al Khan. These modern tall buildings and the subsequent increase in population coupled with inadequate infrastructure made Sharjah suffer from traffic jams and this was also due to its location between the northeastern emirates and Dubai. Many Sharjah residents travel 15 km to visit Dubai on the weekend, Sharjah is bordered by the cities of Dubai and Ajmān and is about 170 km away from the capital city Abu Dhabi. In the early 18th century, the Qawasim clan established itself in Sharjah, on 8 January 1820, Sheikh Sultan I signed the General Maritime Treaty with Britain, accepting a protectorate to keep the Ottoman Turks out. Like four of its neighbours, Ajman, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah, on 2 December 1971, Sharjah, together with Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Umm Al Qawain and Fujairah joined in the Act of Union to form the United Arab Emirates. The seventh emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, joined the UAE on 10 February 1972, many of these items feature subjects unrelated to the emirates whose names they bear, and therefore many popular catalogues do not list them. Other researchers link the word Sharqah to the fact that the city is located to the Sharq, or east, of Dubai, hence the Arabic classical form of Sharjah is Al Shareqah. It is the form that is Al Sharjah
19.
Sohar
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Suhar is the capital and largest city of the Al Batinah North Governorate in the Sultanate of Oman. An ancient capital of the country that served as an important Islamic port town. According to the 2010 census, Suhars population was 140,006, the development of the Sohar Industrial Port during the 2000s has transformed it into a major Omani industrial hub. As the largest town in the region, it has argued that Suhar is identified with the ancient town called Omana mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History. This settlement is believed to have given Oman its name, a large majority of the people of Suhar come from the tribe known as Al-Alawi. The oldest person known to be of this tribe is Sheikh Ahmad Saeed Msallam, Suhar is currently experiencing significant investment and economic shifts making it the focus of attention of many local and international investors and businessmen. This change is due to a series of investment projects and economic giant in Suhar industrial area where Port of Sohar is located, established in 2002, the port has a strategic importance due to its nearness to the Strait of Hormuz. It is operated by Sohar Industrial Port Company and it is considered a world class port, with current investments exceeding $12 billion, it is one of the world’s largest port development projects. The Omani government has paid attention to the city of Sohar. The goal of the Omani government is to make Sohar a business and industrial hub, in order for the Omani economy to achieve this economic diversification, the Omani government is investing in a number of projects in the industrial area of Suhar. For example, it is investing more than $5 billion in the industry in which Oman aims to be one of the Gulf Cooperation Councils leading producers. In addition to the industry, there is also the industry of aluminium in Suhar industrial area. Sohar Aluminium Company was established in 2004 and it is considered one of the projects that play a major role in the sultanate’s economic diversification strategy. Suhar has four high educational institutes, Sohar University - a private university in association with the University of Queensland, Sohar College of Applied Sciences - a government owned college. Oman Medical College - a private university in association with West Virginia University School of Medicine, precipitation is low, more than half of the years total rainfall falls in February, and summers are almost completely dry. The first is Sohar Park, located in Al Humbar, the second is the Silver Jubilee Park which is located in Sallan. The third is the Entertainment Park in Sanaiyyah, the city has the Sohar Regional Sports Complex and the Sohar Plaza- City Cinema. Globe Roundabout Sultan Qaboos Mosque Sohar Sohar Gate Bahjat Al Anthar Sohar Fort Bull Fighting Arena Handcrafts Market Fish Market Sohar Amusement Center, railway stations in Oman - planned 2015 Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs
20.
Abu Dhabi
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Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second most populous city of the United Arab Emirates, and also capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the UAEs seven emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the western coast. The city proper had a population of 1.5 million in 2014, Abu Dhabi houses federal government offices, is the seat of the United Arab Emirates Government, home to the Abu Dhabi Emiri Family and the President of the UAE, who is from this family. Abu Dhabis rapid development and urbanisation, coupled with the high average income of its population, has transformed the city into a large. Today the city is the center of political and industrial activities. Abu Dhabi accounts for about two-thirds of the roughly $400-billion United Arab Emirates economy, Abu Dhabi is the fourth most expensive city for expatriate employees in the region, and in 2014 was the 68th most expensive big city in the world. Abu Dhabi is full of evidence that points to civilizations, such as the Umm an-Nar Culture. Settlements were also found farther outside the city of Abu Dhabi. There is evidence of civilizations around the mountain of Hafeet and this location is very strategic because it is the UAE’s second tallest mountain, so it would have great visibility. It also contains a lot of moisture in its springs and lakes, origin of the name Abu Dhabi The origin of the name Abu Dhabi is uncertain. Meaning Father of the Gazelle, when translated from Arabic. According to Bilal al-Budoor, assistant under-secretary for Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, The area had a lot of dhibaa, an old story tells about a man who used to chase deer and was named the father of the animal. Abu Dhabis original name was Milh salt, possibly referring to the salty water of the Persian Gulf, some Bedouins called the city Umm Dhabi, while British records refer to the place as Abu Dhabi. According to some accounts, the name Abu Dhabi was first used more than 300 years ago. The first word of Abu Dhabi is pronounced Bu by inhabitants on the western coast. In the eastern part of the city, the pronunciation is Abu, origins of the Al Nahyan family The Bani Yas bedouin were originally centered on the Liwa Oasis. This tribe was the most significant in the area, having over 20 subsections, in 1793, the Al Bu Falah subsection migrated to the island of Abu Dhabi on the coast of the Persian Gulf due to the discovery of fresh water there. One family within this section was the Al Nahyan family and this family makes up the rulers of Abu Dhabi today
21.
Muscat
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Muscat is the capital and largest metropolitan city of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information, the total population of Muscat Governorate reached 1.56 million as of September 2015. The metropolitan area spans approximately 3,500 km2 and includes six provinces called wilayats, a regional military power in the 18th century, Muscats influence extended as far as East Africa and Zanzibar. As an important port-town in the Gulf of Oman, Muscat attracted foreign tradesmen and settlers such as the Persians and the Balochis. Since the ascension of Qaboos bin Said as Sultan of Oman in 1970, Muscat has experienced rapid development that has led to the growth of a vibrant economy. The rocky Western Al Hajar Mountains dominate the landscape of Muscat, the city lies on the Arabian Sea along the Gulf of Oman and is in the proximity of the strategic Straits of Hormuz. Low-lying white buildings typify most of Muscats urban landscape, while the port-district of Muttrah, with its corniche and harbour, Muscats economy is dominated by trade, petroleum and porting. Ptolemys Map of Arabia identifies the territories of Cryptus Portus and Moscha Portus, scholars are divided in opinion on which of the two related to the city of Muscat. Similarly, Arrianus references Omana and Moscha in Voyage of Nearchus, interpretations of Arrianus work by William Vincent and Jean Baptiste Bourguignon dAnville conclude that Omana was a reference to Oman, while Moscha referred to Muscat. Similarly, other scholars identify Pliny the Elders reference to Amithoscuta to be Muscat, the origin of the word Muscat is disputed. Some authors claim that the word has Arabic origins – from moscha, other authors claim that the name Muscat means anchorage or the place of letting fall the anchor. Other derivations include muscat from Old Persian, meaning strong-scented, or from Arabic, meaning falling-place, Cryptus Portus is synonymous with Oman. But Ov-man, and the old Sumerian name Magan, means sea-people in Arabic, an inhabitant is a Muscatter, Muscatian, Muscatite or Muscatan. Evidence of communal activity in the area around Muscat dates back to the 6th millennium BCE in Ras al-Hamra, the graves appear to be well formed and indicate the existence of burial rituals. South of Muscat, remnants of Harappan pottery indicate some level of contact with the Indus Valley Civilisation. Muscats notability as a port was acknowledged as early as the 1st century CE by the Greek geographer Ptolemy, who referred to it as Cryptus Portus, and by Pliny the Elder, who called it Amithoscuta. The port fell to a Sassanid invasion in the 3rd century CE, under the rule of Shapur I, Muscats importance as a trading port continued to grow in the centuries that followed, under the influence of the Azd dynasty, a local tribe. The establishment of the First Imamate in the 9th century CE was the first step in consolidating disparate Omani tribal factions under the banner of an Ibadi state, however, tribal skirmishes continued, allowing the Abbasids of Baghdad to conquer Oman
22.
Al Heera
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Al Heera is a suburb in Northern Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, traditionally home to the Darawishah, part of the Al Bu Shamis section of the Naim tribe. At one stage declaring its independence from Sharjah, with its own Sheikh, a coastal enclave with a small harbour used by a number of fishermen and pleasure boat owners, its main distinguishing feature today is its police station. Little remains today to mark where the settlement existed. Rather charmingly, Al Heera is first mentioned in British records of 1830, The people of Heera, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggur of his own accord compels full restitution of the property and punishes the perpetrators. Almost a century later, they were still a lively bunch, the head of the Al Bu Shamis, Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad, briefly deposed Humaid bin Abdulaziz Al Nuami, the ruler of neighbouring emirate Ajman, on 15 June 1920. He was convinced to leave by the British Residency Agent in Sharjah, at the time Al Heera was quite a large coastal pearling village of about 250 houses. He ruled Al Heera until his death in 1942
23.
Monarchy
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The actual power of the monarch may vary from purely symbolic, to partial and restricted, to completely autocratic. Traditionally and in most cases, the monarchs post is inherited and lasts until death or abdication, occasionally this might create a situation of rival claimants whose legitimacy is subject to effective election. Finally, there have been cases where the term of a reign is either fixed in years or continues until certain goals are achieved. Thus there are widely divergent structures and traditions defining monarchy, Monarchy was the most common form of government until the 19th century, but it is no longer prevalent. Currently,47 sovereign nations in the world have monarchs acting as heads of state,19 of which are Commonwealth realms that recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state. The monarchs of Cambodia, Japan, and Malaysia reign, the word monarch comes from the Greek language word μονάρχης, monárkhēs which referred to a single, at least nominally absolute ruler. In current usage the word usually refers to a traditional system of hereditary rule. Depending on the held by the monarch, a monarchy may be known as a kingdom, principality, duchy, grand duchy, empire, tsardom, emirate, sultanate, khaganate. The form of societal hierarchy known as chiefdom or tribal kingship is prehistoric, the Greek term monarchia is classical, used by Herodotus. The monarch in classical antiquity is often identified as king, the Chinese, Japanese and Nepalese monarchs continued to be considered living Gods into the modern period. Since antiquity, monarchy has contrasted with forms of democracy, where power is wielded by assemblies of free citizens. In antiquity, monarchies were abolished in favour of such assemblies in Rome, much of 19th century politics was characterised by the division between anti-monarchist Radicalism and monarchist Conservativism. Many countries abolished the monarchy in the 20th century and became republics, advocacy of republics is called republicanism, while advocacy of monarchies is called monarchism. In the modern era, monarchies are more prevalent in small states than in large ones, most monarchs, both historically and in the modern day, have been born and brought up within a royal family, the centre of the royal household and court. Growing up in a family, future monarchs are often trained for the responsibilities of expected future rule. Different systems of succession have been used, such as proximity of blood, primogeniture, and agnatic seniority. While most monarchs have been male, many female monarchs also have reigned in history, rule may be hereditary in practice without being considered a monarchy, such as that of family dictatorships or political families in many democracies. The principal advantage of hereditary monarchy is the continuity of leadership
24.
Crown prince
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A crown prince or crown princess is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a prince is also titled crown princess. The term is now borne as a title mainly in Asia, Scandinavia, and the Middle East, however, heirs apparent to non-imperial and non-royal monarchies, crown prince is not used as a title, although it is sometimes used as a synonym for heir apparent. g. Former Crown Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, compare heir apparent and heir presumptive. In Scandinavian kingdoms, the heir presumptive to the crown may hold a different title than the heir apparent and it is also the title borne by the heir apparent of Liechtenstein, as well as the heir apparent or presumptive of Monaco. It generally requires a specific conferral by the sovereign, which may be withheld, reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran. Paras, Crown Prince of Nepal Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia, Egypt, Prince of the Said, meaning Prince of Upper Egypt Persia, Pahlavi dynasty and Qajar dynasty, the full style was Vala Hazrat-i-Humayun Vali Ahd, Shahzada, i. e. His August Imperial Highness the Heir Apparent, Prince, the above component vali ahd meaning successor by virtue of a covenant was adopted by many oriental monarchies, even some non-Muslim, e. g. g. He was not necessarily the son, wonja. Southeast Asian traditions, Siam Makutrajakuman in Thailand since 1886, krom Phrarajawangboworn Sathanmongkol or Phra Maha Uparaja or commonly called Wang Na in Thailand prior to 1886. Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Anom in Yogyakarta sultanate and Surakarta, Indonesia, raja Muda or Tengku Mahkota in the Malay sultanates of Malaysia. org- here napoleonic section
25.
Federal National Council
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The Federal National Council is the federal authority of the United Arab Emirates formed to represent the general Emirati people. The FNC consist of 40 members with advisory tasks in the house of legislative council, twenty members are elected by the citizens of the UAE through the general election and the other half are elected by the electoral college and rulers of each emirate. The FNC assembly hall is located in the Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE, the National Election Committee conducts the election and is authorized to nominate the electoral college members. Any citizen can be selected as a member, the NEC was established in February 2011 by a consensus of the UAE Supreme Council and chaired by the Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs. The NEC have the authority to look after the election of representatives from all the emirates of the UAE to the Federal National Council, before 2006, all members of the FNC were picked by the Rulers of the emirates. Over the last 43 years, the FNC has discussed hundreds of issues and drafted laws concerning the people, according to the Constitution, federal draft laws first have to pass through the FNC for review and recommendations. Draft laws and amendments formed with help of specialized house committees are presented to the Council for discussion and later sent back to the Cabinet for consideration, throughout its history, the Council has influenced the Federal Government to draft laws. Original draft laws from the Cabinet are amended by the Council to suit the needs of the citizens which they represent, one of the main duties of the FNC is to discuss the annual budget. Specialized sub-committees and a Research and Studies Unit have been formed to assist FNC members to cope with the demands of modern government. Not all UAE nationals are allowed to vote or run for office,6,689 out of some 800,000 Emirati citizens in the country were eligible to take part in 2006 election. Those eligible were chosen by the rulers of the emirates, women are allowed to vote and run for office but there is no quota to ensure a set number of women are elected as there is in some other Arab countries. Over 14 percent of candidates are women, by the end of 2003, all forty members of the FNC were male. Election officials billed the polls as a run they hoped will pave the way for universal suffrage in the coming years. Even then, however, only half of the FNC will be elected, in late 2006, half of the organization was elected. These elections were seen as the first steps toward Emirati democracy, in 2011, parliamentary elections had an expanded electoral college with 129,274 members, nearly 20 times more than in 2006. The new Electoral College includes about 12 per cent of UAE nationals, approximately 35 per cent of the members were under 30 years of age and 46 per cent were women. In all,468 candidates, including 85 women, stood for the elections, many candidates pledged to provide better education and health care and more housing for young UAE nationals. They also promised to strengthen the UAE identity and culture, several candidates used social media networks such as Facebook to present their plans
26.
Amtek Industries
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Amtek Industries is an UAE multinational conglomerate headquartered in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. It encompasses seven business sectors, healthcare, engineering, materials, services, real estate, textiles, consumer products, Amtek Industries was founded in 1995 by Abdul Mateen Ekkeri as a textile company. It has operations in more than 15 countries across 4 continents, the current chairman of the Amtek group is Abdul Mateen Ekkeri. The Amtek Group and its companies and enterprises is perceived to be UAEs best-known global brand within, the 2009 annual survey by the Reputation Institute ranked Amtek Industries as the 90th most reputable company in the world. The survey included 600 global companies, the Amtek group has helped establish and finance numerous quality research, educational and cultural institutes in the UAE. The group was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2007 in recognition of its history of philanthropic activities. Amtek was established as a small 1-acre factory in Ajman in 1995, in the early years, most of the products sold in the shop was for apparel fabrics. Due to these reasons, by 1997 most of the collections sold in the consisted of drapery fabrics. In 1999, the store was opened in order to sell in bulk to retailers. In the same year, the participated in the inaugural Evteks Exhibition. In 2000, the export business gathered speed with the opening of the Laleli store, later on, logistic and sales points were set up in Lithuania, Russia, Kazakhstan, Syria, and Ukraine. In 2001, company participated for the first time in the Heimtex International Exhibition, the company’s head office is still located in Ajman where most of the activities are carried out. The large part of the revenue comes from overseas activities. Amtek Hospitals is a hospital chain based in Ajman, UAE. It was founded by Abdul Mateen Ekkeri in 2003, Amtek Hospitals is a private healthcare provider in Asia with hospitals in India, Oman, UAE, Ghana, Nigeria, Mauritius, Qatar, Sudan, and Kuwait. Amtek Hospitals plan to add 2,955 beds across the Persian Gulf region in the three years. Several of the hospitals have been among the first in UAE to receive a form of international healthcare accreditation. The Amtek Group was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2007 in recognition of the long history of philanthropic activities
27.
Gulf Medical University
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Gulf Medical University, formerly known as Gulf Medical College, established in 1998, is a private university in the United Arab Emirates. It offers various courses in medicine, Gulf Medical University is the first medical school in the U. A. E to offer admission to both males and females of all nationalities. Thumbay Moideen is the Founder, President of Board of Governors of Gulf Medical University and it is owned and promoted by Thumbay Group. Prof. Hossam Hamdy is the Chancellor of GMU, and Prof. Gita Ashok Raj is the Provost, GMU was listed in Asia’s 100 best and fastest growing private education institutes by WCRC Leaders-Asia magazine. Gulf Medical University is located in the emirate of Ajman, on the western coast of the UAE, GMU was founded in 1998 as Gulf Medical College by the Thumbay Group, and offered certified courses in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Physiotherapy. The college was opened under Decree Number 1, issued on 28 January 1998, by His Highness Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al-Nuaimi, the ruler of Ajman and Member of the Supreme Council, UAE. The institution became a University in the year 2008 following a Decree by Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, today, the focus of Gulf Medical University has extended into three core areas, Medical Education, Healthcare and Research. Wireless connectivity in the campus provides access to both the internet and intranet resources for students and faculty. The Center for Advanced Simulation in Healthcare is GMUs new multidisciplinary educational facility that provides an environment to strengthen the hands-on learning experience. The labs are designed to provide high-tech simulated and virtually created hospital set-up for clinical, the center is created with specific areas that can be used for training in communication skills, demonstration and practice of clinical skills on the simulator models. Some of the simulation set-ups include, Adult ICU, Neonatal ICU, Delivery Suites, Minor Operating Theatre, General Ward, Imaging and Diagnostics, Simulation Control Rooms, etc. GMU established Centre for Advanced BioMedical Research & Innovation, a 25000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art automated interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Centre within Gulf Medical University, CABRI has funding of AED20 million. The major focus areas of Centre for Quality Enhancement are enhancement of quality dimensions in various areas of the university and its attached hospitals. The state-of-the-art GMU testing center is the latest addition to the new facilities of Gulf Medical University and this new unit is capable of accommodating placement tests, examinations or any other form of testing through a sophisticated technical set-up. With a capacity of holding up to 88 participants, the centre has all modern facilities, to meet the standards required for international testing regulations, invigilators are supported with adequate number of CCTV cameras in each testing halls. The testing center is equipped with a high-speed data processing room where post-test analysis of scores could be done or a central valuation room for the examiners to value paper based tests. The testing centre has been designed to be user-friendly to people with special needs with access through elevators and rooms possessing wide doors, the University has a series of facilities for indoor and outdoor recreational activities. The first hospital opened in Ajman in October 2002, as the first teaching hospital in the sector in the UAE
28.
Ajman International Airport
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Ajman International Airport is an upcoming international airport that will serve the emirate of Ajman, United Arab Emirates. Taking advantage of continued growth in the global and UAE aviation market, Ajman aims. to capture some of this activity for the benefit of its growing economy, the project is a $571 million investment and is projected to handle 1 million passengers a year on completion. Its expected completion date is 2018, the government of Ajman has granted Whitelake Consortium the sole concession to build and operate the proposed Ajman International Airport. To enable this project to proceed, WLC has been provided with a site within the Al Manama enclave,52 km east of Ajman City. The site is in a strategic location in the heart of the Northern Emirates. A modern state-of-the-art airport will be built to provide services to existing passenger air transport links in the UAE. The facilities of this airport have been designed, with a 4000-metre-long runway, to expand airport usage facilities to serve the needs of the air cargo and logistics, maintenance and executive aircraft operations will be created. With aviation in the Middle East growing rapidly, the operational date of Q12019. The airports construction will encourage development on the adjacent land with plans for hotels, restaurants, commercial offices, residential units, retail, educational centers, exhibition halls
29.
Cricket
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Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a cricket field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard-long pitch with a wicket at each end. One team bats, attempting to score as many runs as possible, each phase of play is called an innings. After either ten batsmen have been dismissed or a number of overs have been completed, the innings ends. The winning team is the one that scores the most runs, including any extras gained, at the start of each game, two batsmen and eleven fielders enter the field of play. The striker takes guard on a crease drawn on the four feet in front of the wicket. His role is to prevent the ball hitting the stumps by use of his bat. The other batsman, known as the non-striker, waits at the end of the pitch near the bowler. A dismissed batsman must leave the field, and a teammate replaces him, the bowlers objectives are to prevent the scoring of runs and to dismiss the batsman. An over is a set of six deliveries bowled by the same bowler, the next over is bowled from the other end of the pitch by a different bowler. If a fielder retrieves the ball enough to put down the wicket with a batsman not having reached the crease at that end of the pitch. Adjudication is performed on the field by two umpires, the laws of cricket are maintained by the International Cricket Council and the Marylebone Cricket Club. Traditionally cricketers play in all-white kit, but in limited overs cricket they wear club or team colours. In addition to the kit, some players wear protective gear to prevent injury caused by the ball. Although crickets origins are uncertain, it is first recorded in south-east England in the 16th century and it spread globally with the expansion of the British Empire, leading to the first international matches in the mid-19th century. ICC, the governing body, has over 100 members. The sport is followed primarily in Australasia, Britain, the Indian subcontinent, southern Africa, womens cricket, which is organised and played separately, has also achieved international standard. A number of words have been suggested as sources for the term cricket, in the earliest definite reference to the sport in 1598 it is called creckett. One possible source for the name is the Old English cricc or cryce meaning a crutch or staff, in Samuel Johnsons Dictionary, he derived cricket from cryce, Saxon, a stick
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Football
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Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with the foot to score a goal. Unqualified, the football is understood to refer to whichever form of football is the most popular in the regional context in which the word appears. Sports commonly called football in certain places include, association football, gridiron football, Australian rules football, rugby football and these different variations of football are known as football codes. Various forms of football can be identified in history, often as popular peasant games, contemporary codes of football can be traced back to the codification of these games at English public schools during the nineteenth century. The expanse of the British Empire allowed these rules of football to spread to areas of British influence outside of the directly controlled Empire, in 1888, The Football League was founded in England, becoming the first of many professional football competitions. During the twentieth century, several of the kinds of football grew to become some of the most popular team sports in the world. They tend to use throwing and running as the ways of moving the ball. Body tackling is a skill, and games typically involve short passages of play of 5–90 seconds. Association football, Australian rules football and Gaelic football tend to use kicking to move the ball around the pitch, body tackles are less central to the game, and players are freer to move around the field. Common rules among the sports include, Two teams of usually between 11 and 18 players, some variations that have fewer players are also popular, a clearly defined area in which to play the game. Scoring goals or points by moving the ball to an opposing teams end of the field and either into a goal area, goals or points resulting from players putting the ball between two goalposts. The goal or line being defended by the opposing team, players being required to move the ball—depending on the code—by kicking, carrying, or hand-passing the ball. Players using only their body to move the ball, in all codes, common skills include passing, tackling, evasion of tackles, catching and kicking. In most codes, there are rules restricting the movement of players offside, there are conflicting explanations of the origin of the word football. It is widely assumed that the word refers to the action of the foot kicking a ball. There is an explanation, which is that football originally referred to a variety of games in medieval Europe. There is no evidence for either explanation. The Ancient Greeks and Romans are known to have played ball games
United Arab Emirates
Ajman
Ajman travel guide from Wikivoyage
Ajman
