United Arab Emirates, a country study Federal Research Division United Arab Emirates, a country study Table of Contents United Arab Emirates, a country study..................................................................................................................1 Federal Research Division.............................................................................................................................2 Foreword........................................................................................................................................................5 Preface............................................................................................................................................................6 Chapter 1. Historical Setting..........................................................................................................................7 THE GULF IN THE ANCIENT WORLD....................................................................................................8 Sunni Islam....................................................................................................................................................9 The Spread of Islam.....................................................................................................................................10 THE AGE OF COLONIALISM..................................................................................................................11 TREATIES WITH THE BRITISH..............................................................................................................13 INDEPENDENCE.......................................................................................................................................15 PERSIAN GULF STATES — United Arab Emirates.................................................................................18 Foreword......................................................................................................................................................19 Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................................20 Preface..........................................................................................................................................................21 Introduction..................................................................................................................................................22 Chapter 1. Historical Setting........................................................................................................................28 TRADE IN THE GULF...............................................................................................................................29 THE GULF IN THE ANCIENT WORLD..................................................................................................31 EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAM......................................................................................................32 Sunni Islam..................................................................................................................................................34 Shia Islam.....................................................................................................................................................35 The Spread of Islam.....................................................................................................................................37 THE GULF IN THE MIDDLE AGES........................................................................................................38 THE AGE OF COLONIALISM..................................................................................................................40 WAHHABI ISLAM AND THE GULF.......................................................................................................42 TREATIES WITH THE BRITISH..............................................................................................................43 DISCOVERY OF OIL.................................................................................................................................45 INDEPENDENCE.......................................................................................................................................46 DEVELOPMENTS SINCE INDEPENDENCE..........................................................................................49 TRIBAL NATURE OF GULF SOCIETY...................................................................................................51 Chapter 5. United Arab Emirates.................................................................................................................53 COUNTRY..................................................................................................................................................54 SOCIETY.....................................................................................................................................................55 ECONOMY.................................................................................................................................................56 TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS........................................................................57 GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS.............................................................................................................58 NATIONAL SECURITY............................................................................................................................59 United Arab Emirates — Geography...........................................................................................................60 United Arab Emirates — Population...........................................................................................................61 United Arab Emirates — Religion...............................................................................................................62 United Arab Emirates — Education............................................................................................................63 United Arab Emirates — Status of Women.................................................................................................64 United Arab Emirates — Health and Welfare.............................................................................................65 United Arab Emirates — Economy.............................................................................................................66 Oil and Natural Gas......................................................................................................................................68 Abu Dhabi....................................................................................................................................................69 Dubayy.........................................................................................................................................................70 i United Arab Emirates, a country study Table of Contents United Arab Emirates, a country study Sharjah.........................................................................................................................................................71 Other Amirates.............................................................................................................................................72 Industry........................................................................................................................................................73 Dubayy.........................................................................................................................................................74 Abu Dhabi....................................................................................................................................................75 The Northern Amirates................................................................................................................................76 Electricity and Water...................................................................................................................................77 Labor............................................................................................................................................................78 Transportation..............................................................................................................................................79 Telecommunications....................................................................................................................................80 Agriculture and Forestry..............................................................................................................................81 Fishing..........................................................................................................................................................82 Banking and Finance....................................................................................................................................83 Budget..........................................................................................................................................................85 Trade............................................................................................................................................................86