United Arab Emirates
Asia · Abu Dhabi · AE
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates occupying the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, where the Persian Gulf meets the Gulf of Oman. In barely fifty years, the UAE has transformed from a collection of pearl-diving and trading settlements into one of the most architecturally ambitious and economically diversified nations on the planet. Dubai has become synonymous with vertical excess and futuristic urban planning, while Abu Dhabi has pursued a more measured cultural investment strategy through institutions like the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the planned Zayed National Museum. The emirates beyond Dubai and Abu Dhabi — Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah — retain quieter identities shaped by fishing, dhow-building, and mountain agriculture. The desert interior holds Bedouin heritage sites and sweeping dune seas, while the eastern coast along the Gulf of Oman offers a mountainous counterpoint to the flat Gulf shoreline.
Overview
United Arab Emirates is a country in Asia. Its capital is Abu Dhabi and the international dialling code is +971. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Arabic. Local currency is the UAE Dirham (AED). Our guide covers 2 airports, including Dubai International Airport, Zayed International Airport. We also list 2 cities in United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Dubai's Architectural Ambitions and Urban Transformation
Dubai's skyline is a testament to what happens when petroleum wealth meets relentless ambition, producing a cityscape that feels more like a concept rendering than an existing place. The Burj Khalifa, at over 828 meters, remains the tallest structure ever built, while the Palm Jumeirah extends into the Gulf as a tree-shaped artificial archipelago visible from space. The Museum of the Future, a torus-shaped building wrapped in Arabic calligraphy, represents the city's bid to position itself as a hub for innovation and space exploration. Yet beneath the spectacle, older neighborhoods like Al Fahidi and Satwa preserve the memory of Dubai's pre-oil identity through wind-tower houses, Indian and Pakistani spice souks, and creekside restaurants serving machboos and luqaimat. The juxtaposition of traditional dhow wharves against glass-and-steel towers along Dubai Creek captures the city's dual personality better than any brochure.
Abu Dhabi's Cultural District and Island Landscape
Abu Dhabi, the capital and wealthiest emirate, has channeled significant resources into creating a world-class cultural precinct on Saadiyat Island. The Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Jean Nouvel, features a massive perforated dome that casts a rain of light across its galleries, housing art that traces human creativity across civilizations from prehistory to the contemporary era. The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, under construction as of recent years, promises to be the largest of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation's international locations. Beyond the cultural institutions, Abu Dhabi maintains a more relaxed pace than its northern neighbor, with the Corniche waterfront stretching for several kilometers and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — one of the largest mosques in the world — gleaming white against the desert sky with its gold-topped minarets and vast marble courtyard.
Ras Al Khaimah's Mountains and Adventure Terrain
While Dubai and Abu Dhabi dominate international attention, the northernmost emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has quietly developed an adventure tourism identity built around the Hajar Mountains. Jebel Jais, the highest peak in the UAE at nearly 1,934 meters, hosts the world's longest zipline, where riders reach speeds over 150 kilometers per hour across deep wadis. The mountain roads wind through terraced farms and abandoned stone villages that hint at the region's pre-modern agrarian life. Below the peaks, Wadi Shawka offers year-round kayaking and hiking through a canyon where emerald pools sit beneath cliffs of exposed limestone. The emirate's coastline, less developed than Dubai's, provides quieter beach resorts along the Gulf, and the Al Marjan Island development in Ras Al Khaimah is emerging as a more affordable alternative to the flashy properties further south.
Sharjah's Museums and Art Heritage
Sharjah, the cultural capital of the Arab world as designated by UNESCO, has invested heavily in museums, galleries, and heritage preservation in ways that distinguish it sharply from its flashier neighbors. The Sharjah Art Museum hosts rotating exhibitions of Arab and international contemporary art, while the Sharjah Heritage Area preserves restored wind-tower houses, coffee museums, and traditional souks organized by trade. The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization houses one of the most comprehensive collections of Islamic art in the Gulf, with artifacts spanning centuries and continents. Unlike Dubai, Sharjah enforces strict cultural codes that reflect its emphasis on tradition and education, creating a distinctly different atmosphere. The emirate's archaeological sites, including the Bronze Age necropolis of Al Thuqeibat and the Iron Age irrigation systems at Mleiha, reveal that human habitation here stretches back thousands of years beyond the modern development.
Fujairah's Eastern Coast and Dhow Culture
Fujairah is the only emirate situated entirely on the Gulf of Oman rather than the Persian Gulf, giving it a mountainous eastern coastline and a maritime culture oriented toward the Indian Ocean trade routes rather than the Gulf. The port of Fujairah has historically been a vital anchorage for dhows trading with the Indian subcontinent, East Africa, and the wider Indian Ocean world, and traditional wooden vessels can still be seen being constructed and loaded at the waterfront. Al Bidyah Mosque, the oldest surviving mosque in the UAE, dates to the fifteenth century and features distinctive mud-brick construction with a single square minaret. The coastal village of Khor Fakkan, a Sharjah exclave surrounded by Fujairah territory, sits in a dramatic bay backed by steep mountains and offers some of the most scenic snorkeling and diving along the eastern seaboard.
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- Capital
- Abu Dhabi
- Currency
- UAE Dirham (AED)
- Languages
- Arabic
- Calling code
- +971
- Internet TLD
- ae
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter United Arab Emirates.
Which nationalities can enter United Arab Emirates?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (2)
All airports →Cities (2)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit United Arab Emirates?
For the origins we track, United Arab Emirates requires a visa for tourism (Australia: visa on arrival, Canada: visa on arrival, France: visa on arrival, Germany: visa on arrival and India: visa required). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of United Arab Emirates?
Abu Dhabi is the capital of United Arab Emirates, and the country sits in Asia.
What currency is used in United Arab Emirates?
You pay with UAE Dirham (AED) in United Arab Emirates. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in United Arab Emirates?
The languages we list for United Arab Emirates are Arabic. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for United Arab Emirates?
The dialling code for United Arab Emirates is +971 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve United Arab Emirates?
We cover 2 airports for United Arab Emirates, including Dubai International Airport (DXB), Zayed International Airport (AUH).
Which cities in United Arab Emirates do you cover?
Our guide lists 2 cities for United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi (capital) and Dubai.