United Arab Emirates - Location, size, and extent



Comprising a total area of approximately 82,880 sq km (32,00 sq mi), including some 6,000 sq km (2,300 sq mi) of islands, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in the eastern Arabian Peninsula, consists of seven states: Abu Dhabi, or Abu Zaby; Dubai, or Dubayy); Sharjah; Ra's al-Khaimah, or Ra's al-Khaymah; Fujairah, or Al-Fujayrah; Umm al-Qaiwain, or Umm al-Qaywayn; and 'Ajman. Comparatively, the area occupied by United Arab Emirates is slightly smaller than the state of Maine. Extending 544 km (338 mi) NE SW and 361 km (224 mi) SE NW , the United Arab Emirates is bordered on the N by the Persian (or Arabian) Gulf, on the E by Oman, on the S and W by Sa'udi Arabia, and on the NW by Qatar, with a total boundary length of 2,185 km (1,358 mi), including a coastline of 1,318 km (819 mi).

In the late 1970s, Sa'udi Arabia and Qatar reportedly reached a boundary agreement according to which a narrow corridor of land was ceded by Abu Dhabi, thus allowing Sa'udi Arabia access to the Gulf near the Khawr Duwayhin and eradicating the former Qatar-UAE frontier. However, through 2002, no documents attesting to the accord had been submitted to the UN. The remainder of the boundary with Sa'udi Arabia is not yet fully demarcated. A 1999 border treaty with Oman was expected to go into effect in late 2002.

The UAE's capital city, Abu Dhabi, is located on the Persian Gulf.

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: