UAE

The United Arab Emirates, sometimes simply called the Emirates or the UAE, is a country located in the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south, as well as sharing sea borders with Qatar and Iran. In 2013, the UAE's total population was 9.2 million, of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates.

Nestled among stunning dunes, Arabian Nights Village harnesses the soul

 and essence of old Arabia. Conceived to let visitors experience the mythical and 

timeless beauty of the desert and aspects of traditional Emirati life. 

The desert journey begins as experienced guides transport guests over 

towering dunes. As they approach the village – which emerges surprisingly 

from a gigantic dune valley – guests enter a picturesque courtyard 

overlooked by two traditional-styled watchtowers - Zakher and Al Manhal - 

each named after residences of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, 

The Father of the Nation.

With lots of desert activities available for the whole family, 

guests can ride camels or rev-up quad bikes to surmount towering crescents. 

Serving a mix of Arabic and international Cuisine, the Al Maqam restaurant 

(meaning ‘The Gathering Place’), is where visitors meet and eat together, 

while listening to traditional Arabic music. 

Established in December 1971, the country is a federation of seven emirates. Each emirate is governed by an absolute monarch who jointly form the Federal Supreme Council, the highest legislative and executive body in the country. One of the monarchs is selected as the President of the United Arab Emirates. The constituent emirates are Abu Dhabi (which serves as the capital), Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain. Islam is the official religion of the UAE, and Arabic is the official language.

This architectural work of art is one the world’s largest mosques,with a capacity for an astonishing 40,000 worshippers.
It features 82 domes, over a 1,000 columns, 24 carat gold gilded chandeliers and the 

world's largest hand knotted carpet. The main prayer hall is dominated by one of the world’s largest chandeliers –10 metres in diameter, 15 metres in height and weighing twelve tonnes. The mosque's first ceremony 

was the funeral of its namesake, Sheikh Zayed, who is buried at the site.

Reflective pools surround the mosque, amplifying its beauty. The striking white and gold colours shining in the sun are transformed at night by a unique lighting system which reflects the phases of the moon.

The UAE's oil reserves are the seventh-largest in the world, while its natural gas reserves are the world's seventeenth largest. The late 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 UAE's economy is the most diversified in the Gulf Cooperation Council, with its most populous city, Dubai in particular developing into a global hub for tourism, retail, and finance. Nevertheless, the country remains extremely reliant on petroleum and natural gas; more than 85% of the economy was based on the oil exports in 2009, while oil exports accounted for 77% of the state budget in 2011. The UAE's rising international profile have led some analysts to identify it as a regional and middle power.