A very old land and a young country
People have lived in this corner of Arabia for a remarkably long time. Stone tools found at Faya in Sharjah show that early humans were here more than 200,000 years ago. Bronze Age tombs still stand on the slopes of Jebel Hafeet, and oasis farming in places like Al Ain goes back thousands of years.
For centuries, life here depended on a few things: date palms and water in the oases, camels and herding in the desert, and fishing, trading and pearl diving along the coast. Pearling was the backbone of the coastal economy until the early 20th century, when cultured pearls from Japan caused the trade to collapse.
Oil was discovered in the mid-20th century and changed everything. On 2 December 1971, six emirates came together to form the United Arab Emirates, led by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Dubai. Ras Al Khaimah joined early in 1972, making seven. National Day, now called Eid Al Etihad, is still celebrated every 2 December.
Bedouin roots and traditions
Many traditions you will see today come from Bedouin and coastal life. Falconry is a treasured heritage sport, and falcons are so valued they have their own hospitals. Camel racing is still popular in winter. The majlis, a sitting room for guests and community discussion, remains at the heart of social life.
Hospitality is a serious matter. Guests are greeted with gahwa, a light Arabic coffee flavoured with cardamom and sometimes saffron, poured from a dallah pot into small cups and served with dates. Arabic coffee is recognised by UNESCO as part of the intangible cultural heritage of the region.
Food to try
- Machboos: spiced rice with meat or fish, the closest thing to a national dish.
- Harees: slow-cooked wheat and meat, especially popular during Ramadan.
- Luqaimat: crisp little dumplings drizzled with date syrup.
- Balaleet: sweet vermicelli with saffron and cardamom, topped with an omelette, often eaten at breakfast.
- Dates: dozens of varieties, best tried at a date market or with a cup of gahwa.
You will also eat extremely well from the cuisines of the many communities who live here, from South Asian and Levantine to Persian, Filipino and East African.
Architecture to look for
Before air conditioning, houses were built to keep cool. Look for barjeel (wind towers) that catch breezes and push them down into the rooms, thick walls of coral stone or mud brick, and shaded courtyards. You can see them in Al Fahidi in Dubai and the Heart of Sharjah.
Useful Arabic
English is spoken almost everywhere, but a few words of Arabic are always appreciated.
| Arabic | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| مرحبا | Marhaba | Hello. The everyday greeting you will hear everywhere, from hotel lobbies to taxi ranks. |
| شكراً | Shukran | Thank you. A little Arabic goes a long way, and this is the one to learn first. |
| السلام عليكم | As-salamu alaykum | Peace be upon you. The traditional greeting. The reply is wa alaykum as-salam. |
| يلا | Yalla | Come on, let's go. Used by everyone in the UAE, whatever their first language. |
| إن شاء الله | Inshallah | God willing. Said about anything in the future, from tomorrow's meeting to next year's holiday. |
| قهوة | Gahwa | Coffee. Emirati coffee is light, spiced with cardamom and served in tiny cups with dates. |
| مجلس | Majlis | A sitting room or gathering place, where guests are welcomed and community matters are discussed. |
| فلج | Falaj | An ancient irrigation channel that carries water to oasis farms. You can still see them in Al Ain. |
| برجيل | Barjeel | A wind tower. The traditional way to cool a house, still standing in Al Fahidi in Dubai. |
| خلاص | Khalas | Finished, enough, done. Very handy, and you will hear it many times a day. |
| رمضان كريم | Ramadan Kareem | A greeting for the holy month of Ramadan, meaning roughly "generous Ramadan". |
| ما شاء الله | Mashallah | What God has willed. Said to express admiration or praise, for a new baby or a beautiful view. |