United Arab Emirates - Political Divisions

Political Divisions

See also: List of cities in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates is divided into seven emirates. Abu Dhabi is the most populated Emirate with 38% of the UAE population. The city of Dubai has a further 30%, so over two-thirds of the UAE population live in either Abu Dhabi or Dubai.

Abu Dhabi has an area of 67,340 square kilometres, which is 86.7% of the country’s total area, excluding the islands. It has a coastline extending for more than 400 kilometres and is divided for administrative purposes into three major regions. The Emirate of Dubai extends along the Persian Gulf coast of the UAE for approximately 72 kilometres. Dubai has an area of 3,885 square kilometers, which is equivalent to 5% of the country’s total area, excluding the islands. The Emirate of Sharjah extends along approximately 16 kilometers of the UAE’s Persian Gulf coastline and for more than 80 kilometers into the interior. The northern emirates which include Fujairah, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, and Umm al-Qaiwain all have a total area of 3,881 square kilometres. There are two areas under joint control. One is jointly controlled by Oman and Ajman, the other by Fujairah and Sharjah.

There is an Omani exclave surrounded by UAE territory, known as Wadi Madha. It is located halfway between the Musandam peninsula and the rest of Oman in the Emirate of Sharjah. It covers approximately 75 square kilometres (29 sq mi) and the boundary was settled in 1589. The north-east corner of Madha is closest to the Khor Fakkan-Fujairah road, barely 10 metres (33 ft) away. Within the Omani exclave of Madha, is a UAE exclave called Nahwa, also belonging to the Emirate of Sharjah. It is about 8 kilometres (5 mi) on a dirt track west of the town of New Madha. It consists of about forty houses with its own clinic and telephone exchange.

Flag	Emirate	Arabic name	Capital	Population	% of total population	Area (km²)	Area (mi²)	% of total area	Density
	Abu Dhabi	أبو ظبي	Abu Dhabi	1,548,655	31.2%	67,340	26,000	86.7%	25
	Ajman	عجمان	Ajman	372,923	7.5%	259	100	0.3%	996
	Dubai	دبي	Dubai	1,770,533	35.6%	3,885	1,500	5.0%	336
	Fujairah	الفجيرة	Fujairah	137,940	2.9%	1,165	450	1.5%	109
	Ras al-Khaimah	رأس الخيمة	Ras al-Khaimah	171,903	3.4%	1,684	650	2.2%	122
	Sharjah	الشارقة	Sharjah	895,252	18.0%	2,590	1,000	3.3%	262
	Umm al-Quwain	0أم القيوين	Umm al-Qaiwain	69,936	1.4%	777	300	0.9%	88
	UAE	الإمارات العربية المتحدة	Abu Dhabi	4,967,142	100%	77,700	30,000	100%	56