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Peninsula. It is bordered by the Persian Gulf to the North, Saudi Arabia
to the South and West, and Oman and the Gulf of Oman to the East. 64
The UAE occupies an area of 83,600 sq km. The UAE geographical and
geological locations consist of three main types, the coastal area, the
desert zone and the mountain zone. Arabic is the official language in the
UAE but English is the second official language and is widely used.
Urdu and Persian are also popular among workers. 65
2.2.1 Historical Background
Figure 2.1: The Map of the UAE
In earlier times the UAE was ruled by a Sheikh who managed the states
according to their tribe. This system is known as the tribal system; each
state of what is now called the UAE was ruled by a different Sheikh.
The Sheikh in the old states of the UAE was the head of his people and,
therefore, took full responsibility for his citizens. The Ѕhеikhdomѕ were
located along the southern coast of the Arabian Gulf and the north-
western coast of the Gulf of Oman. The UAЕ throughout history has
occupied a prestigious trade location between Europe and the East.
Islamic religion was introduced to this region in the 7th century;
According to Fenelon 66 the Islamic era in the UAE during the period of
the 7th century to the 14th century was not documented remarkably
64 Federal Research Division. (2007), United Arab Emirates: Country Profile, Library of Congress. p3.
65 ibid. p5.
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