UnitedArab Emirates

U·nit·ed Arab Emirates (yo͞o-nīʹtĭd) Abbr. UAE

A country of eastern Arabia, a federation of seven sheikdoms on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Converted to Islam in the 7th century, the area later became a base for pirates and was known as the Pirate Coast into the 19th century. The British signed a series of truces with the ruling sheiks between 1820 and 1892, and the area became known as the Trucial States or Trucial Oman. After World War II Britain granted internal autonomy to the sheikdoms or emirates, with the United Arab Emirates being formed in 1971 after Britain withdrew from the area completely. Abu Dhabi is the capital. Population: 1,861,000.

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