United Arab Emirates

American  

[yoo-na-tid ar-uhb uh-meer-its, em-er-its] / juˈnæ tɪd ˈær əb əˈmɪər ɪts, ˈɛm ər ɪts /

noun

(usually used with a singular verb)

1. an independent federation in E Arabia, formed in 1971, now comprising seven emirates on the southern coast formerly, Pirate Coast, thenTrucial Coast of the Persian Gulf, formerly under British protection: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah (joined 1972), and Fujairah. About 32,300 sq. mi. (83,657 sq. km). Abu Dhabi. U.A.E., UAE

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United Arab Emirates British  

plural noun

1. Former name (until 1971): Trucial States.   UAE.  a group of seven emirates in SW Asia, on the Persian Gulf: consists of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al Qaiwain, Ras el Khaimah, and Fujairah; a former British protectorate; became fully independent in 1971; consists mostly of flat desert, with mountains in the east; rich petroleum resources. Official language: Arabic. Official religion: Muslim. Currency: dirham. Capital: Abu Dhabi. Pop: 5 473 972 (2013 est). Area: 83 600 sq km (32 300 sq miles)

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United Arab Emirates Cultural  

1. A federation of seven kingdoms on the Persian Gulf coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered to the east by Oman, the south and west by Saudi Arabia, and the northwest by Qatar.

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Discover More

Oil reserves have been exploited since the early 1960s.

Once the domain of pirates, the area was subdued by the British in 1820. It was a British protectorate from 1892 until the late 1960s.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

United Arab Emirates

The U.S. got the United Arab Emirates to agree to forgo making nuclear fuel with the caveat that if Washington afforded any neighbor more-generous terms, the U.A.E. could renegotiate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

The United States signed a nuclear agreement with the kingdom's neighbor the United Arab Emirates in 2009, although the country does not enrich its own uranium.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

Soon after the election, Witkoff was in the United Arab Emirates.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

That crew member was 30-year-old Karmarkar, the third engineer of the GFS Galaxy, a containership that had left the port of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Poppy had told Liyana she would like the men’s elegant clothing in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates better.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye