Burj Khalifa > The Tallest building in the world since 2009 ! The Burj Khalifa (Arabic for “Khalifa Tower”) known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration in 2010, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft) and a roof height (excluding antenna) of 828 m – the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world since its topping out in 2009

WHAT IS THE UAE ?

WHAT MAKES UP THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) ?

The UAE is a sovereign constitutional monarchy is a federation of seven emirates/federation of seven hereditary tribal absolute monarchy-styled political system called Sheikhdoms

The Seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

1. Abu Dhabi (The capital & largest of the 7 emirates/86.7% of area)
2. Ajman (The smallest emirate encompasses only 259 km²)
3. Dubai (The largest city & most populous (~5,640,000) in UAE
4. Fujairah
5. Ras Al Khaimah
6. Sharjah
7. Umm Al Quwain

• The Official Religion is Islam & Official language is Arabic
• The United Arab Emirates uses the title Sheikh instead of Emir to refer to the rulers of individual emirates
• The title is used due to the sheikhdom styled governing system in adherence to the culture of tribes of Arabia, where Sheikh means leader, elder, or the tribal chief of the clan who partakes in shared decision making with his followers

WHEN WAS THE UAE FORMED ?

ON 2 DECEMBER 1971

• The coastal emirates became known as the Trucial States with the signing of a Perpetual Treaty of Maritime Peace with the British in 1819 (ratified in 1853 and again in 1892) which established the Trucial States as a British Protectorate
• When the British-Trucial Sheikhdoms treaty expired on 1 December 1971, they became fully independent on 2 December 1971, at the Dubai Guesthouse, now known as Union House, six of the emirates agreed to enter into a union called the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• Ras al-Khaimah joined later, on 10 January 1972
• In February 1972, the Federal National Council (FNC) was created
• The FNC is a 40-member consultative body appointed by the seven rulers

HOW IS THE UAE GOVERNED & ADMINISTERED ?

The UAE is a sovereign constitutional monarchy is a federation of seven emirates/federation of seven hereditary tribal absolute monarchy-styled political system called Sheikhdoms

• The UAE is governed by a Federal Supreme Council made up of the ruling Sheikhs of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah and Umm al-Quwain
• The UAE legislative is the Federal National Council which convenes nation wide elections every 4 years
• The FNC consists of 40 members drawn from all the emirates
  Each emirate is allocated specific seats to ensure full representation
• Half are appointed by the rulers of the constituent emirates, and the other half are elected to serve two-year terms
• A directive was issued stating that as of the 2019 election, half of the FNC members would be allocated to females
• All responsibilities not granted to the national government are reserved to the individual emirate4
• A percentage of revenues from each emirate is allocated to the UAE’s central budget

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF THE UAE IS COMPOSED OF THREE BRANCHES

1. Legislative : A unicameral Federal Supreme Council and the advisory Federal National Council (FNC)
2. Executive: The President, who is also commander-in-chief of the military, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers
3. Judicial : The Supreme Court and lower federal courts

The UAE’s Council of Ministers is the chief executive branch of the government presided over by the Prime Minister

• The Prime Minister, who is appointed by the Federal Supreme Council, appoints the ministers
• The Council of Ministers is made up of 22 members and manages all internal and foreign affairs of the federation under its constitutional and federal law

The UAE is the only country in the world that has a

• Ministry of Tolerance
• Ministry of Happiness and
• Ministry of Artificial Intelligence
• The UAE also has a National Youth Council, which is represented in the UAE cabinet through the Minister of Youth

ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT & PRIME MINISTER OF THE UAE

• The President and Prime Minister are elected by the Federal Supreme Council
• Usually, a sheikh from Abu Dhabi holds the presidency and a sheikh from Dubai the prime minister-ship
• All prime ministers but one have served concurrently as vice president

THE KEY PEOPLE IN THE UAE

(1) President : His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan 
(2) Prime Minister : His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

THE FOUNDING FATHER OF THE UAE

His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is the  founding father and was the first President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is recognized as the father of the nation

• He is widely accredited for unifying the seven emirates into one country.
• He was the UAE’s first president from the nation’s founding until his death on 2 November 2004