United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Where Is It? The United Arab Emirates(UAE) is a small country in the Middle East. The Middle East is the area where Europe, Africa, and Asia meet. The UAE's coast runs along a gulf that connects to the Indian Ocean.

The UAE is made up of seven Arab states. The capital city is Abu Dhabi. The city is old. Its history dates back to 3, 000 BCE. Modern Abu Dhabi blends old customs with modern buildings.

People Millions of people call the UAE home. Most of the people who live there are from other countries. They came to work or to build new buildings. The people of the UAE come from different Arab groups. Those groups settled in the area long ago. Many people share customs and wear Arab clothing. Men and women wear scarves and cover their heads. They do this to respect their religion.

Most of the people of the UAE also share the religion of Islam. Arabic is the main language, but many people speak local languages. Most people live in cities and towns along the UAE coast. Oil has made the country rich. It has turned poor UAE villages into modern cities.

Land On the coast, the UAE is hot. The country gets little rain. In the east are the tall Hajar Mountains. A little rain falls in the mountains. Inland, the UAE is mostly made up of desert. There it is even hotter. In summer or winter, wind may carry dust and sand. The wind creates huge sand hills.