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Description:
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates on the eastern side of the Arabian peninsula, at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. It has coastlines on the Persian Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, with Saudi Arabia to the west and southwest, and Oman to the southeast and also on the eastern tip of the Musandam Peninsula as well as an Omani enclave within its borders. It is a country rich in history and culture and an easy starting point for travels in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates is a modern and dynamic country. To some, it is an advanced and clean country, to others a touristy "Disneyland". For most Western tourists, the UAE offers an environment that is extremely familiar. The malls are extraordinarily modern, filled with virtually any product available in the West (save sexually explicit material; movies are censored, as are, to some extent, magazines). Alcohol is widely available at many restaurants and bars in Dubai and in the tourist hotels of every other emirate save Sharjah. There is a legal but roundly overlooked requirement to have a licence to by liquor. The liquor license is proof that the bearer is a non-Muslim. A passport will not suffice. However, you can purchase liquor duty-free at the airport to bring into the UAE. Sharjah emirate is completely dry. A liquor licence is required in all other emirates and is available to residents at different rates, depending on their income, and for a flat fee in Dubai. The requirement is sometimes overlooked at certain stores. The roads and other public facilities are modern if, at times, extremely crowded. Supermarkets offer a vast assortment of products from the U.S. and Europe, depending on the shop, along with local and regional items. Major international chains such as Ikea and Carrefour have a presence and fast-food chains (nearly all from the U.S.) such as McDonald's and KFC operate widely. On the other hand, there are still a few crowded traditional souks filled with products from around the world, rug stores. These can be hard to find for the average traveler, as the malls tend to gain an overwhelming amount of attention. (Please note that contrary to what is printed in guidebooks, the souks in Abu Dhabi were torn down in 2006 and no longer exist. The souks in Dubai are still wonderful to explore, though).
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Currency: Emirati dirham (AED)
Government: Federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates
Population: 2,563,212 (July 2006 est.)
Religion: Muslim 94% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 6%
Time zone: UTC+4
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