Emirates Society Introduction

Introduction to Emirates Society

• The course covers the introduction to Emirates society, focusing on geography, history, and key terms.
• The study notes are divided into blocks, with the first block covering the foundation knowledge of Emirates society.

Geography

• The UAE is located in Southeastern Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Oman.
• Important geographical features include:
  • Coast-inlets
  • Mountains (Hajar mountains)
  • Sabkha (salt-encrusted, low-lying mud-flats)
  • Gravel plains
  • Desert (Empty Quarter)

History

• Pre-ancient history: Mesopotamian cities were built near the coast, and subsequent river sedimentation built a large delta.
• Ancient history: The region was known as the 'Pirate Coast' due to piracy claims.
• 1809: The British Royal Navy and British East India Company attacked Ras Al Khaimah.
• 1820: The General Maritime Treaty was signed, prohibiting piracy in the Persian Gulf, banning some forms of slavery, and requiring ships to be registered with British forces.
• 1853: The Perpetual Treaty of Maritime Peace was signed, prohibiting acts of aggression at sea and establishing the British Resident as an arbitrator.
• 1892: The Exclusive Treaty Agreement was signed, making Britain responsible for the external affairs and defense of the rulers.

Life in the Emirates

• Pearl diving was an important industry, making Abu Dhabi rich.
• Agriculture, fishing, and animal husbandry were also important.
• The precarious desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) affected agriculture.

Oil History

• The first oil company teams conducted geological surveys in the 1930s.
• Oil exploration agreements were finalized in Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Qaiwain, and Ajman between 1945-1951.
• The first export of oil from Abu Dhabi was in 1962, and from Dubai in 1969.

Formation of the UAE

• 1968: Britain announced its intention to withdraw from the Gulf region.
• 1968: The rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi reached an in-principal agreement to form a union.
• 1971: The United Arab Emirates was formed, with Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan as the first UAE President.

Key Terms

• Society: Human relationships from small groups to large systems.
• Culture: Knowledge shared by members of these groups and systems, reflected in customs, values, laws, arts, technologies, and artefacts.
• Power: The ability or capacity to influence or persuade others to a point of view or action.
• Authority: The rights to make decisions and to determine, adjudicate or settle issues and disputes in society.
• Identity: The sense of self formed over time from a personal, social, and cultural level.
• Gender: Socially constructed differences between females and males.
• Social stratification: The allocation of individuals and groups according to various social hierarchies of differing power, status, or prestige.

Introduction to Emirates Society

• The course covers the introduction to Emirates society, focusing on geography, history, and key terms.
• The study notes are divided into blocks, with the first block covering the foundation knowledge of Emirates society.

Geography

• The UAE is located in Southeastern Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Oman.
• Important geographical features include:
  • Coast-inlets
  • Mountains (Hajar mountains)
  • Sabkha (salt-encrusted, low-lying mud-flats)
  • Gravel plains
  • Desert (Empty Quarter)

History

• Pre-ancient history: Mesopotamian cities were built near the coast, and subsequent river sedimentation built a large delta.
• Ancient history: The region was known as the 'Pirate Coast' due to piracy claims.
• 1809: The British Royal Navy and British East India Company attacked Ras Al Khaimah.
• 1820: The General Maritime Treaty was signed, prohibiting piracy in the Persian Gulf, banning some forms of slavery, and requiring ships to be registered with British forces.
• 1853: The Perpetual Treaty of Maritime Peace was signed, prohibiting acts of aggression at sea and establishing the British Resident as an arbitrator.
• 1892: The Exclusive Treaty Agreement was signed, making Britain responsible for the external affairs and defense of the rulers.

Life in the Emirates

• Pearl diving was an important industry, making Abu Dhabi rich.
• Agriculture, fishing, and animal husbandry were also important.
• The precarious desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) affected agriculture.

Oil History

• The first oil company teams conducted geological surveys in the 1930s.
• Oil exploration agreements were finalized in Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Qaiwain, and Ajman between 1945-1951.
• The first export of oil from Abu Dhabi was in 1962, and from Dubai in 1969.

Formation of the UAE

• 1968: Britain announced its intention to withdraw from the Gulf region.
• 1968: The rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi reached an in-principal agreement to form a union.
• 1971: The United Arab Emirates was formed, with Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan as the first UAE President.

Key Terms

• Society: Human relationships from small groups to large systems.
• Culture: Knowledge shared by members of these groups and systems, reflected in customs, values, laws, arts, technologies, and artefacts.
• Power: The ability or capacity to influence or persuade others to a point of view or action.
• Authority: The rights to make decisions and to determine, adjudicate or settle issues and disputes in society.
• Identity: The sense of self formed over time from a personal, social, and cultural level.
• Gender: Socially constructed differences between females and males.
• Social stratification: The allocation of individuals and groups according to various social hierarchies of differing power, status, or prestige.

Introduction to Emirates Society

• The course covers the introduction to Emirates society, focusing on geography, history, and key terms.
• The study notes are divided into blocks, with the first block covering the foundation knowledge of Emirates society.

Geography

• The UAE is located in Southeastern Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Oman.
• Important geographical features include:
  • Coast-inlets
  • Mountains (Hajar mountains)
  • Sabkha (salt-encrusted, low-lying mud-flats)
  • Gravel plains
  • Desert (Empty Quarter)

History

• Pre-ancient history: Mesopotamian cities were built near the coast, and subsequent river sedimentation built a large delta.
• Ancient history: The region was known as the 'Pirate Coast' due to piracy claims.
• 1809: The British Royal Navy and British East India Company attacked Ras Al Khaimah.
• 1820: The General Maritime Treaty was signed, prohibiting piracy in the Persian Gulf, banning some forms of slavery, and requiring ships to be registered with British forces.
• 1853: The Perpetual Treaty of Maritime Peace was signed, prohibiting acts of aggression at sea and establishing the British Resident as an arbitrator.
• 1892: The Exclusive Treaty Agreement was signed, making Britain responsible for the external affairs and defense of the rulers.

Life in the Emirates

• Pearl diving was an important industry, making Abu Dhabi rich.
• Agriculture, fishing, and animal husbandry were also important.
• The precarious desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) affected agriculture.

Oil History

• The first oil company teams conducted geological surveys in the 1930s.
• Oil exploration agreements were finalized in Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Qaiwain, and Ajman between 1945-1951.
• The first export of oil from Abu Dhabi was in 1962, and from Dubai in 1969.

Formation of the UAE

• 1968: Britain announced its intention to withdraw from the Gulf region.
• 1968: The rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi reached an in-principal agreement to form a union.
• 1971: The United Arab Emirates was formed, with Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan as the first UAE President.

Key Terms

• Society: Human relationships from small groups to large systems.
• Culture: Knowledge shared by members of these groups and systems, reflected in customs, values, laws, arts, technologies, and artefacts.
• Power: The ability or capacity to influence or persuade others to a point of view or action.
• Authority: The rights to make decisions and to determine, adjudicate or settle issues and disputes in society.
• Identity: The sense of self formed over time from a personal, social, and cultural level.
• Gender: Socially constructed differences between females and males.
• Social stratification: The allocation of individuals and groups according to various social hierarchies of differing power, status, or prestige.