The Emirate of Umm Al Quwain (UAQ; ar, أم القيوين; ) is one of the
seven constituent emirates of the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at ...
,
located in the north of the country. It is the second smallest and least populous emirate in the UAE
[A Guide on Setting up a Business in Umm Al Quwain](_blank)
/ref> and borders the Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bo ...
. Umm Al Quwain lies between Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman on the west coast, with a location along the vital trade route between the Middle East and India. It has a coastline stretching to 24 km.
The Emirate of Umm Al Quwain was formed in 1775, when Sheikh Majid Al Mualla established it as an independent sheikhdom. The emirate is now ruled by Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla. The current crown prince is Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mua'lla, and the deputy ruler is Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla III. It had 72,000 inhabitants in 2007 and has an area of .
The emirate consists in the main of the coastal city of Umm al-Quwain and the inland oasis town of Falaj Al Mualla, some from the coast. The Population of the Emirate is 49,159 according to the census of December 2005. The city of Umm Al Quwain is the capital of the Emirate.
Unlike some of its neighbours, Umm Al Quwain has not made any significant find of oil or gas in its territory and depends on revenue from hotels, parks and tourism, fisheries and general trading activities as well as the Umm Al Quwain Free Zone (UAQFTZ) based at Port Ahmed Bin Rashid.
A number of government initiatives and strategies have been put in place to incentivise growth in trade and industrial activity in the emirate, including a 2018 move to reduce government fees to business and waive fines and violations levied against businesses which had not renewed their trade licenses.
Etymology
Multiple theories have been established on the etymology of the name Umm Al Quwain. The most accepted meaning is that the name means "mother of the two powers" - from the phrase "Umm Al Quwatain" ( ar, ام القوتين, Umm Al Quwatain, lit=The mother of two powers). The two powers here are usually indicated as the two forms of geographical powers. Locals describe it as the richness of activities both on land and water, others refer to it as the two powers of economy and agriculture. Another theory is that the word "Quwain" is inspired by an Arabic word "Qawn" meaning ‘iron‘. Therefore, some believe that it may refer to iron in the place.
History and prehistory
The Emirate of Umm Al Quwain holds significant archaeological interest, with major finds at both Tell Abraq and Ed-Dur pointing to significant Ancient Near Eastern Cities. Arrowheads
An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as sig ...
and other polished flint
Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and sta ...
tools have been unearthed in various sites across the UAE while pieces of Ubaid Age pottery have been unearthed along the shores of the emirate. All evidence obtained so far indicate that contact with Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
existed as early as the 5th millennium BC, as an indigenous ceramic
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelai ...
industry, did not emerge until the 3rd century BC.
Finds at both Tell Abraq and Ed-Dur show habitation in the area throughout the Bronze Age, from the Hafit period, through the Umm Al Nar period and the later Wadi Suq
Wadi ( ar, وَادِي, wādī), alternatively ''wād'' ( ar, وَاد), North African Arabic Oued, is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a wet ( ephemeral) riverbed that contains water o ...
and Iron I, II and III ages. Finds also link Ed-Dur with the inland settlement of Mleiha, especially distinctive burials of animals with their heads turned back on their bodies. Significant trading links with both the western Sumerian culture and the eastern Indus Valley
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kash ...
culture are displayed at these sites, with the semi-nomadic Magan people smelting bronze mined in the Hajar Mountains
The Hajar Mountains ( ar, جِبَال ٱلْحَجَر, Jibāl al-Ḥajar, ''The Rocky Mountains'' or ''The Stone Mountains'') in northeastern Oman and also the eastern United Arab Emirates are the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian ...
and then shipping the smelted ore.
Macedonian coinage unearthed at Ed-Dur dates back to Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...
, while hundreds of coins have been found bearing the name of Abi'el. In March 2019, 15 tombs, bronze statues, settlement remains, jewellery and pottery, dating back to the 1st century CE, were unearthed here. It is thought Ed-Dur is the site of ''Omana'', mentioned by both Pliny and Strabo as an important town in the Lower Persian Gulf.
During the Bronze Age, agriculture flourished, with dates being the prominent crop. Wheat, millet and other grains were also cultivated wherever there was enough water for irrigation. It is now widely believed that the climate during the period was more temperate than now.[Chapter 8 Umm al quwain](_blank)
The modern history of Umm al-Quwain began some 200 years ago when the Al Ali tribe moved their capital from Al-Sinniyah Island to its current location in the mid-18th century due to declining water resources. After that, in 1775, Umm al-Quwain was declared an independent Sheikhdom.
20th century
The Emirate of Umm Al Quwain was the site of a fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
built in 1768 by the founder of the modern Al Mualla dynasty, Sheikh Rashid bin Majid of the Al Ali tribe. The fort was the site of a coup in 1929. Sheikh Hamad Bin Ibrahim Al Mualla was assassinated by one of his blind uncle’s servants. The townsfolk, not liking the new leadership, rose and set fire to the fort, killing the usurpers, putting Ahmad bin Rashid Al Mualla in power. The fort has since been restored and now houses the Umm Al Quwain National Museum.
On 8 January 1820, Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid signed the General Maritime Treaty with the United Kingdom, thus accepting a British protectorate in order to keep the Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922).
Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
out. Like Ajman, Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics ...
, Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) ( ar, رَأْس ٱلْخَيْمَة, historically Julfar) is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. It is the sixth-largest city in UAE after Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, A ...
and Sharjah
Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area.
Sharjah is the capital ...
, its position on the route to India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
made it important enough to be recognized as a salute state
A salute state was a princely state under the British Raj that had been granted a gun salute by the British Crown (as paramount ruler); i.e., the protocolary privilege for its ruler to be greeted—originally by Royal Navy ships, later also ...
with a three gun salute.
By 1908, J. G. Lorimer
''J. The Jewish News of Northern California'', formerly known as ''Jweekly'', is a weekly print newspaper in Northern California, with its online edition updated daily. It is owned and operated by San Francisco Jewish Community Publications In ...
's famous survey of the Trucial Coast, the ''Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia
The ''Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia'' (nicknamed ''Lorimer'') is a two-volume encyclopedia compiled by John Gordon Lorimer. The ''Gazetteer'' was published in secret by the British government in India in 1908 and 1915 a ...
'', had Umm Al Quwain listed as a town of some 5,000 inhabitants and identified as the major boat-building centre on the coast, producing some 20 boats a year compared to 10 in Dubai and 5 in Sharjah.
On 2 December 1971, Sheikh Ahmad bin Rashid joined its neighbors Abu Dhabi, Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics ...
, Sharjah
Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area.
Sharjah is the capital ...
, Ajman and Fujairah in forming the United Arab Emirates, with Ras Al-Khaimah joining later in early 1972.
Petrochemicals
The American oil company Occidental acquired a concession to search for oil in Umm Al Quwain territorial waters on 19 November 1969. Occidental proposed drilling an exploratory well nine miles from the island of Abu Musa in the Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bo ...
in what it considered to be Umm Al Quwain waters. However, this conflicted with a 12-mile territorial limit claimed by Sharjah
Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area.
Sharjah is the capital ...
. On 15 May 1970, the British authorities referred the dispute to arbitration, but ruled that Occidental could continue to drill. On 20 May, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkm ...
informed the British that it laid claim to Abu Musa and the two Tunbs' islands, and would intercede if Occidental continued to drill. The British proposed a three-month suspension of drilling pending the outcome of arbitration, a decision enforced by a British minesweeper
A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping.
History
The earliest known usage of ...
, which intercepted Occidental's drilling platform and moved it out of the area.[Maritime Boundary Delimitations in the Persian Gulf](_blank)
/ref>
The agreement between Sharjah and Iran over the island of Abu Musa, made on 29 November 1971 and the subsequent invasion of the islands on 30 November 1971 rendered the issue moot. Occidental would never find oil under its Umm Al Quwain concession. The issue was subsequently settled by an informal agreement, which granted Umm al-Quwain 15% share of the oil revenues from the area.
Rulers
The successive rulers of Umm Al Quwain were:
* 1768–1820: Sheikh Rashid bin Majid Al Mualla
* 1820–1853: Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla (b.1794)
* 1853–1873: Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Mualla (b.1824 – d.1873)
* 1873–1904: Sheikh Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mualla (b. 1832 – d. 1904)
* 13 June 1904 – 1922: Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad Al Mualla (b. 1876 – d. 1922)
*1922 – October 1923: Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla II
* October 1923 – 9 February 1929: Sheikh Hamad bin Ibrahim Al Mualla
* 9 February 1929 – 21 February 1981: Sheikh Ahmad bin Rashid Al Mualla (b. 1904 – d. 1981)
* 21 February 1981 – 2 January 2009: Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad Al Mualla II (b. 1932 – d. 2009)
* 2 January 2009–present: Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla (b. 1952)
Demographics
Business in Umm Al Quwain
Umm Al Quwain was relying heavily on sources of revenue from hotels, parks, and tourism. In 2011, tourism and trade were given the top priority in the Umm Al Quwain's Government Strategy 2011-2013 to support small- and mid-sized business space and the fisheries sector to help make the emirate attractive to foreign investment. In 2018, the government launched Umm Al Quwain Vision 2021 to implement comprehensive structural development through programs and initiatives and provide high-quality living standards for a cohesive society.
The vision comprises five main pillars: a sustainable and diversified economy, social solidarity, attractive tourism, an excellent infrastructure, and innovative government. The government business initiatives and programs serve as a medium to support local businesses and industries to grow and boost partnerships with the private sector to build an economy based on knowledge, research, and development.
Free trade zone
The Free Trade Zone of Umm Al Quwain (UAQ FTZ) was established in 1987. It was previously known as Ahmed Bin Rashid Port and Free Zone. The UAQ Free Trade Zone has been awarded the winner of the Qadat Al Tagheer Award for the “Best Free Zone for Start-ups and SMEs” at the 5th UAE - India Economic Forum (UIEF) in 2019.
Climate and environment
During November to March, the average temperature is by day and at night, but it can rise to over in the peak of the summer and when humidity levels are high. The rainfall is minimal and averages a year. The coastline experiences cooling sea breezes
A sea breeze or onshore breeze is any wind that blows from a large body of water toward or onto a landmass; it develops due to differences in air pressure created by the differing heat capacities of water and dry land. As such, sea breezes ar ...
during the day.
Al Sinniyah island, close to the city of Umm Al Quwain is home to the UAE's largest Socotra cormorant colony, with over 15,000 pairs making it the third largest colony in the world. Arabian gazelles have been introduced to Sinniyah and appear to be prospering. Marine life is remarkable for its abundance and diversity. Blacktip reef sharks patrol the outer shoreline, while green turtles are ubiquitous in the inner leads in particular. Between Al Sinniyah and the mainland is Khor Al Beidah, an expansive area of sand and mud flats of international importance for its waterfowl. Although not formally protected, the island of Sinaiyah, along with Khor Al Beidah, is one of the largest areas of undisturbed and varied coastal environment remaining anywhere in the UAE.
Culture
The UAE culture mainly revolves around the religion of Islam and traditional Arab culture
Arab culture is the culture of the Arabs, from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean in the southeast. The various religions the Ara ...
. The influence of Islamic and Arab culture on its architecture, music, attire, cuisine and lifestyle are very prominent as well. Five times every day, Muslims are called to prayer from the minaret
A minaret (; ar, منارة, translit=manāra, or ar, مِئْذَنة, translit=miʾḏana, links=no; tr, minare; fa, گلدسته, translit=goldaste) is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally ...
s of mosques which are scattered around the country. Since 2006, the weekend has been Friday-Saturday, as a compromise between Friday's holiness to Muslims and the Western weekend of Saturday-Sunday.
Tourism
Umm Al Quwain Fort: A fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
which was once home to the emirate's ruler and guarded the entrance to the old town, overseeing the sea on one side and the creek on the other. It eventually became a police station then a museum. The museum now houses artifacts found at important nearby sites including Ed-Dur and houses a collection of weapons that were used through the emirate's history. It is located near a Masjid (Mosque) in Umm Al Quwain Bazaar.
Old Harbour: An old harbour
A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is ...
located in the old town overlooking the traditional dhow building yard where skilled craftsmen continue to assemble these traditional boats. The harbor is surrounded by old coral stone houses that display features of the original architecture and intricate sculptured plaster work.
Islands of Umm Al Quwain: Islands that lie to the east of the mainland peninsula on a unique stretch of coastline consisting of sandy islands surrounded by dense mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in several ...
forests, separated by a series of creeks. The largest of the seven islands is Al Sinniyah, followed by Jazirat Al Ghallah and Al Keabe, all of which are visible from the old town. Tucked in between these and the coastal plains are the smaller islands of Al Sow, Al Qaram, Al Humaidi, Al Chewria and Al Harmala. The Madaar creek that runs between the islands provides a navigable waterway for fisherman even at low tide when the average depth is less than a few feet.
Ed-Dur: Located to the north of Umm Al Quwain, the ancient city of Ed-Dur is considered the largest pre-Islamic site on the Persian Gulf coast. There are two public monuments at Al-Dour, a small square fort with round corner towers and a small square temple dedicated to the Semitic sun god Shamash
Utu (dUD " Sun"), also known under the Akkadian name Shamash, ''šmš'', syc, ܫܡܫܐ ''šemša'', he, שֶׁמֶשׁ ''šemeš'', ar, شمس ''šams'', Ashurian Aramaic: 𐣴𐣬𐣴 ''š'meš(ā)'' was the ancient Mesopotamian sun god ...
. The site is not open to the public.
Dreamland Aqua Park: the largest water park in the UAE is located on the coastline of Umm Al Quwain; about 40 minutes drive from Dubai, with expanse of landscaped gardens and over 30 rides, slides, and attractions. The Park is operated all year round with a daily capacity of ten thousand visitors.
See also
* Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates
*Trucial States
The Trucial States ( '), also known as the Trucial Coast ( '), the Trucial Sheikhdoms ( '), Trucial Arabia or Trucial Oman, was the name the British government gave to a group of tribal confederations in southeastern Arabia whose leaders had s ...
References
External links
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Umm Al-Quwain
Cities in the United Arab Emirates
States and territories established in 1775
Populated places in Umm Al Quwain
Populated coastal places in the United Arab Emirates
Islamic monarchies