The United Arab Emirates consists of seven Emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain, Fujairah, Ajman and Ra’s al-Khaimah. In 1971, the late President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan unified the seven Emirates into a federation—the only one in the Arab world. With his visionary leadership, oil wealth was used to develop the UAE into one of the world’s most open and successful economies.
The UAE has become an important player in regional and international affairs. Strategically located in the Arabian Gulf, and within an eight-hour flight of two-thirds of the world’s population, the UAE is a modern crossroads, connecting East and West. As such, the UAE’s two largest cities, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, have also emerged as regional centers for business, education, culture and tourism.

Language 
English and Arabic are the two most widely spoken languages in the UAE. However the UAE’s diverse population means visitors may also hear other languages like Urdu, Hindi or Pashtu. Arabic dialects are numerous, but several basic phrases are the same throughout the region, such as:
Salaamu aleikum (“Peace be upon you,” used like “Hello”)
The response: “Wa aleikum a-salaam” (“And unto you peace”)
Ahlan wa sahlan (“Welcome,” very common of Arab hosts)