Sharjah

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“Our key goal has been, and always will be, to provide the sound foundations for a society where everyone can participate in shaping a future that is fit their ambitions and ours. And in spite of technological evolution and changing tools of labor, it is the human who will determine the direction and progress of societies and civilizations through ideology and determination”

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi

We in Sharjah work according to the clear directions and guidelines targeting development in all areas through clear-visioned policies and plans that all government departments and organizations follow within an integrated system of pioneering government work.

HH Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad bin Sultan Al Qasimi

The civilized cultural, urban, social and economic renaissance witnessed by the Emirate of Sharjah is inspired by the vision and wisdom of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and seeks to build a modern society that depends on its capabilities and competencies, contributing to the march of growth and progress.

HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi

Soon after His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi assumed the leadership of Sharjah, the Emirate launched its unique cultural project and has relentlessly pursued and implemented it according to a clear roadmap that includes everything that is essential to ensure a decent and dignified life and wellbeing of all individuals.

HH Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates is a country that is located in the southeastern region of the Asian continent, and in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. It overlooks the Arabian Gulf on the north and northwest, borders the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west and south and the Sultanate of Oman to the southeast. The UAE has a coastal strip on the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

UAE was Founded in 1971, the country extends over an area of approximately (71,023.6)sq km of land. This area includes a group of islands in the Arabian Gulf, and the territorial water area is approximately (27,624.9)sq km. Abu Dhabi emirate is the official capital of the country.

The UAE is a constitutional federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Quwain and Fujairah, each with full sovereignty. According to the UAE constitution, the political system of the state is based on five authorities: the Federal Supreme Council, the President and Vice President of the Federation, the Cabinet, the Federal National Council, and the Federal Judiciary.

H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the current President of the UAE since 14 May 2022. He is also the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. In the UAE. H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and the Ruler of Dubai. H. H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Court and also the Vice-President of the UAE.

In addition to its prominent position among the world’s most advanced and stable countries, the UAE occupies advanced ranks in many development indicators, most notably: economic performance, business efficiency, government performance, infrastructure, women’s empowerment, and labor laws.

Sharjah

Sharjah is the third largest of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is the only one to have lands on both the Arabian Gulf Coast and the Gulf of Oman. It is also the only emirate that has borders with all other emirates in UAE.

Sharjah features many major cities, including Al Dhaid, and the three eastern coastal cities: Khor Fakkan, Kalba, and Dibba Al Hisn. The emirate is bestowed with breath-taking beaches and gorgeous natural attractions on both sides of the Arabian Gulf coast and the Gulf of Oman, which contributed to its prosperity, progress and communication with the world.

Sharjah is a unique example that combines authenticity with modernity in a manner that preserves the rich legacy of the past. It is an embodiment of social, cultural and economic harmony and intermingling with its diverse cultures and historical and modern monuments that band together on its soil.

Sharjah has made a prestigious name in the region by embracing a treasure of history, derived from its historical sites that steadily sit on the rich history of the region and a wide array of heritage events featuring cultural and historical values of UAE. This all has made Sharjah worthy of being regarded as the cultural capital of the United Arab Emirates

Geographical location

Sharjah covers approximately 2,600 square kilometres, which equals 3.3% of the total area of the United Arab Emirates. It is situated in an important geographical location, where it overlooks more than sixteen kilometres of the Arabian Gulf with a depth of nearly eighty kilometres towards the Gulf of Oman.

Population

The population of the Emirate of Sharjah is around 19% of the total population of the country, with 90.6% of the 1.4 million people residing in Sharjah, according to 2015 statistics issued by the Department of Statistics and Community Development.

Early history

According to the archaeological excavations, the first evidence of human life in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was discovered at Jebel Fayah in Sharjah and dates back to 85 BC.  Moreover, those archaeological excavations revealed that groups of nomads were hunting, herding and fishing in Sharjah around seven thousand years ago.

Dates and prominent beginnings

  • Taymiyyah School was established in Sharjah, as the first school in the city.

  • The first newspaper was established in the Emirates titled “Oman”, founded by Mr. Ibrahim Muhammad Al Midfa, a citizen of Sharjah.

  • The Sharjah Municipality was established, and is now regarded as the oldest municipality in the UAE and the Arab Gulf states.

  • The first airport in the Gulf region was built in Sharjah.

  • Al Islah School was established in the Emirate of Sharjah, as the first regular school in the UAE.

  • Sharjah provided education for women, marked as a first city to offer education for women across the country.

  • The first post office was founded in Sharjah.

  • His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi became the Ruler of Sharjah.

  • Oil was extracted from Mubarek field in Sharjah.

  • The cricket stadium was inaugurated in Sharjah, and became the first stadium in the region hosting international cricket matches in the Middle East

  • The King Faisal Mosque, the largest mosque in the emirate, opens.

  • The University City was inaugurated.

  • The Expo Center Sharjah was opened in a larger and more modern location to promote the emirate's position in the exhibition industry.

  • The opening of the first Publishing Free Zone

  • Production of gas and condensates kicks off in the Mahani field, which was discovered in 2020, with production rate reaching 50 million standard cubic feet per day.

Titles

Under the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate has received many titles that are compatible with its civilizational and cultural concepts. The most prominent of such titles are:

  • The Cultural Capital of Arab World

  • The Capital of Islamic Culture

  • The Capital of Arab Tourism

  • Named as a healthy city

  • Named as a Child-Friendly city

  • Marked as a Capital of Arab Press

  • Titled as an age-friendly city

  • Named as an Accessible City for the Physically Disabled

  • The Wold Book Capital

  • Received UNICEF's Child-Friendly Cities Initiative Inspire Awards

  • Joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) list

Culture and Arts

“The time has come for the concrete revolution in the country to cease and be replaced by a cultural one.” building on these words, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah announced the cultural revolution in the emirate of Sharjah in 1979 to establish Sharjah Cultural Project.
Over the years, Sharjah has diligently pushed forwards the development wheel to establish itself as an important global hub for culture and arts, a desired destination for writers and intellectuals alike across the world.

Cultural achievements

  • Launching Sharjah International Book fair, the most renowned and broadly defined fair that has become one of the three important fairs in the world.

  • Sharjah Biennial, the major artistic event that has been classified as one of the most prominent artistic events in the region since 1993.

  • Allocating permanent headquarters for the General Union of Arab Writers

  • The cultural hub that embraces nearly a quarter of the total number of museums across the Emirates.

  • Organising many theatrical, artistic and cultural events across the emirate of Sharjah.

  • Establishing “poetry houses” initiative among the Arab world, to be a forum for senior and young poets in all Arab countries.

  • Chosen as the guest of honour for major international book fairs.

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