In ancient times, it appears that the land of the Emirates has been occupied for thousands of years. In the emirate of Sharjah, they recovered stone tools from Jebel Faya which reveals an occupation of the people from Africa some 127,000 years ago and a stone tool used for slaughtering animals were discovered at Jebel Barakah on the Arabian coast, which suggests an even older habitation from 130,000 years ago. Several sea Travel routes were opened; bringing other people from different countries to enter and trade in the country. The Greek and Phoenician settlers also went through the Arabian Peninsula territory. There are also other settlers, such as the Romans, who tried to invade the peninsula but unfortunately failed. Then the evolution of Islamic culture and religion had marked the stability of the country. The influence of the Umayyah Dynasty brought the country to progress, making the Gulf a global centre for navigation and trade.
Emirati culture is based on Arabian culture and has been influenced by the cultures of Persia, India, and East Africa. Arabian and Persian inspired architecture is part of the expression of the local Emirati identity. The list of the museums in UAE includes some of regional repute, especially Sharjah which has the Heritage District that contains 17 museums which was known as the Cultural Capital of the Arab World in 1998. And Al Quoz in Dubai, has attracted a number of art galleries as well as museums such as the Salsali Private Museum.
The Ministry of Education monitors the education system through secondary level in all emirates except Abu Dhabi, where it falls under the authority of the Abu Dhabi Education Council. The public schools are government-funded for all UAE citizens, and their curriculum is created to match the United Arab Emirates’ development goals and values. The medium of instruction in public schools is Arabic but with emphasis on English as second language.
The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), the Dubai Education Council (DEC), and the UAE Ministry of Education (MOE) are each tasked with education reform, while preserving local traditions, principles and the cultural identity of the UAE.
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Dialing code: +971
Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham
Ethnic groups (2015): 27.15% Indian; 12.53% Pakistani; 11.32% Emirati; 7.31% Bangladeshi; 3.13% Sri Lankan; 38.56% others
Population: 9.157 million (2015) World Bank
Abu Dhabi boasts a warm, sunny climate all-year round. The winter season (December to mid-March) promises perfectly balmy weather with occasional rainfall and an average daytime temperature of 25℃. Summertime (late May to September) sees daytime temperatures soar to a sweltering 45℃ and higher, but this modern city is equipped for the heat with air-conditioning everywhere and plenty of indoor entertainment on offer. While winter, late autumn and spring are ideal times to visit Abu Dhabi if you’re looking to enjoy outdoor fun, like watersports, dune bashing or camel riding, there’s tons to do in the summer too. Think thrilling rides in entirely indoor theme parks, free falling in the world’s tallest indoor skydiving tunnel at Clymb™, shopping at incredible malls, and more.
Spring: Abu Dhabi’s spring season (mid-March to May) sees the temperatures start to rise, with sporadic rainfall occurring in March. It is a great time to visit the capital as it plays host to many exciting cultural events and trade shows.
Winter: Winter in Abu Dhabi is from December to mid-March. It is considered a great time to visit the city thanks to comfortable, moderate temperatures and occasional rainfall. The beaches, desert trips and mountain adventures are best experienced in winter.
Summer: Summertime in Abu Dhabi (late May to September) sees average daytime temperatures of around 45℃, with humidity levels at 80-90%. Air-conditioning and exciting indoor entertainment, from shopping to art galleries, indoor theme parks and more, ensure you’re never bored.
Autumn: The autumn season in the UAE capital is from September to December. As the summer heat begins to subside, the milder autumn weather calls for more beach outings and watersports activities around the incredible archipelago, which is made up of hundreds of islands.