The Emirate of Sharjah (; ) is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates. It covers and has a population of over 1,800,000 (2022). It comprises the capital city of Sharjah, after which it is named, and other minor towns and exclaves such as Kalba, Al Dhaid, Dibba Al-Hisn and Khor Fakkan.
The emirate is an absolute monarchy. It has been ruled by Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi since 1972, except for a seven-day period during an attempted coup d'etat by his brother, Sheikh Abd al-Aziz bin Muhammad Al Qasimi.
History
Human settlement in the area covered by the emirate has existed for over 120,000 years, with significant finds made of early axes and stone tools as well as Copper and Iron Age implements in Al Dhaid, Al Thuqeibah, Mileiha, Tell Abraq, Muwailah, Al Madam and Jebel Faya.Madhloom T., "Excavations of the Iraqi Mission at Mleha', Shaijah, UAE.", Sumer, vol. 30, no. 1-2, pp. 149–158, 1975 Archaeological finds in the Mleiha area point to human habitation consistent with the spread of humanity from Africa to the wider world, evidenced by finds displayed at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre.
Historically the emirate was one of the wealthiest towns in the region.
Around 1727, the Al Qasimi clan took control of Sharjah and declared the polity independent.
The first in a long series of maritime skirmishes between the Al Qasimi and British vessels took place in 1797, when the British-flagged snow the Bassein was seized and released two days later. The cruiser Viper was subsequently attacked off Bushire. The Al Qasimi leader, Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi, protested innocence in both cases.
A period of great instability followed along the coast, with a number of actions between British and Al Qasimi vessels alongside various changes of leadership and allegiances between the Rulers of Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Sharjah with Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi claiming sovereignty over 'all the Joasmee ports' in 1823, a claim recognised by the British at the time.
On 8 January 1820, Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi signed the General Maritime Treaty with Britain, accepting protectorate status in order to resist Ottoman domination. Following the expiration of a further, ten year, treaty in 1843, on 4 May 1853 Sharjah, along with other Sheikhdoms on what was then known as the 'Arabian Coast' signed the Perpetual Treaty of Peace, which gave rise to the collective name Trucial States being given to the emirates of the coast.
Like four of its neighbours, Ajman, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Umm Al Quwain, its position along trade routes to India made it important enough to be recognised as a salute state.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Sharjah was an important pearl fishing port. A British marine survey of 1830 found 'three to four hundred boats' fishing in the season, earning the ruler 100,000 Maria Theresa Dollars.
In 1932, Imperial Airways established a regular air service through Sharjah, which was an overnight stop on the Eastern British Empire route. The Mahatta Fort was built to house the airline's guests.
On 2 December 1971, Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi joined Sharjah to the United Arab Emirates. On 24 January 1972 however, the former ruler Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi staged a leftist coup. Having previously deposed Saqr in 1965, Sheikh Khalid had ordered the demolition of Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn Sharjah) to expunge Saqr's memory. Saqr took over Khalid's palace, holding him inside and in the ensuing confusion Sheikh Khalid was killed. Saqr was arrested and Khalid's brother, Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, an author and historian, came to power.
In 1987, Sultan's brother Abdulaziz staged a coup while Sultan was abroad. Huge state debt was stated as the reason. Then-UAE President Zayed denounced the coup, and a deal was reached for Sultan to be restored, while Abdulaziz would become the deputy ruler. Sultan, however, dismissed Abdulaziz quite quickly. In 1999, the Crown Prince (Sultan's eldest son) died of a drug overdose while on vacation in their palace in England. Sultan made the decision to testify in front of a UK court. The new Crown Prince, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, was appointed from a remote branch of the family.
Rulers
Years of Reign Birth Death Name Notes 1747–1777 Sheikh Rashid bin Matar Al Qasimi 1777–1803 Sheikh Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi 1803–1866 1866 Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi First time 1866–1868 (14 April) 1886 Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi 1868 (14 April) – 1883 (March)1869–1883 jointly w/next leader 1919 Sheikh Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi 1883 (March) – 1914 1914 Sheikh Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi 1914 (13 April) – 1924 (21 November) Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al Qasimi 1924 (21 November) – 1951 1951 Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi II 1951 (May) – 1965 (24 June) 1925 1993 Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi 1965 (24 June) – 1972 (24 January) 1931 1972 Sheikh Khalid bin Muhammad Al Qasimi 1972 (25 January) – 1972 1925 1993 Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi Acting 1972–1987 (17 June) 1939 Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi First time 1987 (17 June) – 1987 (23 June) 1937 2004 Sheikh Abd al-Aziz bin Muhammad Al Qasimi removed from throne in 1987 coup attempt, later to be crown prince of Sharjah 1987 (23 June) – present 1939 Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi Second time
Geography
Sharjah is the third largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates, and is the only one to have land on both the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The emirate covers which is equivalent to 3.3 per cent of the UAE's total area, excluding the islands. It has a population of over 1,800,000 (2022). The city lies away from the UAE capital city Abu Dhabi.
The emirate of Sharjah comprises the city of Sharjah (the seat of the emirate), and other minor towns and enclaves. The city of Sharjah, which overlooks the Persian Gulf, has a population of 1,600,000 (2022 census). Sharjah City borders Dubai to the south and Ajman to the north, and the three form a conurbation. Sharjah also owns three enclaves on the east coast, bordering the Gulf of Oman. These are Kalba, Dibba Al-Hisn, and Khor Fakkan, which provide Sharjah with a major east coast port. In the Persian Gulf, the island of Sir Abu Nu'ayr belongs to Sharjah, and Abu Musa is claimed by UAE, but controlled by Iran. Sharjah has an exclave containing the village of Nahwa, located inside the Omani enclave of Madha which borders Fujairah and Sharjah. The emirate also encompasses some important oasis areas, the most famous of which is the fertile Dhaid region, where a range of vegetables and fruits are cultivated.
Administrative divisions
Following are the 9 municipalities in Sharjah Emirate: Sharjah Al Hamriyah Al Bataeh Al Madam Mleiha Dhaid Kalba Khor Fakkan Dibba Al-Hisn
Government
The Emirate of Sharjah is led by the ruler of Sharjah. It has been led by Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi since 1972. The ruler of Sharjah appoints members of the Sharjah Executive Council and the Sharjah Consultative Council to manage the day-to-day affairs of the emirate. Sharjah has devolved some authority over local decisions to Emiri Diwans (Ruler's Courts) in areas such as Kalba and Khor Fakkan. Nevertheless, the Sharjah Executive Council retains authority to manage government departments and affairs in line with policies and decrees by the ruler of Sharjah. Collectively, the government of Sharjah has over 126 government departments and public organisations under its responsibility and control with a number of services provided through a Sharjah e-government portal.
Commerce and Tourism Development Authority
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCDTA) was established by decree in 1996 to "promote commercial and tourism activities" in the emirate. The state-backed authority is responsible for, among other things, creating policies for local and international exhibitions and marketing Sharjah to attract foreign investment and tourists.
Investment and Development Authority The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) was established in 2009 as an independent government body to "oversee the social, cultural, environmental and economic development of Sharjah in line with its Islamic identity." It focuses on three areas for the emirate; investment, development, and asset and property management. Shurooq's developments include: Al Qasba – 10,000-acre project including a -long man-made canal and high observation wheel, it was made open for the public in 2005. It includes Masrah Al Qasba, a theatre, the Maraya Art Centre, the Multaqa Al Qasba meetings and conference centre and a children's Fun Zone. The project, managed by the Al Qasba Development Authority (an affiliate of Shurooq) has an architectural design including pedestrian bridges, boats, and lagoons. It attracted two million visitors in 2011. Al Majaz Waterfront – Shurooq opened the Al Majaz Waterfront in December 2011 after redeveloping it. The new park, located between Jamal Abdul Nasser Street and Khalid Lagoon Corniche, covers an area of for recreation, including six new buildings with restaurants and a tall water fountain. Heart of Sharjah – The Heart of Sharjah, slated for completion in January 2015, has been proposed by Shurooq as a tourist and trade destination with commercial, cultural, and residential projects as well as hotel, archaeological sites, museums, and commercial space. The Chedi Khorfakkan Resort – The Chedi Khorfakkan, scheduled to open in 2015, is under construction an hour outside of Sharjah city centre. Shurooq has stated that once complete, the project will include a tourist resort and a fort on the Al Suwifa Mountain.
Decency laws Conservative Sharjah is the only Emirate in the UAE in which the sale of alcohol is prohibited, although its consumption in one's own home is permissible if one is in possession of a valid Alcohol Licence (as is the transportation of alcohol between the place of sale and the home). The only place this prohibition is relaxed is the members-only sporting club, the Sharjah Wanderers.
Sharjah also maintains the strictest decency laws in the UAE, introduced in 2001, with a conservative dress code required for both men and women. Mixing between unmarried men and women is illegal: "A man and a woman who are not in a legally acceptable relationship should not be alone in public places, or in suspicious times or circumstances," according to a booklet published by the municipality in 2001.
Demographics
The 2022 census for the Emirate of Sharjah noted that the population of the emirate had reached 1.8 million, representing a 22% increase from the prior census in 2015 which had tallied a population of 1.4 million for the emirate. Emirati citizens represented 11.5% of the total population, with 208,000 citizens in the 2022 census - almost evenly divided between males and females. However, when considering non-nationals, there were 1.1 million men living the emirate compared to 500,000 women. in 2022.
Over 51% of the population were in the 20-39 age group, and Sharjah was the largest settlement with 1.6 million residents, followed by Khor Fakkan with 53,000 and Kalba with 51,000.
Free trade zones Sharjah has two main free trade zones: the seaport and free trade zone of Hamriyah and the Sharjah Airport International Free Trade Zone (SAIF Zone).
The Hamriyah Free Zone Authority was established by an Emiri decree issued on 12 November 1995 and consists of a port and associated logistics and trade facilities.
Also established in 1995, the SAIF Zone is adjacent to Sharjah International Airport and is currently home to some 2,500 companies.
The Sharjah Research, Technology & Innovation Park (SRTIP) is another free trade zone in Sharjah emirate. The Sharjah Research, Technology & Innovation Park aims to develop and manage an innovation ecosystem that promotes Research and Development.
Education
Universities in Sharjah: