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The United Arab Emirates is a federation in its structure situated in the Middle East. The federation consists of seven emirates: Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimaih, Ajman, Fujeirah, Umm al-Quwain and Abu Dhabi. The federation is located alongside the south-eastern tip of the Arab Peninsula which is washed by the Persian Gulf.

The UAE borders with Qatar on the north-west and with Oman to the south-east, Saudi Arabia encircling the Arabian Peninsula on the west, south and south-east and Oman to the south-east and north-east.

There are no rivers, lakes or other sources of fresh water within the UAE territory. Unable to cater fresh water from natural resources, the Emirates use desalination plants.

The total area of the UAE makes about 83,600 square kilometers which can be relatively compared with Portugal.

Each of the emirates consists of one or more exclaves ? in political geographics, a part of a country mostly surrounded by other parts of the country or other countries. Thus, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Quwain and Ajman consist of 1 exclave while Fujairah is made up of 2 exclaves and Sharjah embraces 3 exclaves.

The cities are few, namely 19. Below there is a full list:

1. Abu Dhabi
2. Ajmān
3. Al Ain
4. Ruwais
5. Dibba
6. Diba Al Hesn
7. Diba Al Bay'a
8. Dubai
9. Fujairah
10. Kalba
11. Kawr Fakkān
12. Mīnā' Jabal 'Alī
13. Mīnā' Şaqr
14. Mīnā' Zāyid
15. Ras al-Khaimah
16. Umm al-Qaiwain
17. Quţūf
18. Sharjah
19. Sila

The population of the federation is 4,588,697 with the biggest index in the city of Dubai (16 million inhabitants) and an average density of 64 persons for square kilometer. The demographical situation is peculiar for its female-to-male ratio: the county?s male population index is twice higher than that of female.

The United Arab Emirates are rich in mineral resources such as oil and natural gas on which the federation has built its economy and thanks to which it now occupies the first places among the countries with highest human development indexes. The country has become thriving and prosperous after gaining foreign investments of the companies interested in oil transmission.