The United Arab Emirates, on the Arabian Gulf, dazzles with Abu Dhabi’s oil-rich capital and Dubai’s Burj Khalifa piercing desert skies, a federation of seven emirates. Known for dates, pearls, and futuristic malls, its economy booms on energy, trade, and tourism, blending Bedouin roots with global ambition. Its dunes and falconry endure. The UAE’s glitzy rise stuns.