[oh-mahn] 
| a former name of United Arab Emirates. |
| an independent federation in E Arabia, formed in 1971, now comprising seven emirates on the S coast (formerly, Pirate Coast or Trucial Coast) of the Persian Gulf, formerly under British protection: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah (joined 1972), and Fujairah. 2,262,309; ab. 32,300 sq. mi. (83,657 sq. km). Capital: Abu Dhabi. Abbreviation: U.A.E. |
A federation of seven kingdoms on the Persian Gulf coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered to the east by Oman, the south and west by Saudi Arabia, and the northwest by Qatar.
Note: Once the domain of pirates, the area was subdued by the British in 1820. It was a British protectorate from 1892 until the late 1960s.
Note: Oil reserves have been exploited since the early 1960s.