Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah has a rich history dating back some 7,000 years. In the 13th and 14th centuries, a prosperous port arose in the area we now know as Ras Al Khaimah. Then named Julfar, it became one of the most prominent trading posts in the Arabian Gulf and was widely known for its exquisite pearls. The discovery of rare Chinese pottery in 2019 in this area points to the extent of trade that occurred in the erstwhile Julfar.

Ras Al Khaimah has about 1,000 archaeological sites, four of which have been added to the ‘UNESCO Tentative List for World Heritage’. The emirate is also home to one of the best-preserved traditional fishing villages in the Arabian Gulf, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, and the only hilltop fort still in existence in the UAE, the 18th century Dhayah Fort.

The emirate is noted for its varied topography, from the Hajar mountains, to rolling sand dunes to 64 kms of beaches, as well as its adventure tourism attractions. It has a stable and diverse economy, with independent executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

For more than a decade, Ras Al Khaimah has been consistently rated in the ‘A’ range by Fitch and Standard & Poor’s international ratings agencies and it is home to more than 38,000 businesses from 100 countries representing over 50 industries.

It is the fourth-largest emirate and covers an area of 1,684sq. km, which is equal to 3.16 per cent of the total area of the UAE.