Ras al-Khaimah (Arabic: -Ra's al ?aima, is in English: The Top of the Tent) is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates , in the east of the Persian Gulf. It is in the northern part of the UAE bordering Oman. The capital city and home of most residents is also called Ras al-Khaimah. The city has a population of 263,217 as of 2008.[1] The city has two main sections, Old Ras Al Khaimah and Nakheel, on either side of a creek. It is served by the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport in Al Jazirah Al Hamra
Ras Al Khaimah has been the site of human habitation for several millennia and there are many historical and archaeological sites throughout the emirate dating from different time periods, including remnants of the Umm Al Nar Civilization (3rd Millennium BC).The city was historically known as Julfar. Archaeological evidence has demonstrated that the settlement known as Julfar shifted location over time as harbour channels silted up. Excavations of a sizable tell, which revealed remnants of a Sassanid Era fortification indicate that early Julfar was located in the Shamal area, not far from other sites of historical/archaeological interest such as Sheba's Palace and the largest Umm Al Nar tombs found on the Arabian Peninsula. Sources say that Julfar was inhabited by the Azd (They were a branch of the Kahlan tribe, which was one of the two branches of Qahtan (the aboriginal Arabs), the other being Himyar.) during the eighth and ninth centuries AD, and that the houses of the Azd were built of wood.
In the early 18th century the Qawasim clan established itself in Ras al-Khaimah. In the early 19th century a British naval force attacked and occupied Ras al Khaimah to put a stop to the powerful hold of the maritime powerful Quwasem tribe. The Quwasem served as a threat to the British imperialism, and endangered the ships in the Indian Ocean.
After British occupation (18 December 1819 - July 1821), Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi signed in 1822 the General Maritime Treaty with Britain, accepting a protectorate to keep the Ottoman Turks out. Like Ajman, Dubai, Umm al-Qaiwain and Sharjah, its position on the route to India made it important enough to be recognized as a salute state.
After British occupation (18 December 1819 - July 1821), Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi signed in 1822 the General Maritime Treaty with Britain, accepting a protectorate to keep the Ottoman Turks out. Like Ajman, Dubai, Umm al-Qaiwain and Sharjah, its position on the route to India made it important enough to be recognized as a salute state.
In 1869 Ras al-Khaimah became fully independent from neighboring Sharjah. However from September 1900 to 7 July 1921 it was re-incorporated into Sharjah; the last governor became its next independent ruler.
Ras al-Khaimah is not a major oil producer, so it has focused on developing its industrial sector. It opened the UAE's first cement company in the early 1970s and is now the UAE's largest producer of cement. In the 1980s, the emirate formed Ras al-Khaimah Ceramics, which has become the world's largest ceramics producer, and Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries (Julphar), the Persian Gulf region's first pharmaceuticals company. It is trying to emerge as an investment destination par excellence. However it suffers from great electricity shortages, which has caused some residential buildings to be abandoned.
The annual Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, first held in 2007, has called the attention of the world's sporting media to the region. The organizers invest much in the IAAF-label race in order to attract the world's top athletes, resulting in a world record from Samuel Wanjiru in 2007 and the second fastest run of all-time from Patrick Makau Musyoki in 2009.
Three dual-carriageways link Ras Al Khaimah with the other emirates and beyond. One follows the coast with beaches on one side and stretches of desert on the other; the other, new route runs out towards the airport in the direction of Khatt, Masafi, Fujairah and Dhaid and further onto Oman.
Ras al-Khaimah is not a major oil producer, so it has focused on developing its industrial sector. It opened the UAE's first cement company in the early 1970s and is now the UAE's largest producer of cement. In the 1980s, the emirate formed Ras al-Khaimah Ceramics, which has become the world's largest ceramics producer, and Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries (Julphar), the Persian Gulf region's first pharmaceuticals company. It is trying to emerge as an investment destination par excellence. However it suffers from great electricity shortages, which has caused some residential buildings to be abandoned.
The annual Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, first held in 2007, has called the attention of the world's sporting media to the region. The organizers invest much in the IAAF-label race in order to attract the world's top athletes, resulting in a world record from Samuel Wanjiru in 2007 and the second fastest run of all-time from Patrick Makau Musyoki in 2009.
Three dual-carriageways link Ras Al Khaimah with the other emirates and beyond. One follows the coast with beaches on one side and stretches of desert on the other; the other, new route runs out towards the airport in the direction of Khatt, Masafi, Fujairah and Dhaid and further onto Oman.
The newly constructed Emirates Road (E311 Highway) traverses the emirates of Umm Al Quwain, Ajman (60 km) and Sharjah (71 km) to finally end up in Dubai (87 km). The new highway allows journeys from Ras Al Khaimah to Dubai in under 45 minutes.
Saqr Port, located in the industrial area of Khor Khuwair, is the Emirate's main port, providing bulk and container services. It has eight deep water berths, each 200 m long, is dredged to 12.2 m and has two ro-ro ramps plus specialised berths for handling bulk cement and aggregate. Other services include ship handling, crew changes and 40,000 m2 of covered storage together with a vast open storage area. It is also the closest port in the UAE to Bandar Abbas in Iran, however there is no shipping from Saqr port to Bandar Abbas.
Tourist Sights in Ras Al Khaimah Include,
Saqr Port, located in the industrial area of Khor Khuwair, is the Emirate's main port, providing bulk and container services. It has eight deep water berths, each 200 m long, is dredged to 12.2 m and has two ro-ro ramps plus specialised berths for handling bulk cement and aggregate. Other services include ship handling, crew changes and 40,000 m2 of covered storage together with a vast open storage area. It is also the closest port in the UAE to Bandar Abbas in Iran, however there is no shipping from Saqr port to Bandar Abbas.
Tourist Sights in Ras Al Khaimah Include,
• The National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah: housed in the former palace of the ruling Al Qawasim family, it has exhibits on natural history, arts and crafts of the past centuries, and archaeology.
• Dhayah Fort: the only surviving hilltop fort in the UAE.
• Shamal and Sheeba's Palace: tombs and ruins of a medieval palace.
• Al Falayah: the former summer residence of the ruling Al Qawasim family.
• Jazirat Al Hamra: an abandoned ‘ghost town’ showing the architecture of earlier decades.
• The Old City and Souq: an opportunity to see both traditional and modern shops as well as artisan’s workshops
• Awafi festival: It is three week event held in December or January month with the main attraction is the dramatic sand dune drives by the strongest 4-wheel drives of the UAE, there are many other reasons to visit Al Awafi. A heritage village with traditional food and dance will open on the festival, as well as shops for food and souvenirs. For the children, a petting zoo and lots of games are available. The entry is free of charge, and many families are bringing picnics to enjoy whilst watching the cars battling it out over the sand dunes.
