When boundaries blur, it’s hard to stand out unless the country has characteristics that make it unique.
The UAE (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES) is a federation of seven emirates.
While Abu Dhabi and Dubai have long been melting pots of many cultures as stars of the Emirates, the other Emirates are lagging behind in terms of popularity. But there is one emirate that is catching up because it is young and different. Welcome to the Emirate of Diversity: Ras Al Khaim
Although RAK (as the country is often abbreviated) has a long history, it is the youngest emirate, having joined the unification in 1972.
The big difference to the other emirates is the diversity of the landscape. Away from the desert, in the coastal plain, against the spectacular backdrop of the Al Hajar mountain range, oranges and dates grow on fertile plantations that are irrigated by spring water from the mountains.
In addition to white sandy beaches, there are bays and lagoons with diverse flora and fauna, which can also be seen in the extensive mangrove forests.
It is precisely this diversity of landscapes that make Ras Al Khaimah one of the few places in today’s Emirates that has been continuously inhabited throughout its entire history. RAK may be the youngest emirate, but it is one of the most populated places in the world. There are archaeological excavations in Ras Al Khaimah that date back to the ancient port city of Julfar.
We enjoyed Ras Al Khaimah and their museums.
Many artefacts found in the more than 1,000 individual archaeological sites are on display in the former Fort of Ras Al Khaimah and what is now the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah. They show that in this region since 5,000 BC. Advanced trading civilizations lived around 2000 BC.
Just between 5,500 and 3,800 BC. In the 4th century BC the region was a strategic link for trade with Mesopotamia.
The emirate itself was founded in the 18th century by the Qawasim tribe. The port of Ras al Khaimah served as an important base for the Qawasim to dominate large parts of the Persian southern coast.
However, British shipping routes in the Indian Ocean became increasingly vulnerable to piracy, leading to military conflicts with Britain. In 1819, Ras Al Khaimah was attacked and occupied by a British naval force.
After a defeat, the Qawasim had to agree to a maritime peace with Great Britain in 1820, which guaranteed the British a protectorate over the southern Gulf Coast. After the treaty was extended, RAK increasingly came under British rule. Under Sheikh Saqr ibn Muhammad al-Qasimi, who had ruled since 1948, Ras Al Khaima became the seventh and last emirate to join the United Arab Emirates in 1972.
After the Qawasim withdrew, the fortress became the headquarters of the Emirates Police and a prison.
The government finally converted it into the current museum in 1987. During the renovation, care was taken to preserve the traditional construction method.
