UAE stands for United Arab Emirates, a country in Asia, and in the region of The Middle East . The Middle East extends into Africa (it is a transcontinental region) but the UAE is fully in the continent of Asia. Dubai is in the UAE, as is Abu Dhabi. This post is about the UAE and its location.
Transcontinental countries also exist. Turkey lies between Europe and Asia, as does Russia (Eurasia), but the United Arab Emirates is not considered a transcontinental country, only the region.
The Middle East is partly in Asia, but also in North Africa and Europe, but this depends what definition of the Middle East, from what era of history you take.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) is in Asia
The whole of the country, UAE, is in the continent of Asia. Specifically, in West Asia and in the region of The Middle East.
Some countries in the Middle East, for instance, Egypt, seemingly lie squarely in Africa, but Egypt (correctly called The Arab Republic of Egypt) is also a transcontinental country. Egypt is a part of both Africa and Asia.
UAE on the World Map
You can see the location of UAE on our world map below.
UAE has land borders with Saudi Arabia to the west and Oman to the south. Much of the UAE’s north and eastern border is The Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman (respectively)
Both the Persian (or Arabian) Gulf and the Gulf of Oman are considered to be part of the Indian Ocean, so the UAE lies on the Indian Ocean. (source)
The UAE is west of India, east of Africa, south of Europe.
UAE is a Country
UAE a country, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi are cities in the UAE or United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi is the capital of UAE.
The UAE, sometimes abbreviated to “The Emirates” is a very small country and has borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Dubai is an Emirate, it is one of seven Emirates that make up the UAE.
The UAE’s coastline and tourist beaches are on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. UAE does not have borders with the Mediterranean Sea, but some countries in the Middle East do.
The UAE has a strong economy as can be seen from stunning landmarks like the Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeira, and Burj al Arab, but, interestingly, its wealth is not entirely oil-based.
Much of the UAE’s wealth comes from oil, with Abu Dhabi being a capital of oil wealth, but Dubai’s riches come more from business.
What are the Emirates That Make Up the UAE?
UAE was initially made up of a federation of six emirates. These emirates comprise the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm Al-Quwain, and Fujairah. Emirate seven, Ras Al Khaimah joined in 1972.
If you need to travel between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, this post gives you that information.
What is UAE?
UAE stands for the United Arab Emirates. The UAE, also known as The Emirates, is a country in the Middle East, in western Asia. The UAE’s capital is Abu Dhabi. The most well known, and most populous city in the UAE, is Dubai. The UAE is an elective monarchy comprising seven individual emirates.
These are Dubai, Fujairah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain. Each emirate has its own Sheikh and these leaders form a Supreme Council.
One of these Sheikhs serves as president of the country of the UAE.
Which Time Zone is UAE In?
UAE’s time zone is Gulf Standard Time, which is GMT+4. This means that if you’re standing in London at noon, the time in the Emirates should be 4pm.
This depends on the time of year, the UK observes British Summer Time with clocks going forward1 hour in spring, back 1 hour in autumn
Gulf Standard Time is usually 9 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (GMT-5). So if it’s noon in New York, it should be 9pm in the UAE.
Again, depending on daylight saving time.
Dubai reportedly does not have a seasonal clock changing or daylight saving time, EST does. Please double-check my maths and this info as Dubai did keep daylight saving previously.
What Continent is UAE In?
As you can see from the map of the continents of the world, above. Dubai and the UAE are in Asia. The Arabian peninsula, which is the landmass on which Dubai can be found, is in Western Asia.
However, the Middle East, the region in which Dubai lies, is a transcontinental region, stretching into North Africa (Egypt) and Europe (Turkey).
What Do You Call People From UAE?
People from the UAE are Emiratis, they are from The United Arab Emirates. Their nationality is Emirati.
Is the UAE a Good Place to Visit?
The UAE is an exceptionally good place to visit as a tourist.
Many think the UAE is just glitz and skyscrapers but there are cultural tours, wildlife to see, and the popular desert safaris including dune bashing and camel rides.
Add to this boat cruises, great hotels (some are quite affordable, others are ultra luxury), good food, incredible shopping, belly dancing, and a good safety record.
December is a very good month to visit the UAE, it can be incredibly hot in summer.
If you’re looking for more information on Dubai, attractions, and travel in Dubai, see our full Dubai travel blog or our Dubai travel index and guide.
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