Anemirate is a territory ruled by anemir,^[1] a title used bymonarchs or high officeholders in theMuslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than acaliphate.^[2] It can be considered equivalent to aprincipality in non-Muslim contexts.

Currently in the world, there are two emirates that are independent states (Kuwait andQatar), one state ruled by an unrecognised emirate (Afghanistan), and a state that consists of a federation of seven emirates (theUnited Arab Emirates). A great number of previously independent emirates around the world are now part of larger states, as can be seen inNigeria.^[3]

Etymologically,emirate oramirate (Arabic:إمارةimārah, plural:إماراتimārāt) is the quality, dignity, office, or territorial competence of anyemir (prince, commander, governor, etc.). In English, the term is pronounced/ˈɛmərət,-ɪər-,-ɪt,-eɪt/ or/ɛˈmɪərət,-ɪt,-eɪt,iˈ-/ in British English and/ˈɛmərət/ or/ɪˈmɪərət/ in American English.^[4]

TheUnited Arab Emirates is a federal state that comprises seven federal emirates, each administered by ahereditary emir, these seven forming theelectoral college for the federation's president and prime minister.

As most emirates have either disappeared, been integrated in a larger modern state, or changed their rulers' styles, e.g. tomalik (Arabic for "king") orsultan, such true emirate-states have become rare.

Furthermore, inArabic the term can be generalized to mean any province of a country that is administered by a member of the ruling class, especially of a member (usually styledemir) of the royal family, as inSaudi Arabian governorates.

Current emirates with political autonomy are listed below:

•   State of Kuwait (since 14 May 1961)
•   State of Qatar (since 3 September 1971)
•   United Arab Emirates (since 2 December 1971):
  •   Abu Dhabi
  •   Ajman
  •   Dubai
  •   Fujairah
  •   Ras al-Khaimah
  •   Sharjah
  •   Umm al-Quwain

•   Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (since 15 August 2021; unrecognized)

These are the emirates that have either ceased to exist, are not recognized and hold no real power, or were integrated into another country and preserved as "traditional states". They are arranged by location and in order of the date of the first leader styled "emir."

• Emirate of Nekor,Rif region of modernMorocco 710–1019
• Emirate of Ifriqiya, AghlabidIfriqiya within modernTunisia,Algeria,Sicily,Morocco, andLibya 800–909
• Emirate of Tunis, HafsidIfriqiya within modernTunisia,Algeria, andLibya 1229–1574
• Zab Emirate, modernAlgeria circa 1400 (short-lived)
• Emirate of Trarza, modern southwestMauritania 1640s–1910s
• Emirate of Cyrenaica, modern easternLibya 1949–1951 (became theKingdom of Libya)

•  
  Ifriqiya under the Hafsids
•  
  Trarza (upper left)
•  
  Cyrenaica in Libya

• Emirate of Harar, easternEthiopia 1647–1887

• Zabarma Emirate, northeasternGhana 1860s–1897

• Emirate of Say, southwesternNiger 19th century– (integrated)

• Fika Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 15th century– (integrated)
• Gwandu Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 15th century to 2005 (integrated and then deposed)
• Kebbi Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 1516– (integrated)
• Borgu Emirate, westcentral Nigeria, formed from Bussa Emirate 1730–1954 and Kaiama Emirate 1912–54, unified 1954– (integrated)
• Gumel Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1749– (integrated)
• Yauri Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 1799– (integrated)
• Gombe Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1804– (integrated)
• Kano Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1805– (integrated)
• Bauchi Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1805– (integrated)
• Daura Emirate, northcentral Nigeria off and on 1805– (integrated)
• Katsina Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1806– (integrated)
• Katagum Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1807– (integrated)
• Zaria Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1808– (integrated)
• Potiskum Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 1809– (integrated)
• Adamawa Emirate, eastern Nigeria and formerly into westernCameroon 1809– (integrated where preserved)
• Ilorin Emirate, southwestern Nigeria 1817– (integrated)
• Muri Emirate, eastcentral Nigeria 1817– (integrated)
• Kazaure Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1819– (integrated)
• Lapai Emirate, central Nigeria 1825– (integrated)
• Suleja Emirate, central Nigeria 1828– (integrated)
• Agaie Emirate, westcentral Nigeria 1832– (integrated)
• Bida Emirate, westcentral Nigeria 1856– (integrated)
• Kontagora Emirate, northcentral Nigeria 1858– (integrated)
• Borno Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 1900– (integrated)
• Dikwa Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1901– (integrated)
• Biu Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1920– (integrated)

• Emirate of Mecca, Western Arabia 967–1916
• Uyunid Emirate, the modernArabian Peninsula 1076–1253
• Jabrids Emirate, Eastern and center Arabia 1417–1524
• Emirate of Al-Uyaynah central Arabia 1446–1760
• Bani Khalid Emirate, Eastern Arabia 1669–1796
• Emirate of Beihan, modern southernYemen 1680–1967
• Emirate of Diriyah, mainly in modernSaudi Arabia and theUAE 1727–1818
• Emirate of Nejd, center and easternArabia 1818–91
• Emirate of Dhala, modern southernYemen early 19th century to 1967
• Emirate of Jabal Shammar, northcentral Arabia 1836–1921
• Emirate of Nejd and Hasa, central Arabia 1902–21
• Idrisid Emirate of Asir,Jizan in modern southwesternSaudi Arabia 1906–34
• Emirate of Bahrain, 1971–2002 (before it was under ahakim (ruler); after under amalik (king))
• Emirates of Saudi Arabia, the thirteen provinces ofSaudi Arabia

•  
  Beihan and Dhala in South Arabia
•  
  Diriyah
•  
  Nejd
•  
  Jabal Shammar
•  
  Asir at its height
•  
  Bahrain
•  
  Saudi Arabian emirate divisions

• Emirate of Bukhara, modernUzbekistan 1785–1920
• Khotan Emirate, 1933 northwest China, merged intoFirst East Turkestan Republic

•  
  Bukhara
•  
  Khotan in modern China

• Emirate of Afghanistan,Afghanistan 1823–1929
• Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001), first period ofTaliban rule inAfghanistan (overthrown)
• Islamic Emirate of Kunar, southern Afghanistan 1991–1991
• Emirate of Multan
• Habbarid Emirate

•  
  Emirate of Afghanistan

• Emirate ofMosul (seelist of emirs for more), modernIraq 905–1096, 1127–1222, 1254–1383, 1758–1918
• Emirate of Melitene, modern central Turkey mid-ninth century to 934
• Emirate of Amida, modernEastern Turkey 983–1085
• Karaman Emirate, south-centralAnatolia 1250–1487
• Emirate of Aydin, state composed ofOghuz Turks in modern Turkey from the early 14th century to 1390
• Emirate of Dulkadir, modernTurkey 1337–1522
• Emirate of Erzincan, 14–15th centuries
• Emirate of Ramazan, modernTurkey 1352–1608
• Emirate of Mount Lebanon, modernLebanon 1516–1842
• Timurid Emirates,Timur's empire and the minor emirates left behind after the fall of theTimurid dynasty in theMiddle East, 1526-c.1550
• Soran Emirate, modern northern Iraq 1816–35
• Az Zubayr, town inBasra Governorate, Iraq during 16th century
• Emirate of Transjordan, modernJordan 1921–46
• Islamic Emirate of Byara, modernKurdistan Region,Iraq, 2001–2003

•  
  Ottoman emirate in 1300, labeled 'Osman'
•  
  Timurid Emirate under the leadership ofTimur
•  
  Transjordan

• The Emirate of Armenia,Caucasus 637–884
• Emirate of Darband,Dagestan 869–1075
• Emirate of Tbilisi, modernGeorgia 736–1080, nominally to 1122
• North Caucasian Emirate,Chechnya andDagestan in theCaucasus 1919–1920
• Caucasus Emirate,Caucasus 2007–2017 (unrecognized)

•  
  Darband, Azerbaijan
•  
  Armenia

• Emirate of Córdoba, modern Spain and Portugal 756–929 (title changed tocaliph in 929)
• Emirate of Badajoz, modern Portugal and western Spain 1009–1151
• Emirate of Almería, region ofAlmería andCartagena in modern Spain off and on 1013–1091
• Emirate of Jerez, towns ofJerez de la Frontera andArcos de la Frontera in modern southern Spain 1145–1147
• Emirate of Granada, modern southern Spain 1228–1492

•  
  Córdoba
•  
  Badajoz
•  
  Granada

• Emirate of Crete,Crete, modern Greece, 824 or 827/828 to 961
• Emirate of Bari, city ofBari in southern Italy 847–871
• Emirate of Malta, 870–1091
• Emirate of Sicily,Sicily 965–1072
• Emirate of Qatansáar,city ofCatanzaro in southern Italy 903-1050

•  
  Crete within modern Greece
•  
  Sicily (at bottom)

• Caliphate
• Sultanate
• Khanate