Older residential area of Sharjah, displaying the local architecture
Human settlement in the area covered by the emirate has existed for over 120,000 years, with significant finds made of early axes and stone tools as well as Copper andIron Age implements inAl Dhaid,Al Thuqeibah,Mileiha,Tell Abraq,Muwailah,Al Madam andJebel Faya.[6][7] Archaeological finds in the Mleiha area point to human habitation consistent with the spread of humanity from Africa to the wider world, evidenced by finds displayed at theMleiha Archaeological Centre.[8]
Historically the emirate was one of the wealthiest towns in the region.[9]
Around 1727, theAl Qasimi clan took control of Sharjah and declared the polity independent.[10]
The first in a long series of maritime skirmishes between theAl Qasimi and British vessels took place in 1797, when the British-flaggedsnow theBassein was seized and released two days later. The cruiserViperwas subsequently attacked offBushire. The Al Qasimi leader,Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi, protested innocence in both cases.
A period of great instability followed along the coast, with a number of actions between British andAl Qasimi vessels alongside various changes of leadership and allegiances between the Rulers ofRas Al Khaimah,Ajman and Sharjah withSheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi claiming sovereignty over 'all the Joasmee ports' in 1823, a claim recognised by the British at the time.
On 8 January 1820,Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi signedthe General Maritime Treaty with Britain, accepting protectorate status in order to resistOttoman domination. Following the expiration of a further, ten year, treaty in 1843, on 4 May 1853 Sharjah, along with other Sheikhdoms on what was then known as the 'Arabian Coast' signed the Perpetual Treaty of Peace, which gave rise to the collective nameTrucial States being given to the emirates of the coast.[11]
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Sharjah was an important pearl fishing port. A British marine survey of 1830 found 'three to four hundred boats' fishing in the season, earning the ruler 100,000Maria Theresa Dollars.[13]
In 1932,Imperial Airways established a regular air service through Sharjah, which was an overnight stop on the Eastern British Empire route. TheMahatta Fort was built to house the airline's guests.
On 2 December 1971,SheikhKhalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi joined Sharjah to the United Arab Emirates.[14] On 24 January 1972 however, the former ruler SheikhSaqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi staged a leftist coup. Having previously deposed Saqr in 1965, Sheikh Khalid had ordered the demolition ofSharjah Fort (Al Hisn Sharjah) to expunge Saqr's memory. Saqr took over Khalid's palace, holding him inside and in the ensuing confusion Sheikh Khalid was killed. Saqr was arrested and Khalid's brother,Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, an author and historian, came to power.[15]
In 1987, Sultan's brother Abdulazizstaged a coup while Sultan was abroad. Huge state debt was stated as the reason. Then-UAE PresidentZayed denounced the coup, and a deal was reached for Sultan to be restored, while Abdulaziz would become the deputy ruler. Sultan, however, dismissed Abdulaziz quite quickly.[16][17] In 1999, the Crown Prince (Sultan's eldest son) died of a drug overdose while on vacation in their palace in England.[18] Sultan made the decision to testify in front of a UK court[why?].[citation needed] The new Crown Prince, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, was appointed from a remote branch of the family.
Sharjah is the third largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates, and is the only one to have land on both thePersian Gulf and theGulf of Oman. The emirate covers 2,590 square kilometres (1,000 sq mi) which is equivalent to 3.3 per cent of the UAE's total area, excluding the islands. It has a population of over 1,800,000 (2022).[3] The city lies 170 km (110 miles) away from the UAE capital cityAbu Dhabi.
The emirate of Sharjah comprises the city ofSharjah (the seat of the emirate), and other minor towns andenclaves. Thecity of Sharjah, which overlooks thePersian Gulf, has a population of 1,600,000 (2022 census). Sharjah City borders Dubai to the south and Ajman to the north, and the three form aconurbation.[20] Sharjah also owns three enclaves on the east coast, bordering theGulf of Oman. These areKalba,Dibba Al-Hisn, andKhor Fakkan, which provide Sharjah with a major east coast port. In the Persian Gulf, the island ofSir Abu Nu’ayr belongs to Sharjah,[3] andAbu Musa is claimed by UAE, but controlled byIran. Sharjah has anexclave containing the village ofNahwa, located inside theOmanienclave ofMadha which bordersFujairah and Sharjah. The emirate also encompasses some important oasis areas, the most famous of which is the fertile Dhaid region, where a range of vegetables and fruits are cultivated.[21]
The Emirate of Sharjah is led by the ruler of Sharjah. It has been led by SheikhSultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi since 1972.[22] The ruler of Sharjah appoints members of the Sharjah Executive Council and the Sharjah Consultative Council to manage the day-to-day affairs of the emirate.[23] Sharjah has devolved some authority over local decisions to Emiri Diwans (Ruler's Courts) in areas such asKalba andKhor Fakkan. Nevertheless, the Sharjah Executive Council retains authority to manage government departments and affairs in line with policies and decrees by the ruler of Sharjah.[24] Collectively, the government of Sharjah has over 126 government departments and public organisations under its responsibility and control[25] with a number of services provided through a Sharjahe-government portal.[26]
The Emirates Eye, theferris wheel at Al-Qasbah in Sharjah City
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCDTA) was established by decree in 1996 to "promote commercial and tourism activities" in the emirate. The state-backed authority is responsible for, among other things, creating policies for local and international exhibitions and marketing Sharjah to attract foreign investment and tourists.[27]One such initiative, is the annualSharjah Light Festival, which showcases the emirate's landmarks through vibrant light shows and attracts thousands of visitors each year.[28]
TheSharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) was established in 2009 as an independent government body to "oversee the social, cultural, environmental and economic development of Sharjah in line with itsIslamic identity." It focuses on three areas for the emirate; investment, development, and asset and property management.[citation needed] Shurooq's developments include:
Al Qasba – 10,000-acre project including a 1 km (0.62 miles)-long man-madecanal and 60 m (200 ft) high observation wheel, it was made open for the public in 2005. It includes Masrah Al Qasba, a theatre, the Maraya Art Centre, the Multaqa Al Qasba meetings and conference centre and a children's Fun Zone. The project, managed by the Al Qasba Development Authority (an affiliate of Shurooq) has an architectural design including pedestrian bridges, boats, and lagoons. It attracted two million visitors in 2011.[citation needed]
Al Majaz Waterfront – Shurooq opened the Al Majaz Waterfront in December 2011 after redeveloping it. The new park, located between Jamal Abdul Nasser Street and Khalid Lagoon Corniche, covers an area of 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi) for recreation, including six new buildings with restaurants and a 100 m (330 ft) tall water fountain.[citation needed]
Heart of Sharjah – The Heart of Sharjah, slated for completion in January 2015, has been proposed by Shurooq as a tourist and trade destination with commercial, cultural, and residential projects as well as hotel, archaeological sites, museums, and commercial space.[citation needed]
The Chedi Khorfakkan Resort – The Chedi Khorfakkan, scheduled to open in 2015, is under construction an hour outside of Sharjah city centre. Shurooq has stated that once complete, the project will include a tourist resort and a fort on the Al Suwifa Mountain.[citation needed]
Conservative Sharjah is the only Emirate in the UAE in which the sale ofalcohol is prohibited, although its consumption in one's own home is permissible if one is in possession of a valid Alcohol Licence (as is the transportation of alcohol between the place of sale and the home). The only place this prohibition is relaxed is the members-only sporting club, theSharjah Wanderers.
Sharjah also maintains the strictest decency laws in the UAE, introduced in 2001, with a conservative dress code required for both men and women. Mixing between unmarried men and women is illegal: "A man and a woman who are not in a legally acceptable relationship should not be alone in public places, or in suspicious times or circumstances," according to a booklet published by the municipality in 2001.[29]
The 2022 census for the Emirate of Sharjah noted that the population of the emirate had reached 1.8 million, representing a 22% increase from the prior census in 2015 which had tallied a population of 1.4 million for the emirate.[31] Emirati citizens represented 11.5% of the total population, with 208,000 citizens in the 2022 census - almost evenly divided between males and females. However, when considering non-nationals, there were 1.1 million men living the emirate compared to 500,000 women. in 2022.
Over 51% of the population were in the 20-39 age group, andSharjah was the largest settlement with 1.6 million residents, followed byKhor Fakkan with 53,000 andKalba with 51,000.[31]
Sharjah has two main free trade zones: the seaport and free trade zone of Hamriyah and the Sharjah Airport International Free Trade Zone (SAIF Zone).
TheHamriyah Free Zone Authority was established by an Emiri decree issued on 12 November 1995 and consists of a port and associated logistics and trade facilities.[32]
Also established in 1995, the SAIF Zone is adjacent to Sharjah International Airport and is currently home to some 2,500 companies.
The Sharjah Research, Technology & Innovation Park (SRTIP) is another free trade zone in Sharjah emirate. The Sharjah Research, Technology & Innovation Park aims to develop and manage an innovation ecosystem that promotes Research and Development.[33]
TheUniversity City of Sharjah is an educational district to the east of Sharjah City that includes AUS, the University of Sharjah, and theHigher Colleges of Technology (which in turn includes Sharjah Women's College and Sharjah Men's College. The area also includes the Sharjah Library, Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, Police Academy, and the Sharjah Teaching Hospital.[34]
Sharjah has long invested considerable resources in building a strong cultural identity and heritage and was named in 1998 asUNESCO's 'Arab Capital of Culture', an event commemorated by a large pillar erected opposite the Sharjah Desert Park and Arabian Wildlife Centre between Sharjah and Dhaid cities. This monument was moved to a new location at the entrance to Sharjah's University City, where it was joined by a monument to Sharjah's 2014 nomination as Islamic Culture Capital[36] by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), a specialised institution of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the fields of Education, Science and Culture.[37]
TheSharjah Art Foundation works on a broad range of contemporary art and cultural programs to the communities of Sharjah, the UAE and the region, including theSharjah Biennial which first took place in 1993. Founded in 2009, SAF also organises the annual March Meeting, residencies, production grants, commissions, exhibitions, research, publications and a growing art collection as well as a number of education and public programmes.[38]
The city has 16 museums.[39] Sharjah's ruler, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad al Qasimi, established the Sharjah Museums Department, an independent department affiliated to the Ruler's Office, in 2006. Museums in Sharjah include:
TheExpo Centre Sharjah in the city of Sharjah holds an annual book fair that is known throughout the region. It was founded, built and operated from 1976 to 1989 by Frederick Pittera, an international producer of Trade & Consumer Fairs. The event typically attracts hundreds of local and international publishers and thousands of titles.[40]
In 1963, Britain ceded responsibility for the Trucial States' postal systems. An American philatelic entrepreneur by the name ofFinbar Kenny saw the opportunity to create a number of editions of stamps aimed at the lucrative collector's market and in 1964 concluded a deal with a number of Trucial States to take the franchise for the production of stamps for their respective governments. Kenny had made something of a speciality out of signing these deals, also signing with the Rulers of Ajman and Fujairah in 1964—and getting involved in a bribery case in the USA over his dealings with the government of the Cook Islands. The issue of stamps fromAjman's dependency of Manama—a tiny agrarian village in the remote plains at which a 'post office' was opened—is a perfect example.
These stamps, luridly illustrated and irrelevant to the actual emirates they purported to come from (editions included 'Space Research' and 'Tokyo Olympic Games') became known as 'dunes'. Their proliferation quickly devalued them.[41][42]
Sharjah is therefore known by manystamp collectors for these issues by theSharjah Post Office shortly before the formation of the United Arab Emirates.[43] Many of these items are not listed by many popular catalogues.[44]
Sharjah has hosted theF1 Powerboat Race since 2000. The December event is held during the Sharjah Water Festival and attracts over 75,000 visitors to the emirate. Since 2016 the event is also combined withAquabike World Championship (powerboating) making the Grand Prix of Sharjah the final of the two main disciplines in Powerboating World
Sharjah International Airport (IATA: SHJ) has connections to all major international locations. It is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Sharjah City Centre and about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) away from Dubai. It is a major cargo airport and the main base ofAir Arabia. The airport served total 4,324,313 passengers and 51,314 flights in 2007. It also handled 570,363 tonnes (561,355 long tons; 628,718 short tons) of cargo in the same year. Over 60,000 aircraft movements were recorded in 2009.[46] It handled 6,634,570 passengers in 2011.[47]
As of 2012, it has 34 international carriers and 13 cargo airlines. In 2008, Sharjah International Airport announced it would invest AED662m (US$180m) to renovate the airport's buildings, build a new terminal and increase car parking. The project is slated for completion in 2015, by which time the airport aims to be handling eight million passengers annually.
Sharjah International Airport is the main base ofAir Arabia, the Middle East's largest low-cost carrier. It was the Middle East's first budget airline when launched by the ruler of Sharjah in 2003. The number of passengers flying to its near 70 destinations grew six per cent in 2011 to 4.7 million. Net profit for 2011 was AED274m (US$74.6m), down 13 per cent on the previous year. The airline, which also has hubs inEgypt (Borg El Arab Airport,Alexandria) andMorocco (Mohammed V International Airport,Casablanca), delayed plans to establish a fourth hub inJordan in 2012.
The Sharjah Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) started the public transport system in Sharjah on 23 May 2008 with 11 buses running on the first route, Route 14 from Sharjah International Airport to Al-Sharq terminal. By November 2008, 142 buses are expected to operate on 18 routes.[48] In February 2010, there were 115 Sharjah intercity buses, which make 250 trips daily. The tariff for these intercity buses ranges from AED 5 to AED 30.[49] In 2014, theSharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA) and the SPTC got absorbed onto the authority.[50]
Metered Taxis are available in Sharjah for the intra-city as well as the inter-city travel. The base fare is AED 11.50 with AED 1 charged for every 650 metres (2,130 ft) of travel.[51] For intra-city travel, the minimum fare is AED 11.50 and for Sharjah to Dubai travel, the base fare is AED 20.
Thecity of Sharjah contains the main administrative and commercial centres, as well as a number of cultural institutions including several museums. Distinctive landmarks are the two major coveredsouks, reflecting Islamic design; a number of recreational areas and public parks such as Al Jazeirah Fun Park and Al Buheirah Corniche. The city is also notable for numerousmosques.
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