Teach Middle East Magazine June 2014 Issue 2 Vol. 1 | Page 40

In The UAE

IN THE UAE… FACT FILE

M

any of the newly appointed
educators who will be coming
to the UAE will have been
scouring the social network
sites in search of useful information
about their soon-to-be home. Crucial
topics would include what to expect in
a UAE school, what laws govern the
land and the true nature of the culture.
In a recent visit to the Sheikh Zayed
Grand Mosque (SZGM), some useful
information related to the norms of
UAE living were discovered. In this
special feature of In the UAE, we
highlight some facts about the UAE’s
leadership, national dress, national
tree and the importance of the date
palm tree.
First President of the UAE
The late HH, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan
Al Nahyan is credited as being the
founder of the United Arab Emirates
(UAE). The country is a federation of
seven emirates and was formed in
1971. The emirates are Abu Dhabi,
Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ra’s
al-Khaimah and Umm al-Quwain. The
capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi.

National Dress:
The National Dress is a symbol of
national identity and tradition. Most
Emirati men wear a floor length white
garment called a Kandura. The white
headscarf known as guthrah (o r
keffiyeh) is held in place by a double
black chord called the igal (or agal).
The guthrah provides protection from

sunburn, sand and dust.
In public, women wear an abaya,
which is a floor length thin black
robe; a thin black scarf called a
hijab is used to cover their hair and
neckline. Some women also wear
a niqab, which is designed to cover
the mouth and nose, leaving only
the eyes exposed.

The National Tree:
The Ghaf tree (Prosopis Cineraria) is
the National tree of the UAE. This is a
drought tolerant evergreen tree and is
considered to be perhaps the sturdiest
tree of the harsh desert environment.

• It provides shade from the sun.
• The date fruit, which is eaten fresh or
dry, is also used in gourmet dishes.
• The seeds are used to feed animals.
• Pots, fans and mats can be made
from its leaves.
• Traditionally the trunk has been
used in building construction as
ceilings and columns.
• It is used as a source of fuel.
• Dates are used for medicinal
purposes such as for the treatment
of cold, fever; aiding digestion and
improving hair growth.

Current President
HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nayan,
Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Current Vice President and Prime
Minister
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai.
Language: Arabic is the national
language of the UAE.
Religion: Islam is the largest and the
official state religion of the UAE.
Place of worship: Masjid (mosque).
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is
the official mosque of the country. It
is named after the founder and first
president of the UAE.
National Day: December 2
Currency: Emirati dirham (dhs or AED)

38

June 2014

After The Bell

The most highly valued tree in
the Arab world:
The Date Palm tree (phoenix
dactylifera) is the most highly valued
tree in the Arab world where the fruit
has been a staple for many years.
Here are a few of the ways in which
the date palm is used: