Culture of the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has a diverse society. The country's historical population as a small tribal community has been changed with the arrival of other nationals — first by the Iranians in 1810, and later by Indians and Pakistanis in the 1960s.

The influence of Islamic, Persian and Arabian culture on its architecture, music, attire, cuisine, and lifestyle are very prominent as well. Five times every day, Muslims are called to prayer from the minarets of mosques, which are scattered around the country. The weekend begins on Friday due to Friday being the holiest day for Muslims. Most Muslim countries have a Friday-Saturday or Thursday-Friday weekend.

The city of Al Ain in Abu Dhabi is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In 1998, The Emirate of Sharjah was named by the UNESCO 'The Cultural capital of the Arab World' in 1998 and the 'capital of Islamic culture for 2014' by the OIC.

Emirati culture is based on Arabian culture and has been heavily influenced by Persian culture. Arabian and Persian inspired architecture is part of the expression of the local Emirati identity. Persian influence on Emirati culture is noticeably visible in traditional Emirati architecture and folk arts. For example, the "barjeel" has become an identifying mark of traditional Emirati architecture and is attributed to Persian influence. Certain folk dances, such as "al-habban", are originally Persian. Local Emirati culture has also been influenced by the cultures of East Africa and India.

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