Located in the centre of the country, Sharjah is the third largest emirate and the only one to have a coastline on both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The third economic power in the UAE, it has become the country’s main industrial hub, providing 48% of the UAE’s total industrial sector. The export of crude oil and gas still underwrites the city’s development but chemical, tourism, logistics, plastics and fibreglass, piping and other short-scale industries are now major contributors, with a 12% annual growth rate recorded in Sharjah’s industrial graph.
Sharjah Airport has undergone a programme of development over the last five years to improve facilities and infrastructures. The capacity of the terminal has been tripled to an annual eight million passengers and 25 new parking bays. Cargo positions have more than doubled at 16. Future plans include expansion of the terminal and extension of the new runway. The airport is base for budget airline Air Arabia, whose rapid growth has helped to drive the development.
Under the guidance of the ruler His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, government development has focused on a number of traditional cultural and tourism projects and the city boasts 20 museums, art galleries and beautifully restored heritage areas, as well as the Sharjah Wildlife Park and the Aquarium.
The emirate is considered the most conservative of the seven and is the only emirate in which the sale, possession and consumption of alcohol is banned. It also maintains the strictest decency laws in the UAE, with a conservative dress code mandatory for both men and women.