The UAE has 7 united emirates, which are ruled by different rulers. From being just a sand dune, the UAE is now a successful country with lots of infrastructures, business establishments, residential towers, shopping malls, and so on. This is not possible without the royal families who built the country from the ground. They have significant contributions to what the UAE is today.
In this blog, you will learn about the rulers and royal families who took care of the foundation of this country and who is in charge of its administration.
Contents
Who rules the UAE now?
As mentioned earlier, the UAE is ruled by royal families. Since there are 7 emirates here, there are different rulers that you should know about. To determine the president and the head of the state, that person is usually chosen from the rulers of the emirates. The 7 rulers, also known as Emirs, are what compose the Federal Supreme Council—the highest legislative and executive in the country.
The Royal Family in Dubai
In Dubai, the current ruler is His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum while the crown prince is His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. They came from the family of Al Maktoum whose descendants are Bani Yas.
You will discover later on that the royal family in Dubai is somehow related to Abu Dhabi’s. That’s because they came from the same descendants but of different branches. According to history, there were 800 Al Maktoum family members who branched out in 1833 in Dubai Creek. They were responsible for putting up Dubai from the ground and from being just a fishing area to an amazing and successful city.
In this royal family, there are influencers who are often noticed by the public. Those include the Crown Prince whose Instagram account is filled with his love for sports, traveling, and animals, and the royal couple His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Her Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein.
The Royal Family in Abu Dhabi
In Abu Dhabi, the royal family came from Al Nahyan who descended from Bani Yas Tribe, the same as Dubai but of different branches. His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan currently rules the emirate while His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan serves as the crown prince.
The Bani Yas group was powerful in Arabia during ancient times. They originated from Liwa Oasis and later on settled in Qasr Al Hosn in the UAE. Qasr Al Hosn was the oldest building in the country before and now, it operates as a museum for locals, residents, and tourists.
The current ruler of Abu Dhabi is also the President of the UAE. As influential as he is, he was considered as the 53rd most powerful man in the globe, according to Forbes. He has a net worth of $15 billion as of this writing. Another influential persona in this emirate is the crown prince. He is the current Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi Chairman.
The Royal Family in Sharjah
Meanwhile, the royal family in Sharjah is from the Al Qasimi family. The descendants of this family are the descendants of Prophet Mohammad, as they claimed. The emirate is currently ruled by His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi. His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad bin Sultan Al Qasimi is the crown prince.
This royal family was known for its power during the 18th century. They hailed from Ras Al Khaimah and Qishm, which at that time were Arabian Gulf’s southern shores. They were popular for having great maritime power. Sharjah was one of the wealthiest emirates because of this and its location served as an essential port on the lower part of the Arabian Gulf.
The ruler of Sharjah is very passionate about leading the emirate. He always seeks education and knowledge, which led him to teach Math and English at Sharjah Industrial School that lasted for 2 years. He is a published writer and historian. In fact, he wrote the book entitled “Myth of Arab Piracy in the Gulf.”
The Royal Family in Ajman
The royal family in Ajman is from the Al Nuaimi family. Their descendants are the Al Bu Kharaiban Section who is linked to other families in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. This emirate is currently ruled by His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Al Nuaimi and His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Buaimi as the crown prince.
The current ruler of this emirate is considered as one of the most influential in the country. He is the 10th leader of Ajman and a current member of the UAE Supreme Council of the Union. He studied in Dubai and pursued his further education in Cairo. Throughout his ruling, Ajman has grown significantly in terms of education and the economy.
The Royal Family in Fujairah
Al Sharqi is the royal family in the emirate of Fujairah. Its descendants are the Sharqiyin tribe. The emirate is ruled by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammad Al Sharqi. Its crown prince is His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Hamad bin Mohammad Al Sharqi.
This royal family emerged from the East Coast. Although not noticeable in the whole country, this family contributes a lot to the success of the emirate. Apart from it having deep Islamic history, Fujairah is also a great tourist destination for UAE visitors.
Fujairah’s ruler is very influential in the sense that he represents the country during international and diplomatic events. He had his education completed from another country. He studied at a military academy located in the UK. He has a great speaking power.
The Royal Family in Ras Al Khaimah
Like Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah is also ruled by the Al Qasimi family who descended from Prophet Mohammad. This emirate is currently ruled by His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi and its crown prince is His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi. Ras Al Khaimah’s ruler studied at the University of Michigan where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Political Science.
The Royal Family in Umm Al Quwain
Umm Al Quwain’s royal family comes from Al Muallas. Their descendants are Al Ali Tribe. The emirate is currently ruled by His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla. Their crown prince is His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla.
Al Ali was only composed of 6,750 people. They came from Nejd and later on dispersed in Umm Al Quwain and some parts of Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Falaj Al Mualla. Its emir studied at Cairo University where he got his degree in Economics. He was the foreign minister of the county in 1973 and in 1977, he became the Commander of the Umm Al Quwain Emiri Guard.
Final Thoughts
The UAE is led by royal blood. There is no doubt the country is very strict in upholding its laws. We hope this blog helps you identify the leaders of the emirate you are in. It’s important that you know them even by names if you don’t originate from the country.