Emiratis is recorded in this encyclopedia from the source named below.
Overview
Emiratis (Standard Arabic: الإماراتيون; Gulf Arabic: الإماراتيين) are the citizen population of the United Arab Emirates. Within the UAE itself, their number is approximately 1.15 million. Formerly known as the Trucial States and then the Federation of Arab Emirates, the UAE is made up of seven emirates, each of which has a ruling family. Abu Dhabi was home to the Bani Yas tribal confederation and ruled by the Falahi house of Al Nahyan; Dubai was settled in 1833 by an offshoot of the Bani Yas, the Falasi house of Al Maktoum; Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah are the home to the Huwali house of Al Qasimi, Ajman to the Na'imi house of Al Bu Kharaiban, Umm Al Quwain to the Al Ali house of Al Mualla and Fujairah to the Sharqi house of Hafaitat. The Emiratis represent a diverse population with various ethnic, cultural, and tribal backgrounds. While united under the umbrella of Emirati citizenship, they encompass a range of ancestral origins, including Arabian, South Iranian and East African heritage. This diversity is rooted in historical interactions, migrations, conquest, and trade connections that have shaped the demographic landscape of the UAE. Emirati Arabic and English serve as the primary languages of communication amongst the Emirati populace. However, other languages such as Achomi, Balochi, and Swahili are also spoken among certain minority communities. Islam, being the state religion of the UAE, plays a central role in Emirati society, serving as a guiding force in daily life, governance, and cultural expression. The construction of mosques, observance of religious rituals, and adherence to Islamic principles underscore the spiritual and moral foundations of Emirati identity. Emiratis are mostly Muslims, approximately 90% of whom are Sunni while the remaining 10% are Shia.
Source and reuse
The descriptive text above is drawn from the English-language encyclopedia article Emiratis, reused under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence and attributed in the sources block on this page. Figures in the infobox come from Wikidata and carry that project's own provenance; they should be checked against the cited source before being relied on.
Editorial note
This record is a sourced summary, not original research. Where the underlying material is silent on a point, this article is silent too. Last reviewed 2026-09-23.