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Ras
al-Khaimah,
the most northerly emirate
on the UAE’s west coast, has
a coastline of about 64
kilometers on the Arabian
Gulf, backed by a fertile
hinterland, with a separate
enclave in the heart of the
Hajar mountains to the
southeast. Both parts of the
emirates have borders with
the Sultanate of Oman. In
addition to its mainland
territory, Ras al-Khaimah
possesses a number of
islands including those of
Greater and Lesser Tunb,
occupied by Iran since 1971.
The area of the emirate is
168
square kilometers , which is
equivalent to 2.2 per cent
of the country’s total area,
excluding islands.
The city of Ras al-Khaimah
is divided into two sections
by Khor Ras al-Khaimah. In
the western section, known
as Old Ras al-Khaimah, are
Ras al-Khaimah National
Museum and a number of
government departments . The
eastern part, known as Al
Nakheel, houses the Ruler’s
office, several government
departments and commercial
companies. The two sections
are connected by a large
bridge built across the khor.
Khor
Khuwayr is an industrial
region situated
approximately 25 kilometers
to the north of Ras al-Khaimah
city. In addition to its
major cement, gravel and
marble enterprises, it is
also the location for Port
Saqr, the main export port
for the emirate and the
traditional fishing district
of Rams. Digdagga district,
on the other hand, is a we l
l - k n own agricultural
area and houses the Julphar
pharmaceutical factory, the
largest in the Arabian Gulf.
Other important centers
within the emirate include:
Al-Hamraniah, an
agricultural center and also
the location for Ras al-Khaimah
International Airport, Khatt,
a tourist resort that is
renowned for its thermal
springs, Masafi which is
well known for its orchards
and natural springs and Wadi
al-Qawr, an attractive
valley in the southern
mountains. |