About Ras Al Khaimah
The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE’s Founding Father, once said, ‘A nation that knows
not its past has neither a present nor a future.’
His words reflect the importance of knowing the history of the land which we call our own. This
history is important, as it helps us better understand the society in which we live; it helps citizens get
a better understanding of themselves and those who came before them; and it also helps people
gain appreciation of the land on which they live.
Though the UAE is a relatively new country – having only formed in 1971 – the history of the land
that the UAE occupies dates back to the Neolithic Age, which is evidenced by inscriptions, drawings
and archaeological finds uncovered in the seven emirates during the period from the early 1950s to
the present day. This website, however, focuses on the history of the land in general, and of Ras Al
Khaimah in particular, covering details about life in the region from ancient times to the modern era.
Archaeologists have found evidence of human settlement in the emirate from 7,000 years ago,
making Ras Al Khaimah one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. Its location at
the entrance of the Arabian Gulf has always been strategic to the socio-economic and cultural
growth of the emirate. It has also meant that Ras Al Khaimah has also been fending off invading
forces; the remnants of numerous historic forts and towers testify to its turbulent eventful history.
