ʿAjmān

ʿAjmān, constituent emirate of the United Arab Emirates (formerly Trucial States, or Trucial Oman). It is the smallest emirate of the country and is composed of three sections. The principal portion, on the Persian Gulf coast, is completely surrounded by the emirate of Al-Shāriqah and is the site of the city of ʿAjmān, the capital and major urban settlement. ʿAjmān emirate also includes two interior exclaves (noncontiguous sections) on the Musandam Peninsula, the horn of the Arabian Peninsula. They are tiny Al-Manāmah, 37 miles (60 km) east-southeast of ʿAjmān city, and Maṣfūṭ, 56 miles (90 km) southeast of ʿAjmān city, in the Wadi Ḥattá at the promontory’s base.

The sheikh of ʿAjmān signed the British-sponsored General Treaty of Peace, abjuring piracy, in 1820; this was ʿAjmān’s first recognition as an autonomous state. It also subscribed to the maritime truce of 1835 and to the Perpetual Maritime Truce in 1853. To forestall Turkish and French expansion along the Trucial Coast, the sheikhs, including ʿAjmān’s ruler, signed an Exclusive Agreement (1892), placing their foreign relations in the hands of the British government. In 1968 Britain announced its forthcoming withdrawal from the Persian Gulf area. Negotiations were begun to create a nine-member federation (including ʿAjmān, the six other Trucial States, Bahrain, and Qatar). The latter two states abandoned the proposed federation and became separately independent (in August and September 1971). The British left the area in December 1971, and the United Arab Emirates was formed, of which ʿAjmān was an original constituent.

Economically, ʿAjmān is the poorest member of the United Arab Emirates. Shortly after 1900, when the sheikh’s influence extended only a few miles from ʿAjmān city, about 40 pearling boats and a date-palm plantation there were the sole economic activities. From 1961 to the early 1970s, one of ʿAjmān’s main sources of revenue was from the sale of many varieties of postage stamps, designed to be of interest to Western collectors. These stamps were never shipped to ʿAjmān and served no legitimate postal purpose; most were not recognized by reliable philatelic organizations and catalogs. Some commemorative coins were also issued. In 1972 the United Arab Emirates announced the establishment of a post office department to take over philatelic emissions from member emirates.

Much of the emirate’s revenue is provided by grants from the oil-rich member emirate of Abū Ẓāby; ʿAjmān city now boasts a modern ruler’s palace and includes other up-to-date structures. The deepening of the creek at ʿAjmān city in order to provide deepwater port facilities was undertaken during the 1970s, and a prefabricated-housing factory was built; there is also a ship-repair yard, and the ʿAjmān Free Zone was established in the city in 1988. ʿAjmān city distinguishes itself by means of its unique beachfront atmosphere: restaurants, bars, and nightclubs line the water not far from the border of the more conservative Al-Shāriqah emirate; many of these establishments are segregated along ethnic lines to prevent confrontations. ʿAjmān city is connected by paved road with the cities of Dubai and Raʾs al-Khaymah.

ʿAjmān’s interior exclaves have some agriculture; in addition, Al-Manāmah has a camp of the national defense forces, and Maṣfūṭ has deposits of high-quality marble. The state has little commerce and industry. Foreign aid from Kuwait has helped in the establishment of a few schools. Petroleum concessions have been granted to Western companies, but no oil has been found. Estimated total area is 100 square miles (260 square km). Pop. (2005) 197,470.