Each year our club studies a foreign country. This year it was the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The program was written by a lady who spent three years there.

My geography skills are not the best, so I unearthed an old globe so I could show the group exactly where the UAE is and its relationship to other countries.

Previously, this area had numerous nomadic tribes. In the 19th century, Britain wanted to control a sea route to and from India using the Persian Gulf. It took almost 100 years to get the stronger tribes to unite to form what is today the UAE. It consists of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Aiman, Ummal Quwain and Kasal Khaimah.

It wasn’t until the early 1900s that oil came into the picture. France, Britain, and the US wanted exploration rights. A 1939 agreement gave oil companies a 75-year lease, with companies receiving $1 per barrel and the UAE receiving the rest, no matter what oil was selling for; in time, it was over $100 per barrel. Money poured into this area, and over the years it became modernized with roads, hospitals, schools, ports, museums, hotels, and airports.

Most of the UAE’s water comes from desalination, which takes a good portion of the budget.

The only citizens are from tribal families. There are 9 million residents in the UAE, and only 10% to 11% qualify for citizenship.

These citizens receive many benefits. When a couple marries, they receive at plot of land for a home, and the government subsidizes the construction. They also receive a generous bonus for each child. On holidays, the government holds lotteries and clears the debts of 1,000-plus citizens. They pay off credit cards, car payments, and house mortgages.

The constitution provides that the ruler of Abu Dhabi will always be the president of the UAE, and the ruler of Dubai will always be the vice president.

In public, they dress modestly, as per the Koran, with arms, legs, and hair covered. Most of the women do not wear veils. Under their cloaks and in private, the women wear a more modern style of dress. Men sometimes appear in western clothing.

Camel milk, camel and goat meat, and dates are the traditional diet, but every cuisine in the world is available.

Muslims do not drink alcohol, but non-Muslims can get a liquor license if their employer says it is permissible. The amount you can get is based on your salary.

The UAE is a very safe area. All organizations have to be registered with the federal government and are tightly controlled.

The UAE is looking toward the future, when their oil supply runs out. They are investing in mega projects with a view toward tourism. They also have plans to be the hub of Islamic finance.

This was a very interesting program.