Page 42 - UAE Truncal States_Neat

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Geographical Conditions
sloping gravel coastal plain, which is an average of 7 kilometres
wide. Wells have been dug and aflaj constructed to enable the water
to be brought to the surface for use in the extensive gardens, which
are mostly planted with date palms. Several of the small coastal
villages were almost inaccessible by land until recently, when
communications along the whole length of the eastern coast were
revolutionised by the construction of a fine road which cuts across
several rock-spurs projecting from the Hajar range into the sea.
Previously these rocks isolated the settlements enclosed in the sandy
bays. Fujairah’s lifeline to the rest of the UAE is a good road across
the mountains to Daid and Dubai following a route which was only
recently opened up to vehicles. There are landing-strips near
Fujairah and Khaur Fakkan which can take small aircraft. Communi­
cations with neighbouring Oman are along a new asphalted road to
Suhar and thence along the whole length of the Batinah proper up to
Muscat. A mountain spur marks the border here between the UAE
territory and the Batinah Coast in the Sultanate of Oman.
A geographical feature common to the member States of the UAE
is that they all have access to the sea. The development of the
economic benefits that may be derived from the sea can be expected
to exert some unifying influence. The predominance of mountainous
country in some member States and desert in the others has in the
past brought about different social structures within the States. The
population in the primarily desert parts of the region included more
nomadic or semi-nomadic groups than the mostly sedentary popu­
lation of agriculturalists in the mountainous areas. It will be !,
discussed in greater detail how these differences in geographical
characteristics have influenced social groups in the region in
different ways. As for the territorial extent of each of the Emirates,
this is in no case dictated by geographical factors which might have i
provided natural boundaries; the borders of the individual political
units were determined merely by historical developments.

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