he road east from Dubai to Fujairah is one of the most scenically spectacular in the Emirates; you emerge from the rolling sand dunes of the central region to be met by the Hajar mountains at the town of Dhaid. The road continues, across a pass beside Masafi and down the Wadi Ham to Fujairah Town.

Above the village of Bithnah, set in a valley below the road, a well preserved fort stands on a rise among palm groves. It is one of the most picturesque in the country. Built in 1795, it was the site of a famous local battle between rival Omani factions, one of whom had the support of local tribes. As the road continues down to the coastal plain it passes a large dam into Fujairah with the Gulf of Oman visible above the palm trees. On the left side of the road are the still visible remains of the old town of Fujairah clustered around a large dilapidated fort that was bombarded by the British in 1925 and then repaired and enlarged with concrete that is ugly and out of place atop the old stone structure.

Straight ahead as you enter the town stand the larger, new buildings where there is a collection of modern apartment blocks grouped opposite the Trade Centre tower. Follow the road down to the sea and you will come to the new souk, and the well placed Hilton Hotel built right on the beach, and further along, the busy harbour, which with the port of Khor Fakkan to the north provides the United Arab Emirates with direct access to the Indian Ocean.

Fujairah was one of the last areas to feel the effects of oil wealth and modern development, as it took time and resources to extend the road network eastwards across the mountains. Fujairah's Office of Tourism realised that one of the advantages of this late development was that it had preserved many more aspects of the old ways of life than anywhere else in the country. There are still fishermen's thatched cottages on the beaches at Bidiya and elsewhere, the mosques at Bidiya and Lulaya are unique, and with many of the watch towers and forts from it's turbulent past still standing, make it a different and exciting holiday destination, ripe for development. The Office of Tourism is now encouraging investment from companies and individuals to develop tourism in the Emirate. Other factors that would make Fujairah a worthwhile holiday destination are the sixty kilometres of sandy beaches bordered by a chain of mountains, and the natural springs with the sweetest water in the UAE. It is safe for families with children and has an international airport.

But tourism is for the future. The Emirate has not had any oil finds so it has relied on financial support from the Federal Government, and income it can generate through the development of industry and services. It has been strikingly successful in its development. Fujairah is a busy entry port to the Arabian peninsula and has been expanding steadily since it opened in 1982. The Airport too, is growing, with more and more carriers using it annually. The Emirate has a bank, the National Bank of Fujairah, and two popular hotels. Industries that have been set up in the Emirate include the Emirates Ceramic Factory, the Fujairah Cement Factory and the Fujairah Rockwool Factory. It has one of the most modern poultry farms in the country which is the largest producer of poultry in the emirates, selling four million birds a year. It also has a flower plantation that grows a large variety of natural and hybrid flowers and plants to meet local needs and to export to neighbouring markets.

Fujairah has been ruled for over a century by the Al Sharqi family. It gained recognition as an Emirate in 1952 and became a member of the federation on it's founding in 1971. The current ruler is Shaikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi who has the distinction of being the youngest member of the Supreme Council of the UAE.