Sharjah

Sharjah is a major port city and the capital of the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Positioned at latitude 25.3342 and longitude 55.41221, the city functions within the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area and overlooks the Persian Gulf.

Covering approximately 235 square kilometres, the city is situated on a sandy beach landscape. Historically described in early 19th-century accounts by English author and traveler James Silk Buckingham as a small town on a sandy beach containing from five to six hundred inhabitants, the urban area later extended inland toward the Wasit Suburb. The territory between the city and Al Dhaid was historically under the control of the tribes of the interior.

The city's environment and geography are tied to its coastal positioning along the Arabian coast of the Persian Gulf. Traditional structures within the municipality utilized local coastal materials, including walls with a thickness of 70 to 80 centimetres plastered with corals harvested from the Gulf seabed. These corals were held in place using jus, a mortar formed by crushing and burning corals, limestone, and shells. Traditional ceilings were constructed using chandal mangrove poles, kumbar rope, du’un bound palm branches, and haseer palm mats.

The municipality includes the main administrative centres of the Government of Sharjah along with commercial, cultural, and traditional projects. Recreational areas and public parks such as Al Montazah Fun Park and Al Buheirah Corniche are located within the city, which has also been officially named as a WHO healthy city. The palace of the ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, is located about 20 kilometres southeast of the city. Notable architectural landmarks reflect Islamic design, including major covered souks and numerous elegant mosques, such as the King Faisal Mosque and the larger Sharjah Mosque inaugurated in May 2019 in the area of Tay at the junction of the Emirates Road and the road to Mleiha.