The Emirate Ras Al Khaimah is a fascinating and a relaxing haven offering calm blue seas with clean white beaches, dramatic desert dunes and the majestic Hajjar Mountains. It has numerous fascinating tourist landmarks, beautiful wildlife conservations and sanctuaries and golf courses.
Recent archeological excavations show that Ras Al Khaimah was the seat of ancient civilizations. The Ras Al Khaimah Museum displays old clay ecstasies, which are believed to be the oldest relics of their kind ever found in UAE. Some of these relics date back to the sixth Millennium B.C.
The city was historically known as Julfar. Sources say that Julfar was inhabited by the Azd during the eighth and ninth centuries AD, and that the houses of the Azd were built of wood. The famous Arab navigator, Ibn Majid of Ras Al Khaimah, aided Vasco due Gamma in his historical voyages to India across Cape Horn. He was the author of many books too. Ras Al Khaimah remained for centuries stead fast in its resistance of foreign invaders and navies, as testified by the old forts, which spread in various strategic parts of Ras Al Khaimah.
In
the early 18th century the Qawasim clan (Huwayla tribe) established
itself in Ras al-Khaimah. After British occupation (18 December 1819 -
July 1821), Sheikh Sultan ibn Saqr al-Qasimi signed in 1822 the General
Maritime Treaty with Britain, accepting a protectorate keeping the
Ottoman Turks out. Like Ajman, Dubai, Umm al-Qaiwain and Sharjah, its
position on the route to India made it important enough to be
recognized as a salute state. In 1869 Ras al-Khaimah became fully
independent from Sharjah. However from September 1900 to 7 July 1921 it
was re-incorporated into Sharjah, its neighbour; the last governor
became its next independent ruler. On 11 February 1972 Sheikh Saqr ibn
Muhammad al-Qasimi joined the United Arab Emirates.
