United Arab Emirates, federation of seven emirates along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The federation formed in 1971 after British forces withdrew from the Persian Gulf. Since then the country has become a major center for oil, commerce, and finance in the region.
By Ahisha Ghafoor & Paul MitchellBBC News Arabic & BBC News PersianSecret dealings which brought to an end Britain's empire in the Middle East are revealed in a joint BBC News Arabic and Persian documentary. The film Secrets & Deals: How Britain Left the Gulf contains details of how it left Iran in control of