Sharjah

Like most of the emirates, Sharjah historically relied on trade, fishing and pearling for its livelihood until the discovery of oil. The ruling family, the Qawassims, once ruled both Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah and, until the British took power in 1809, were the major power in the region. Over the period of British reign, Sharjah was probably the most important of the emirates. The establishment of the first airport in the UAE was a reflection of this, with Imperial Airways flights arriving from Britain from 1932. The present ruler, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad al-Qassimi, took over from his father in 1972, the same year that oil was discovered in the emirate.