Farmers in the desert oases and the hilly regions of the eastern UAE grow dates, melons, tomatoes, and other crops. Desert nomads tend herds of camels, goats, and sheep. People who live in the coastal areas catch fish, shrimp, and other seafoods. In addition to oil, the country exports natural gas and small amounts of dates and fish. Leading imports include building supplies, clothing, food products, household goods, and machinery.
Roads link the major cities and towns of the United Arab Emirates.
The country has four international airports. Several of the states operate radio stations, and Abu Dhabi and Dubayy have television stations. People have lived in what is now the United Arab Emirates for thousands of years. The chiefs of Arab tribes gradually gained control of the region. The Arab tribes adopted Islam, the Muslim religion, in the A.D. 600's.