© Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority

Local information

Sharjah is the oldest Emirate on the coast of Oman, and lies in the centre of other emirates.

Sharjah covers an area of 2600 sq. km, occupying 3.3% of the total area of the United Arab Emirates (not counting the islands). It is the only emirate that overlooks the coastline on the Arabian Gulf from the West and the Gulf of Oman (Indian Ocean) from the East. The coastline on the Gulf extends about 20 km, and within 80 km to the Gulf of Oman.

Population

The history of the population dates back to 6000 years ago, when the place was called by the name of "Sarqua" and the people were generally engaged in maritime trade, in addition to agriculture, fishing and pearl diving. Most of the habitation was around the valleys.

Weather

The weather is pleasant from the month of November to April, with the days being sunny and warm and evening’s cool, with low humidity and daytime temperatures ranging from 18 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius. Rains and tropical storms can be expected during January, February and March. The weather gets warm from May to September, with extremely high temperatures at noon in July and August up to 45 degrees Celsius.

Things to do

Sharjah has a lot to offer to tourists and has a number of famous attractions including museums, traditional Souks, modern shopping malls and family entertainment to keep visitors of all ages busy. Your stay in Sharjah is sure to become an unforgettable experience!

Shopping 

Sharjah is a perfect place for shopping lovers and provides a great stop-over for all kinds of tourists. It offers a wide range of shopping malls full of perfumes, textiles, carpets, gold jewellery and much more. Different shopping festivals are promoted by the government of Sharjah as being a cultural and entertainment hub.

Things to remember

Visitors to Sharjah are expected to respect the tradition and culture of the city especially by wearing suitable clothing. It is advisable to wear loose clothes and avoid wearing swimming suits on public beaches. 

Alcohol

Sharjah is a “dry emirate” which means sale or possession or consumption of alcohol within Sharjah is entirely forbidden.