SHARIQAH, ASH-

(ArabicThe Eastern) English Sharjah constituent emirate of the United Arab Emirates (formerly Trucial States, or Trucial Oman). Some of ash-Shariqah's interior boundaries are only presumptive, but its main portion is an irregularly shaped tract, oriented northwestsoutheast, stretching about 60 miles (100 km) from the Persian Gulf (northwest) to the central inland region of the Oman promontory (southeast). Ash-Shariqah also has three coastal enclaves on the eastern, or Gulf of Oman, side of the promontory; they are, from north to south, Diba (ownership of which is shared with al-Fujayrah emirate and the sultanate of Oman), Khawr Fakkan, and Kalba. Because of the extreme political fragmentation in the region, ash-Shariqah, including its enclaves, has common boundaries with each of the six other emirates of the union, as well as with the sultanate of Oman. The area is approximately 1,000 square miles (2,600 square km); the capital and chief settlement is ash-Shariqah town, situated on the Persian Gulf. The Qawasim, the ruling dynasty of ash-Shariqah, were the principal leaders of the Persian Gulf pirates from the early 18th century; from their bases at ash-Shariqah town and, more particularly, Ras al-Khaimah town, they raided shipping of all flags with impunity and even threatened Bushire (Bushehr), then Britain's main base in the area, on the eastern (Persian, or Iranian) coast of the Gulf of Oman. The chief pirate leader was Sultan ibn Saqr, sheikh of ash-Shariqah (reigned 180366). The British fleet succeeded in defeating the pirates (1820), razed Ras al-Khaimah town, and made the Persian Gulf sheikhs sign the General Treaty of Peace (1820), a maritime truce (1835), and the Perpetual Maritime Truce (1853). Under the terms of the Exclusive Agreement (1892), ash-Shariqah's foreign relations were placed in British hands. The 19th-century treaties, in general, were concerned with preserving the peace at sea, and Britain did not interfere with the warlike Qawasim's attempts to take Abu Dhabi (182531; 183334). The port of ash-Shariqah town was long an important strategic and commercial centre in the gulf. Britain recognized its political significance by stationing a native agent (later succeeded by a British agent) as their residency agent in the Persian Gulf there from 1823. As the port at ash-Shariqah town silted up and Dubayy town became the chief port of the Trucial Coast, the political agent was moved to Dubayy town in 1954; a separate agency was set up in Abu Dhabi town in 1961, for Abu Dhabi affairs only. The entire system of British protection ended in December 1971, when Britain left the Persian Gulf and the newly independent United Arab Emirates came into being. Prior to independence Iran asserted its claim to the ash-Shariqah island of Abu Musa, in the open gulf northwest of ash-Shariqah town, and landed troops there. A subsequent agreement between Iran and ash-Shariqah promised that both flags would fly over the island, settled the question of possible future oil discoveries in the area (where ash-Shariqah had granted a concession), and provided for an Iranian subsidy to ash-Shariqah. Nevertheless, this, and a less-satisfactory settlement of the Iranian claim to Greater and Lesser Tunb islands with neighbouring Ras al-Khaimah emirate, led to some Arab states severing diplomatic relations with Iran and Britain. Modernization in ash-Shariqah has been largely confined to the capital, ash-Shariqah town. New buildings have been constructed, a deepwater port (including modern container terminals and cold-storage facilities) built, light industries are being expanded, and the town has an international airport. Ash-Shariqah town is connected by paved road with Ras al-Khaimah town and Abu Dhabi town. The exclave of Khawr Fakkan on the Gulf of Oman has an active trade, especially in gold-smuggling to India; it is the seat of the union's fisheries research station. In 196472 a large portion of ash-Sh ariqah's revenue came from commemorative stamps, printed almost solely for philatelic purposes. Pop. (1991 est.) 314,000.