Ras Al Khaimah (Arabic: رأس الخيمة; IPA: [raʔs alˈxajma]), historically known as Julfar, is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The capital city and home of most residents is also called Ras Al Khaimah, sometimes abbreviated to RAK city.Its name in English can be taken to mean "top of the tent", which may refer to its position as the northernmost Emirate in the UAE or to the indigenous buildings that existed along the coast. The emirate borders Oman's exclave of Musandam. It covers an area of 2,486 km2 (960 sq mi) and has 64km of beach coastline.
As of 2015, the emirate had a population of about 345,000, of which about 31% were Emirati citizens. RAK city has two main areas - the Old Town and Nakheel - on either side of a creek that is home to mangroves and is framed by the Al Hajar mountains. The emirate also consists of several towns and new developments dotted around the emirate, such as Al Hamra Village, Mina Al Arab, Al Dhait and Al Rams. The emirate is served by Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. Its geography consists of a northern part (where RAK city and most towns are situated) and a large inland exclave in the south (near Hatta), and a few small islands in the Persian Gulf. Ras Al Khaimah has the most fertile soil in the country, due to a larger share of rainfall and underground water streams from its Al Hajar mountains.