emirate

An emirate is a political territory ruled by an emir, a title deriving from the Arabic amīr, meaning commander or prince. In English usage, the term can refer to either a sovereign state governed by an emir or a subdivision within a larger state. Throughout history and in the modern era, emirates have appeared in the Arab and broader Islamic world, often organized around ruling families.

In contemporary usage, several Gulf states are or are commonly described as emirates. The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah, and Fujairah; each emirate retains a degree of autonomy while contributing to federal governance. Other states historically or currently described as emirates include Kuwait and Qatar, each ruled by an emir. Oman is a sultanate rather than an emirate.

Historically, the term emirate has been applied to various polities in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, including the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001; 2021–present in its current form). The concept also appears in medieval and early modern histories of the region, where rival dynasties and city-states were governed by emirs.

See also: monarchy, sultanate, and federation.