Fujairah

Fujairah City occupies a singular position among the United Arab Emirates’ capitals: the only one to face the Indian Ocean directly. At the western edge of the Gulf of Oman, where the foothills of the Hajar Mountains slope toward the sea, the city presents a striking contrast between rugged peaks and a polished coastal skyline. Rising from a modest fishing settlement to become the emirate’s primary industrial and commercial nexus, Fujairah City today embodies a fusion of heritage and forward‑looking ambition.

Situated on an indentation of shoreline that permits direct maritime access to the Indian Ocean, Fujairah has avoided reliance on the Persian Gulf and—the constriction of the Strait of Hormuz—to sustain its trade. Cylindrical oil tanks mark the northern waterfront, forming a prelude to the vast quay of the Port of Fujairah. To the south, office towers line Hamad Bin Abdulla Road, the city’s principal artery, linking it westward through Sharjah and eastward to the coast. Sheikh Khalifa Highway bridges the mountains to Dubai, threading a modern ribbon across an ancient landscape.

In 2016, Fujairah City’s resident count stood at 97,226—representing 43 percent of the emirate’s total 225,360 inhabitants. By 2023, that figure had risen to 118,933, a testament to steady expansion driven by economic diversification, urbanization, and an influx of expatriates. While expatriates constitute the majority, native Emiratis comprise roughly 30 to 40 percent of the population, sustaining local traditions within a cosmopolitan milieu.

The climate is defined by a hot desert classification (Köppen BWh). Summer afternoons routinely climb to 41 °C (106 °F), with humidity intensifying the perceived heat. Winter daylight averages a temperate 25 °C (77 °F), offering reprieve and attracting outdoor activity. Rainfall is scarce—annual totals hover near 120 mm (4.7 inches), most of which fall between December and March—so even winter months can exhibit long stretches of dry blue sky.

Fujairah City serves as the emirate’s commercial heart. Along Hamad Bin Abdulla Road, banks, law firms, and corporate headquarters occupy gleaming high‑rises. The Port of Fujairah, conceived in 1978 and operational by 1983, now extends over 6.7 km of quay. Its location just outside the Strait of Hormuz situates it on a principal east‑west shipping route. Alongside Singapore and Rotterdam, it ranks among the world’s largest bunkering hubs. Plans to augment oil‑storage capacity by 75 percent by 2022 underscored its strategic vision.

Adjacent to the port lies the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ). Established to regulate hydrocarbon activities and stimulate investment, the FOIZ boasts ten million cubic metres of refined‑product storage. Eighteen companies operate within its confines, among them the Aramco Trading Company, which in 2019 inaugurated its second overseas office here after its Singapore launch.

North of the urban centre, the Fujairah Free Zone offers an alternative regulatory framework for a variety of enterprises. To the west, Creative City—a media‑centric free zone founded in 2007—caters to firms in communication, entertainment, marketing, events, and related fields. Both zones reflect the emirate’s commitment to diversify beyond traditional industries.

The city’s commercial fabric extends beyond oil and free zones. Since 2012, City Centre Fujairah has served as a major retail magnet. It was followed by LuLu Mall in 2014, Fujairah Mall in 2016, and Century Mall soon thereafter. Traditional souks persist alongside these modern complexes: the Central Market, the Fabric Souk, and a Fish & Vegetable Market recall Fujairah’s mercantile roots, while accommodating contemporary demands.

Heritage permeates the urban core. Fujairah Fort, set three kilometres inland and dating from the early sixteenth century, stands preserved without modern embellishment. Its towers and battlements offer an unvarnished glimpse into the region’s defensive past. Adjacent, the Fujairah Museum—opened in 1991—safeguards archaeological finds spanning the sixth millennium BC through the Islamic era. Pottery, jewelry, farm implements, and weaponry occupy its halls; the star exhibit remains a 2,500 BC ostrich egg, a silent witness to epochs of human endeavor.

At Madhab Spring Park’s edge, the Fujairah Heritage Village recreates traditional dwellings, agricultural tools, and crafts. Its palm‑thatched houses and mud‑brick structures evoke a time before piped water and asphalt roads. Nearby, the white Sheikh Zayed Mosque—a smaller reflection of Abu Dhabi’s grand edifice—commands attention. With capacity for approximately 28,000 worshippers, its minarets and domes punctuate the cityscape, visible from broad approaches across town.

The seafront unfolds as a linear park and promenade. Along Al Corniche Road, Fujairah Corniche offers paved paths, shaded benches, and sweeping ocean views. The Fujairah International Marine Club provides slipways, moorings, and racing facilities for vessels of every size. Midday gatherings on the corniche reveal families picnicking beneath tamarisk trees, fishermen casting lines into the Gulf, and couples strolling beneath date palms.

Unique to Fujairah is a form of bullfighting unaccompanied by matadors or death. On Friday afternoons, two bulls lock horns, testing strength rather than inflicting fatal blows. Spectators stand at a respectful remove; betting and large crowds are prohibited, and the event’s emphasis lies on tradition rather than spectacle. Nonetheless, injuries among the animals can occur, lending gravity to a ritual that underlines the emirate’s rural heritage.

Accommodation clusters along the principal routes. Hotels of every category rise along Hamad Bin Abdulla Road and Al Corniche Road, ranging from international chains to locally managed guesthouses. Their architecture often merges modern glass façades with arches and latticework that reference Islamic design.

For onward journeys, Sheikh Khalifa Highway—also called Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Expressway—connects the city to Dubai and beyond. At Sakamkam, the road threads between limestone peaks, descending into Hamad Bin Abdulla Road before reaching the coast. Car travel to Dubai requires approximately two hours over sealed roads. Taxis are plentiful: daytime fares begin at AED 2, rising to AED 2.50 after sundown. Shared taxis to Deira in Dubai charge around US $7 once full; an unshared ride may cost US $28 or more depending on destination.

Public buses serve an hourly schedule between Dubai and Fujairah, with one‑way tickets priced at AED 25. In Dubai, departure stems from Union Square; in Fujairah, coaches stop by the old Plaza Cinema before passengers alight at the main station to purchase tickets. Train travel remains confined to Dubai pending the completion of the UAE’s national Etihad Rail network. When finished, it will carry freight—and eventually passengers—across the emirates. Fujairah’s inaugural passenger station is under construction in Sakamkam.

Air connectivity is limited but growing. Fujairah International Airport, south of the city, currently handles predominantly cargo. On 25 November 2021, Pakistan International Airlines inaugurated one of the first passenger services when it began flights from Peshawar and Islamabad. Each route now operates twice weekly. EgyptAir maintains service to Cairo, while SalamAir flies regularly to Muscat—with onward connections to India and Southeast Asia—and administers seasonal flights to Salalah.

Visitors arriving by sea can charter launches and dhows. Boat excursions venture toward offshore islets, where fishing and shoreline exploration reward the patient. Across the emirate, isolated swathes of coast reveal quieter beaches; Dibba Al‑Fujairah, roughly 30 km north, is prized for sunlit sands and calmer waters.

Within easy reach of the city lie several sites of note. Al Bidya Mosque, the oldest extant mosque in the UAE, dates to circa 1450 CE. Built of mud and brick, it perches at a hill’s base near an ancient watchtower. The structure’s four domes and austere interior convey serenity; guided tours provide modest dress for all visitors. Sakamkam Fort—overlooking a broad plain northeast of the city—dates from a similar era and offers panoramic views of date groves and arid foothills.

Madhab Spring Park, fortified by mineral‑rich springs, invites picnickers beneath eucalyptus stands. The gentle trill of water channels and the scent of moist earth offer respite from urban heat. Should one seek deeper wilderness, expeditions inland depart from Dibba, heading toward wadis where rock pools collect during rare rains. Along these seasonal waterways, the shadow of a falcon’s wing and the shimmer of palm fronds conjure a landscape that has sustained human habitation for millennia.

In Fujairah City, modernity and heritage intersect at every turn. Air‑conditioned malls stand alongside open‑air markets. State‑of‑the‑art oil terminals neighbor ruins of fortified defences. Marine clubs lie within reach of age‑old fishing boats. As the emirate embraces new industries and global connections, it preserves the contours of its past. In this place—where desert meets mountain, where oil meets ocean—the rhythms of tradition endure, even as the flood of progress reshapes every shoreline.