West Asia, in the Middle East, is home to the United Arab Emirates[b] (UAE), sometimes known as just the Emirates. Situated near the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, it borders Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Iran on the sea, as well as Qatar and other countries. A federation of seven emirates formed the basis of the United Arab Emirates, an elective monarchy.The predicted population of the United Arab Emirates in 2023 is 9.97 million. Eleven percent of the population is reported to be Emirati citizens; the remainder are expats, most of whom are from South Asia.Arabic is the official language and Islam the official religion. The capital of the nation is Abu Dhabi, and its most populous city, Dubai, serves as a global hub.