The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located in the east of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered to the north and northwest by the waters of the Arabian Gulf, by Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the west, the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the south, and by Oman and the Gulf of Oman in the east. It comprises a total area of 83,600 km2, and its coasts, overlooking the southern rim of the Arabian Gulf, extend nearly 644 km from the base of the Qatar peninsula to near the tip of the Musandam peninsula in the east. On this coast lie the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain and Ras Al-Khaimah, while the coast of the 7th emirate, Fujairah, extends along the edge of the Gulf of Oman for 90 kilometers.

The UAE lies between 22 and 26.5 degrees north and 51 and 56.5 degrees east, where rain is limited and the temperature is high, reaching above 47°C in summer. Consequently, agriculture and animal husbandry in the UAE are minimal, and the population is small in proportion to its area.

The emirates have diverse landscapes, although they mostly consist of desert dunes. Major cities are found in coastal areas, and in some mountainous areas in the emirates of Ras Al-Khaimah, Fujairah and Abu Dhabi (namely the city of Al Ain). There is also some agricultural land distributed across Al Ain, Ras Al-Khaimah, Fujairah, and Al Dhaid Municipality, which is affiliated to the emirate of Sharjah.