United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located within the Arabian Penninsula of the Middle East bordered by the countries of Saudi Arabia and Oman and on its coasts by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. With a total land area of 83,600 sq km, the UAE ranks as the 115th largest country in the world (slightly smaller than Maine). The UAE has a desert climate, but can be cooler in its eastern mountains. The UAE's flat, barren coastal plain merges into the rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland along with the mountains in east. Although Abu Dhabi, the capital city, is located along the coast of the Persian Gulf, with much of the country being desert it's location would still be considered a fairly centralized location. Despite the natual hazards associate with frequent sand and dust storms, its location is ideal for economic development associated with the international trade due to oil in the region.