Sharjah (Arabic: ٱلشَّارقَة ) is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area. Sharjah is the capital of the eponymous emirate. The emirate shares legal, political, military, and economic functions with the other emirates of the UAE within a federal framework, although each emirate has jurisdiction over some functions such as civil law enforcement and provision and upkeep of local facilities. Sharjah has been ruled by the Al Qasimi dynasty since the 18th century. The city covers an approximate area of 235 km2 and has a population of over 800,000 (2008).
