Emirate

{{Short description|Territory ruled by an emir}}

{{About|the political term "emirate"||Emirates (disambiguation)}}

{{Redirect|Islamic emirate||Islamic emirate (disambiguation)}}

{{More citations needed|date=May 2018}}

{{Monarchism|expanded=Related}}

An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir,{{cite web|title=The definition of emirate|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/emirate|website=Dictionary.com}} a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a caliphate.{{cite web |date=6 August 2020 |title=What is the difference between an emirate and a caliphate? – Shakuhachi.net |url=https://www.shakuhachi.net/what-is-the-difference-between-an-emirate-and-a-caliphate/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003155448/https://www.shakuhachi.net/what-is-the-difference-between-an-emirate-and-a-caliphate/ |archive-date=3 October 2022 |access-date=6 February 2025 |url-status=usurped |website=Shakuhachi}} It can be considered equivalent to a principality in non-Muslim contexts.

Currently in the world, there are two emirates that are independent states (Kuwait and Qatar), one state ruled by an unrecognised emirate (Afghanistan), and a state that consists of a federation of seven emirates (the United Arab Emirates). A great number of previously independent emirates around the world are now part of larger states.

Etymology

Etymologically, emirate or amirate ({{Langx|ar|إمارة}} {{Transliteration|ar|ALA|imārah}}, plural: {{lang|ar|إمارات}} {{Transliteration|ar|ALA|imārāt}}) is the quality, dignity, office, or territorial competence of any emir (prince, commander, governor, etc.). In English, the term is pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|m|ər|ə|t|,_|-|ɪər|-|,_|-|ɪ|t|,_|-|eɪ|t}} or {{IPAc-en|ɛ|ˈ|m|ɪər|ə|t|,_|-|ɪ|t|,_|-|eɪ|t|,_|i|ˈ|-}} in British English and {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|m|ər|ə|t}} or {{IPAc-en|ɪ|ˈ|m|ɪər|ə|t}} in American English.{{citation|last=Wells|first=John C.|year=2008|title=Longman Pronunciation Dictionary|edition=3rd|publisher=Longman|isbn=9781405881180}}

Types

=Monarchies=

The United Arab Emirates is a federal state that comprises seven federal emirates, each administered by a hereditary emir, these seven forming the electoral college for the federation's president and prime minister.

As most emirates have either disappeared, been integrated in a larger modern state, or changed their rulers' styles, e.g. to malik (Arabic for "king") or sultan, such true emirate-states have become rare.

=Provinces=

Furthermore, in Arabic the term can be generalized to mean any province of a country that is administered by a member of the ruling class, especially of a member (usually styled emir) of the royal family, as in Saudi Arabian governorates.

List of present emirates

File:Emiratos.PNG

Current emirates with political autonomy are listed below:

=Arabian Peninsula=

  • {{flag|Kuwait|name=State of Kuwait}} (since 14 May 1961)
  • {{flag|Qatar|name=State of Qatar}} (since 3 September 1971)
  • {{flag+link|United Arab Emirates|UAE}} (since 2 December 1971):
  • {{flag|Abu Dhabi}}
  • {{flag|Ajman}}
  • {{flag|Dubai}}
  • {{flag|Fujairah}}
  • {{flag|Ras al-Khaimah}}
  • {{flag|Sharjah}}
  • {{flag|Umm al-Quwain}}

=South Asia=

  • {{flag|Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan}} (since 15 August 2021; unrecognized)

List of former and integrated emirates

These are the emirates that have either ceased to exist, are not recognized and hold no real power, or were integrated into another country and preserved as "traditional states". They are arranged by location and in order of the date of the first leader styled "emir."

=Africa=

==North Africa==

File:Hafsid1400.png|Ifriqiya under the Hafsids

File:EthniesSénégal.jpg|Trarza (upper left)

File:Map of Cyrenaica.png|Cyrenaica in Libya

==Sub-Saharan Africa==

===Ethiopia===

===Ghana===

===Niger===

===Nigeria===

=Asia=

==Arabia==

File:FederationOfSouthArabiaMap.jpg|Beihan and Dhala in South Arabia

File:First Saudi State Big.png|Diriyah

File:Second Saudi State Big.png|Nejd

File:Alrasheed hail english.png|Jabal Shammar

File:Sa mapa6.png|Asir at its height

File:LocationBahrain.svg|Bahrain

File:Saudi Arabia - province locator template.png|Saudi Arabian emirate divisions

==Central Asia==

File:Bukhara1850.png|Bukhara

File:First ETR in China.svg|Khotan in modern China

==South Asia==

File:LocationAfghanistan.svg|Emirate of Afghanistan

==Near East==

File:Anatolia1300.png|Ottoman emirate in 1300, labeled 'Osman'

File:Timurid Dynasty 821 - 873 (AH).png|Timurid Emirate under the leadership of Timur

File:PalestineAndTransjordan.png|Transjordan

=Europe=

==Caucasus==

File:Shaddadid.gif|Darband, Azerbaijan

File:81ArabAbbasidPeriod750-885.gif|Armenia

==Iberia==

File:Coras del Emirato de Córdoba.png|Córdoba

File:Location map Taifa of Badajoz.svg|Badajoz

File:Reino de Granada.svg|Granada

==Mediterranean region==

File:Periferia Kritis.png|Crete within modern Greece

File:Italy 1000 AD.svg|Sicily (at bottom)

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Arabic terms for country subdivisions}}

{{Islamic state}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Feudalism

Category:Monarchy