Sharjah is the third largest emirate (sovereign state) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the only emirate to have coastlines on both the east and west coasts of the UAE thanks to its enclaves bordering the Gulf of Oman. Most of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates are surprisingly small and Sharjah has an area of just 2,600 square kilometres, comprising 16 kilometers of coastline along the Persian Gulf and stretching 80 kilometers into the country. The emirates of Dubai and Ajman border Sharjah, and with the recent growth of these three emirates, the urban areas have expanded almost to meet the borders.
Sharjah maintains strict decency laws under which single men and women cannot mix, and enforces a conservative dress code for men and women. Sharjah is also the only emirate in the United Arab Emirates where the possession, consumption or sale of alcohol is prohibited.
Some emirates in the UAE have only recently begun to allow freehold foreign ownership, prior to 2002 the only option available to foreign nationals was 99-year leases. Sharjah has not passed any laws regarding freehold ownership by foreigners and the 99-year lease system remains the only option available to non-UAE and non-GCC citizens who want to buy a property in Sharjah.
Sharjah has started the development of the Nujoom Islands, which will be the largest tourism, residential and commercial project in Sharjah. The Nujoom Islands project will consist of 10 artificial islands and three mainland areas; the development will increase Sharjah’s coastline by 30 kilometres. The development is located near the city of Hamriya, 15 kilometers from the city of Sharjah. Sharjah is also the name of the main city of the emirate of Sharjah.
The project will be aesthetically pleasing with a ratio of 40% development and 60% landscaped pathways, gardens, parks, and beaches. The ten islands will be connected to both the mainland and each other by a series of bridges, and will be separated by a series of water channels. The Nujoom Islands project will house more than 40,000 residents and provide many services and amenities such as schools, banks, mosques, restaurants and clubs. The development will also have several centers spread throughout, including one large shopping center and nine smaller shopping centers, six centers for light industry and two entertainment centers.
Residential and tourist accommodation for the project will consist of four hotels, two resorts, 145 apartment buildings, 40 high-rise towers (for commercial and residential uses), and 1,400 villas located in park-side or waterside locations. The Nujoom Islands completion date is 2010.
Developers have also built and are building several towers in the city of Sharjah, including ABBCO Tower, Sharjah Gate and two towers being developed by Tiger Real Estate, Al Sandos Tower and Al Taawun Tower. The Tiger Real Estate Towers are being sold on a 99-year lease with the option to transfer to freehold when, or if, permitted by law.