Wikipedia

Emirate

This article is about the political term "emirate". For other uses, see Emirates (disambiguation).
"Islamic emirate" redirects here. For other uses, see Islamic emirate (disambiguation).

An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir,[1] 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.[2] 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, as can be seen in Nigeria.[3]

Etymology

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Etymologically, emirate or amirate (Arabic: إمارة imārah, plural: إمارات imārāt) is the quality, dignity, office, or territorial competence of any emir (prince, commander, governor, etc.). In English, the term is pronounced /ˈɛmərət, -ɪər-, -ɪt, -eɪt/ or /ɛˈmɪərət, -ɪt, -eɪt, iˈ-/ in British English and /ˈɛmərət/ or /ɪˈmɪərət/ in American English.[4]

Types

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Monarchies

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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

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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

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Location of Afghanistan (grey), Kuwait (red), Qatar (green), and the emirates of the United Arab Emirates

Current emirates with political autonomy are listed below:

Arabian Peninsula

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South Asia

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List of former and integrated emirates

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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

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North Africa

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  •  
    Ifriqiya under the Hafsids
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    Trarza (upper left)
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    Cyrenaica in Libya

Sub-Saharan Africa

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Ethiopia
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Ghana
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Niger
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Nigeria
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Asia

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Arabia

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    Beihan and Dhala in South Arabia
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    Diriyah
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    Nejd
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    Jabal Shammar
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    Asir at its height
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    Bahrain
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    Saudi Arabian emirate divisions

Central Asia

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    Bukhara
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    Khotan in modern China

South Asia

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    Emirate of Afghanistan

Near East

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    Ottoman emirate in 1300, labeled 'Osman'
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    Timurid Emirate under the leadership of Timur
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    Transjordan

Europe

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Caucasus

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  •  
    Darband, Azerbaijan
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    Armenia

Iberia

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    Córdoba
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    Badajoz
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    Granada

Mediterranean region

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    Crete within modern Greece
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    Sicily (at bottom)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The definition of emirate". Dictionary.com.
  2. ^ "What is the difference between an emirate and a caliphate? – Shakuhachi.net". 6 August 2020.
  3. ^ "The Cultural and Colonial Settings". A Dangerous Awakening : The Politicization of Religion in Nigeria. African Dynamics. IFRA-Nigeria. 21 February 2013. pp. 9–43. ISBN 9791092312034.
  4. ^ Wells, John C. (2008), Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.), Longman, ISBN 9781405881180
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