The United Arab Emirates is a confederation of seven kingdoms, or emirates, on the Arabian peninsula, on the coast of the Arabian Gulf. They are linked by their dependence on oil revenues, which have brought them from poverty to prosperity in only 25 years.

The UAE was formerly seven separate monarchies protected by the United Kingdom, but the emirates united as a confederation in 1971.

Sunni Islam is the state religion, but religious minorities have freedom of worship. No outreach to the unreached indigenous population is officially permitted. Both the urban educated and rural illiterate have had little exposure to the gospel.