An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim Monarch styled emir.

Etymology

Etymologically emirate or amirate (Arabic: إمارة‎, Imaarah ; plural: إمارات, Imaraat) is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir (prince, governor etc.).

As 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.

As 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 independent Emirates

• Kuwait
• Qatar
• United Arab Emirates

List of former and integrated emirates

• The Emirate of Armenia
• Emirate of Sicily, Sicily 965-1072
• Emirate of Granada, Spain 1228-1492
• Caucasian Emirate
• Emirate of Trarza, modern southwest Mauritania 1640s-1910s
• Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
• Islamic Emirate of Waziristan
• Az Zubayr
• Bahrain, became a kingdom in 2002
• Soran Emirate

Arabic terms for country subdivisions
First-level
Second-level
Third-level
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