Emirate


An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir, 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. It can be considered equivalent to a principality in non-Muslim contexts.
Currently in the world, there are three emirates that are independent states and one state that consists of a federation of seven emirates. A great number of previously independent emirates around the world are now part of larger states.

Etymology

Etymologically, emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office, or territorial competence of any emir. In English, the term is pronounced or in British English and or in American English.

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 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 of the royal family, as in Saudi Arabian governorates.

List of present emirates

Current emirates with political autonomy are listed below:
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    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

  • Emirate of Nekor, Rif region of modern Morocco 710–1019
  • Emirate of Ifriqiya, Aghlabid Ifriqiya within modern Tunisia, Algeria, Sicily, Morocco, and Libya 800–909
  • Emirate of Tunis, Hafsid Ifriqiya within modern Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya 1229–1574
  • Zab Emirate, modern Algeria circa 1400
  • Emirate of Trarza, modern southwest Mauritania 1640s–1910s
  • Emirate of Cyrenaica, modern eastern Libya 1949–1951

    Sub-Saharan Africa

Ethiopia
  • Emirate of Harar, eastern Ethiopia 1647–1887
    Ghana
  • Zabarma Emirate, northeastern Ghana 1860s–1897
    Niger
  • Emirate of Say, southwestern Niger 19th century–
    Nigeria
  • Fika Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 15th century–
  • Gwandu Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 15th century to 2005
  • Kebbi Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 1516–
  • Borgu Emirate, west-central Nigeria, formed from Bussa Emirate 1730–1954 and Kaiama Emirate 1912–54, unified 1954–
  • Gumel Emirate, north-central Nigeria 1749–
  • Yauri Emirate, northwestern Nigeria 1799–
  • Gombe Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1804–
  • Kano Emirate, north-central Nigeria 1805–
  • Bauchi Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1805–
  • Daura Emirate, north-central Nigeria off and on 1805–
  • Katsina Emirate, north-central Nigeria 1806–
  • Katagum Emirate, north-central Nigeria 1807–
  • Zaria Emirate, north-central Nigeria 1808–
  • Potiskum Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 1809–
  • Adamawa Emirate, eastern Nigeria and formerly into western Cameroon 1809–
  • Ilorin Emirate, southwestern Nigeria 1817–
  • Muri Emirate, east-central Nigeria 1817–
  • Kazaure Emirate, north-central Nigeria 1819–
  • Lapai Emirate, central Nigeria 1825–
  • Suleja Emirate, central Nigeria 1828–
  • Agaie Emirate, west-central Nigeria 1832–
  • Bida Emirate, west-central Nigeria 1856–
  • Kontagora Emirate, north-central Nigeria 1858–
  • Borno Emirate, northeastern Nigeria 1900–
  • Dikwa Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1901–
  • Biu Emirate, northeast Nigeria 1920–

    Asia

Arabia

Caucasus