emirate · Arabia and the Gulf
Sheikhdom of Ajman
Origins
In 1816 Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, leader of the Na'im tribe, took the coastal fort of Ajman, between Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain, and established a sheikhdom ruled by his descendants ever since. It also held the inland enclaves of Masfut and Manama.
Rule and society
Ajman lived from fishing, pearling and dhow building. It signed the General Maritime Treaty of 1820 and became one of the Trucial States under British protection. Its rulers often had to manoeuvre between the larger Sheikhdom of Sharjah and other neighbours. Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi III ruled from 1928 to 1981.
Decline and legacy
Ajman joined the United Arab Emirates at its foundation in December 1971 and is the smallest of its seven emirates.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (1)
- Sheikhdom of Ajman was part of Trucial States1820 CE – 1971 CE
More states of Arabia and the Gulf →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Sheikhdom of Ajman. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-ajman
- MLA
- “Sheikhdom of Ajman.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-ajman. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Sheikhdom of Ajman.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-ajman.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Sheikhdom of Ajman’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-ajman (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻