emirate · Arabia and the Gulf

Sheikhdom of Kalba

1936 CE – 1951 CE · capital Kalba

A short-lived Trucial sheikhdom on the Gulf of Oman coast, recognised by Britain in 1936 in exchange for an emergency airstrip.

Origins

Kalba, a town on the east coast of the Oman peninsula, was ruled by a branch of the Al Qasimi family as part of the Sheikhdom of Sharjah. In 1936 Britain recognised its sheikh, Said bin Hamad Al Qasimi, as an independent ruler among the Trucial States, in return for permission to build an emergency landing ground for Imperial Airways flights to India.

Rule and society

The sheikhdom was tiny, living from fishing and date gardens. After Said's death in 1937 his young son succeeded under a regent, and the family's internal disputes, together with rival claims by Fujairah, left it unstable.

Decline and legacy

After a violent succession dispute in 1951, Britain allowed Kalba to be reincorporated into Sharjah, and it remains part of that emirate within the United Arab Emirates.

Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.

Lineage

Sheikhdom of KalbaSheikhdom of Sharjah 1727 CE – 1971 CE

Connections (1)

More states of Arabia and the Gulf →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Sheikhdom of Kalba. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-kalba
MLA
“Sheikhdom of Kalba.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-kalba. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Sheikhdom of Kalba.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-kalba.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Sheikhdom of Kalba’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-kalba (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻