Ras al-Khaimah is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The current statehood is the result of the 1909 appanage from Sharjah. Its name could be taken to mean "headland of the small huts", which can be attributed to the indigenous buildings that existed along the coast. The emirate is in the northern part of the UAE, bordering Oman's exclave of Musandam. It covers an area of 1,684 square km.