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Geography & Places
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Nahwa: The UAE's Geographical Russian Doll Inside Oman
Nahwa is a village in the UAE that forms a rare geographical oddity known as a counter-enclave. It is entirely surrounded by the Omani territory of Madha, which is itself an enclave completely surrounded by the United Arab Emirates. A nation within a nation, within a nation.
Imagine a piece of your country, completely detached, floating inside another country. Now, imagine a piece of that other country floating inside your piece. This isn't a scene from a mind-bending film; it's the real-life geographical puzzle of Nahwa, an exclave of the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
A Geographical Russian Doll
Nahwa holds the rare distinction of being a counter-enclave, or a second-order enclave. To understand this, picture a set of Russian nesting dolls. The outermost doll is the UAE mainland. Open it, and you find the Omani territory of Madha, an enclave completely surrounded by the UAE. Open the Madha doll, and nestled inside is the tiny village of Nahwa, which belongs back to the UAE. You have to leave the UAE, enter Oman, and then enter the UAE again, all within the span of a few kilometers.
How Did This Happen? A Tale of Allegiance
This cartographical curiosity wasn't the result of a war or a grand political treaty, but a simple decision made by village elders decades ago. In the late 1930s or 1940s, before the formal establishment of the UAE, British envoys were tasked with settling territorial disputes in the region. They presented the local leaders with a choice: declare allegiance to the Sultan of Oman or to the Al Qasimi rulers of Sharjah. While the villages that now form the Omani territory of Madha chose Oman, the elders of Nahwa remained loyal to Sharjah. The borders were then drawn to reflect these allegiances, creating the complex patchwork we see today. The border was finally settled in 1969, cementing Nahwa's unique status.
A Journey Through Borders (Without a Passport Stamp)
The journey to Nahwa is as peculiar as its political status. Driving from the Emirati city of Khor Fakkan, you'll first see a sign welcoming you to the Wilayat of Madha, Sultanate of Oman. You've just entered the Omani enclave. The landscape might change subtly, but there are no formal border controls or passport checks. As one visitor described the experience of crossing these fluid borders:
The border crossing is pretty much just a police checkpoint where they don't even check your passport... I actually had a nice chat with the cop on duty, he asked me if I was enjoying the scenery and recommended a few good spots to take photos.
A few more kilometers down a winding road, another signpost appears, welcoming you to Nahwa. You've crossed back into the UAE without ever truly leaving its orbit. In just a few minutes, you can cross four international borders: UAE to Oman, Oman to UAE, UAE back to Oman, and Oman back to the UAE mainland.
Life Inside the Enclave-within-an-Enclave
So what is life like in this geographical oddity? Nahwa itself is a quiet community of about 40 houses. It's split into two parts: Old Nahwa and the more developed New Nahwa. Thanks to its connection with Sharjah, the village is well-equipped with modern infrastructure, including a clinic, a mosque, reliable electricity, internet access, and its own police outpost flying the UAE flag. This development, funded by the UAE, stands in contrast to some of the more rural parts of the surrounding Omani territory and highlights the practical benefits of the elders' decision long ago. For residents, this complex geopolitical reality is just a normal part of daily life, a unique story etched not just onto maps, but into the very fabric of their community.
Ultimately, Nahwa is more than a Trivial Pursuit question. It's a living testament to history, loyalty, and the often-surprising ways that human relationships can shape the lines on a map.