Salalah is not part of the United Arab Emirates; it is a major sovereign city located entirely within the Sultanate of Oman, serving as the capital and largest urban hub of the southern Dhofar Governorate. While Oman and the United Arab Emirates share friendly diplomatic relations, open borders, and membership in the Gulf Cooperation Council, Salalah is geographically separated from the UAE by hundreds of kilometers of Omani desert terrain. It maintains its own distinct municipal administration, local governance, cultural heritage, and regional identity under the Omani government.