Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 January 2006 Acting until 11 February 2006
President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Preceded by Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Born 22 July 1947 (age 62) DubaiUnited Arab Emirates
(then a protectorate of the UnitedKingdom)
Nationality Emirati
Spouse(s) Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum
Haya bint Al-Hussein
Religion Sunni Islam
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Muḥammad bin Rāshid al Maktūm ,also Sheikh Mohammed, (born July 15, 1947), is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Ruler of Dubai.
Personal life and education
He is the third of Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s four sons (members of Dubai’s ruling family Al Maktoum and descendants of the House of Al-Falasi, of which he is the tribal leader[1]). From the age of four, Sheikh Mohammed was privately tutored in Arabic and Islamic Studies. In 1955, he began his formal education at Al Ahmedia School. At the age of 10, he moved to Al Shaab School, and two years later, he went to Dubai Secondary School. In August 1966, he and his cousin, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum, attended the Bell Educational Trust’s English Language School in the United Kingdom.
His senior wife is Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum whom he married in 1979. His junior wife is HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and half-sister of current King Abdullah II of Jordan, whom he married on April 10, 2004, and has one child, a daughter, AlJalila, born December 2, 2007.[2][3][4] Sheikh Mohammed has 19 children: eight sons and eleven daughters.
Al Maktoum, his sons, and his daughters are known to be avid in the art of traditional Arabic poems, arts, taking part in projects to aid developing countries such as Jordan, Egypt, Palestine and Yemen. They are also sport enthusiasts, especially in horse and camel racing. For example, in the 15th Asian Games in 2006, son Rashid took the individual gold in Endurance, sons Rashid, Ahmed, Majid, and Hamdan took the team gold in Endurance;[5] niece Latifa took a bronze in Show Jumping;[6] and daughter Maitha led the UAE team in taekwondo .[7]
