Is the United Arab Emirates a democracy?

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is not considered a democracy by international standards. It is a federation of seven hereditary monarchies (emirates). Each emirate is ruled by a sheikh, or emir, who wields absolute power. There are no political parties or elections in the UAE, and freedom of expression is tightly controlled. While certain reforms have been introduced to increase civil participation, such as the creation of appointed advisory councils, they do not grant citizens the kind of rights afforded in fully democratic systems.