Al-Ittihad
Al-Ittihad is a daily Arabic-language newspaper of the United Arab Emirates and one of the country's earliest regular newspaper publications.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Al-Ittihad, meaning “The Union” in Arabic, is a daily Arabic-language newspaper published in the United Arab Emirates. It is associated with Abu Dhabi Media, a state-owned media organization, and is published by Al Ittihad Press and Publishing Corporation, which also publishes the English-language newspaper The National. The title is regarded as the first regular publication established in the UAE. The newspaper began publication on 20 October 1969, shortly before the formation of the United Arab Emirates. Its initial edition was a 12-page weekly newspaper with a reported distribution of 5,500 copies. At the time, the UAE did not have a local printing press capable of producing the publication, so early issues were printed in Beirut and transported to the Emirates. The paper was distributed free of charge during its early period, helping it establish a local readership while competing with newspapers imported from other Arab countries. Al-Ittihad subsequently developed from a weekly title into a daily newspaper. Its circulation and readership expanded substantially during the 2000s and early 2010s. Reported circulation was approximately 58,000 copies in 2003, 94,275 in 2006, and 76,000 in 2008. Ipsos data cited for 2009 indicated a readership share of 59.3 percent. Circulation during the first half of 2013 was reported at 109,640 copies, although these historical figures reflect different measurement periods and should not be treated as a current circulation estimate. The newspaper also became an early adopter of digital publishing in the UAE. It launched an online service on 15 March 1996, making it the first local newspaper in the country to provide an internet edition according to the cited historical account. Its online presence later became an important extension of the print brand; the website was reported as the 24th most visited website in the Middle East and North Africa region in 2010. Al-Ittihad's core offering is Arabic-language journalism for readers in the UAE and the wider Arab world. As a general-interest daily, it covers national and regional affairs, politics, public institutions, business, society, culture, sport, and other news categories. Its institutional position is closely connected to the UAE's domestic media system through its relationship with Abu Dhabi Media. The available reference material does not provide a current editor-in-chief, detailed ownership chronology, present circulation, financial information, or a comprehensive account of its editorial departments. Those fields therefore remain unreported here rather than being inferred.
History
Al-Ittihad was launched on 20 October 1969 as a weekly Arabic-language newspaper. Its appearance came during the formative period immediately preceding the establishment of the United Arab Emirates, and the title became one of the country's earliest regular newspaper publications. The newspaper began with a 12-page issue and a reported distribution of 5,500 copies. The early operating environment presented major logistical constraints. The UAE did not yet have a local printing press able to produce the newspaper, so the initial editions were printed in Beirut and shipped to the Emirates. The paper was distributed free in its early period, a model that helped it build awareness and readership while competing with newspapers arriving from other Arab countries. Its name, Al-Ittihad, translates as “The Union,” giving the title a clear association with the country's national political formation. Over time, Al-Ittihad moved from weekly publication toward a daily newspaper and expanded its circulation. Historical figures cited for the title include an estimated 58,000-copy circulation in 2003, 94,275 copies in 2006, and 76,000 copies in 2008. A separate report placed first-half 2013 daily circulation at 109,640 copies. The measurements come from different years and sources, and no current circulation figure is established by the available material. The publication also entered digital media at an early stage. On 15 March 1996, it launched an internet service for readers, becoming the first local newspaper in the UAE to do so according to the cited account. Its website later achieved a reported position as the 24th most visited website in the Middle East and North Africa region in 2010. This development extended the brand beyond its printed editions and established a digital channel for distributing its Arabic journalism. Al-Ittihad is published by Al Ittihad Press and Publishing Corporation. The corporation is associated with Abu Dhabi Media, a state-owned media group that also publishes The National. Through this institutional structure, Al-Ittihad forms part of the UAE's established media landscape. Its principal role is that of a national Arabic-language general-interest daily, covering public affairs and other news categories relevant to readers in the Emirates and the broader Arab region. The available source material does not document the newspaper's founder, successive editors, detailed newsroom structure, current circulation, financial performance, or specific editorial campaigns. It also does not establish a definitive date for every stage of the transition from weekly to daily publication. These areas require further source verification.
- 2013
Reported first-half circulation
[1]Daily circulation during the first half of the year was reported at 109,640 copies.
- 2010
Regional digital readership ranking
[1]The online edition was reported as the 24th most visited website in the Middle East and North Africa region.
- 2006
Reported circulation growth
[1]A cited historical figure placed circulation at 94,275 copies.
- 2003
Reported circulation milestone
[1]Historical reporting estimated the newspaper's circulation at approximately 58,000 copies.
- 1996
Launch of online service
[1]The newspaper introduced an internet service on 15 March 1996, described in the cited history as the first online service launched by a local UAE newspaper.
- 1969
First issue published
[1]Al-Ittihad published its first issue on 20 October 1969 as a 12-page weekly newspaper with a reported distribution of 5,500 copies.
Products and positioning
A UAE-based Arabic general-interest newspaper with a national role, a long publishing history, and an integrated print-and-digital presence.
Print newspaper · 1969
Al-Ittihad daily newspaper
The newspaper's core product is a daily Arabic-language general-interest edition serving readers in the United Arab Emirates. Its coverage encompasses national and regional affairs and is described in the available material as extending across politics, business, society, culture, and sport. It developed from the original weekly publication launched in 1969.
Digital news platform · 1996
Al-Ittihad online edition
The online edition extends Al-Ittihad's Arabic news publishing to the web. It began as an internet service launched on 15 March 1996, a significant early digital step for a UAE newspaper. The current website provides the brand's digital publishing channel, although the available material does not describe its present technical features or audience metrics.
Sources2 sources
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