St. Anselm's Abbey School
Encyclopedia
St. Anselm's Abbey School is an all boys's preparatory school
for grades six through twelve in Washington D.C.. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
. The school sits on a 40 acre wooded campus on the Michigan Park
neighborhood of the city's Northeast quadrant and is run by the Benedictine
monks of Saint Anselm's Abbey
.
, the superior of what was then St. Anselm's Priory
. The Priory School opened on September 15, 1942 with just 18 students. Although the school began as a high school, the 7th and 8th grades (known as Form I and Form II, respectively) were added in 1955.
The school was renamed St. Anselm's Abbey School in 1961, when the monastery was elevated to the status of an abbey
. A 6th grade, known as Form A, was added in 1990 following a major expansion of the school's academic building. In 2003, the school completed a $9 million athletic and performing arts complex. This included the construction of a state-of-the-art athletic facility and gymnasium, as well as the conversion of the old 1945 gym into the Devine Performing Arts Center, containing classroom space, faculty offices and a theater with seating for 400.
program. In 2004, roughly two-thirds of the graduating class achieved commendation or higher honors from the National Merit Scholar
program. The average combined SAT
I score was over 1400. In 2011, 30 of the 35 graduates achieved the AP Scholar
, AP Scholar with Distinction, or National AP Scholar level as defined by the Advanced Placement Program
.
Each student who has graduated from St. Anselm's Abbey School since its founding has been accepted to and attended an accredited four-year college or university. For the five-year period from 2002–2006, the five most popular destinations for St. Anselm's graduates were Georgetown University
, Columbia University
, the University of Maryland, College Park
, the University of Chicago
, and the College of William & Mary.
The school's curriculum emphasizes classics
and is somewhat idiosyncratic. Grades are called "forms," in accordance with the British
school system. In addition to six years of science and five years of a spoken language, three years of Latin
are required. Ancient Greek
is also offered as an elective for students in the Upper School, as is Arabic
for students in fifth and sixth forms. As in many other religious schools, theology
is also a required course each year.
The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools
.
In a December 2006 online discussion, Washington Post columnist and Challenge Index
creator Jay Mathews said, "Saint Anselm's Abbey in NE D.C. has one of the highest ratings in the country, far above most private schools I know."
Following up in June 2011, Mathews declared that had he included private schools on his "Challenge Index," St. Anselm's Abbey School would have "a rating of 7.250 and a national ranking of 27th if [he] put it on the list. On the Washington area list it would have been No. 1."
The Baltimore Sun has called St. Anselm's "one of the country's premier college preparatory schools."
Class sizes are 15-100 per class. The school's student-to-faculty ratio is approximately 5:1. Classes are smallest in the Upper Division (Forms V and VI), and graduating classes are typically made up of 35 or fewer students.
The school's campus is approximately 40 acres (16.2 ha) atop a hill in Washington, D.C. and includes the monastic building of St. Anselm's Abbey, an academic building, and an athletics/performing arts complex. The campus contains several tennis courts, athletic fields, batting cages, a cemetery and woodland areas.
The academic building underwent a renovation in 2008. A lecture hall with a stage and multimedia capabilities was completed. An earth science
lab was completed, providing more space for experimentation in the science department. With its completion, the number of labs available to students is four, one for each of the major sciences. The largest and most noticeable upgrade is to the school entrance, which now has a new reception area and office space for student-teacher consultations. The rest of the school also received technological upgrades, including the installation of SMART Boards in several classrooms.
at the middle school and varsity levels in several sports each season. During the ten-year period from 1998 to 2008, the Panthers won 35 conference championships in basketball, soccer, baseball, tennis, cross country, and track and field.
St. Anselm's has hosted the longest-running high school basketball tournament in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The St. Anselm's Invitational has been a tradition at the school since 1948.
A traditional athletic rivalry is for the Bishop Ansgar Nelson Memorial Soccer Cup, an annual competition held between the varsity boys' soccer teams of St. Anselm's Abbey School and its sister school, Portsmouth Abbey School
of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
. The competition rotates each year between the two schools.
, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band, Fencing Club, Biology/Forensics Club, and French Club.
In 2008, the school's Model UN team took the honor of "Best School" at Catholic University
's annual conference in Washington. In addition, the team participated in the Harvard Model United Nations conference in 2010 and 2011.
The It's Academic
team is nationally-ranked, with members often participating in televised quizbowls and tournaments hosted at various Ivy-League universities, including the University of Pennsylvania
.
The school newspaper, the Priory Press, and the yearbook, the Priory Perspective are student-run and contributed to by the Junior and Senior classes.
Each student is assigned to one of four Houses named for figures in the school’s history: Alban House, named for Fr. Alban Boultwood, the first Abbot of St. Anselm’s Abbey; Austin House, named for Fr. Austin McNamee, the school’s founding Headmaster; Main House, named for Fr. John Main, the school’s fifth Headmaster; and Moore House, named for Fr. Thomas Verner Moore, founder of the monastery and school. The four houses compete each year for the House Championship, based on their performance in intramural athletics and their participation in extracurricular and community service activities.
St. Anselm’s Invitational Basketball Tournament
Each year, St. Anselm’s Abbey School hosts to the Washington region’s longest-running interscholastic basketball tournament, the St. Anselm’s Invitational. The tournament was established in 1948. The post-season tournament traditionally begins on a Friday afternoon in late February, when the entire student body, faculty and staff join parents, friends and alumni in the gym to cheer on the varsity Panthers. The three-day event concludes on Sunday evening with the championship game, and the winning team’s name is inscribed on the Dwyer Trophy (named after the tournament’s founding coach), which is held by the winning school until the following tournament.
Egg Drop
Each spring, Form IV students must complete a unique assignment as part of their Physics class: construct a vessel which, when dropped from the roof of the athletics complex, can hold an egg and keep it from breaking while hitting a target area on the sidewalk below. Students must construct their entries using only a single predetermined material, which changes each year and is revealed less than a month before the Egg Drop. The vehicle is graded on its size and dimensions, as well as its ability to keep the egg safe and intact. The student with the fewest deductions is named the winner of the “Egg Drop Award”—and, receives a perfect score on his assignment.
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
for grades six through twelve in Washington D.C.. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It comprises the District of Columbia and Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's and Saint Mary's counties in the state of Maryland....
. The school sits on a 40 acre wooded campus on the Michigan Park
Michigan Park, Washington, D.C.
Michigan Park is a neighborhood in Northeast Washington, D.C.. It is bordered by Gallatin Street NE to the north, 6th Street NE to the to west, Taylor Street NE and Michigan Avenue to the south, and South Dakota Avenue to the east....
neighborhood of the city's Northeast quadrant and is run by the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks of Saint Anselm's Abbey
Saint Anselm's Abbey
St. Anselm's Abbey is a Benedictine Abbey located at 4501 South Dakota Avenue, N.E., in Washington, D.C.. It operates the prestigious boys' middle and high school St. Anselm's Abbey School.- History :...
.
History
The school was founded in 1942 as the Priory School by Fr. Thomas Verner Moore, OSBOrder of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
, the superior of what was then St. Anselm's Priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
. The Priory School opened on September 15, 1942 with just 18 students. Although the school began as a high school, the 7th and 8th grades (known as Form I and Form II, respectively) were added in 1955.
The school was renamed St. Anselm's Abbey School in 1961, when the monastery was elevated to the status of an abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
. A 6th grade, known as Form A, was added in 1990 following a major expansion of the school's academic building. In 2003, the school completed a $9 million athletic and performing arts complex. This included the construction of a state-of-the-art athletic facility and gymnasium, as well as the conversion of the old 1945 gym into the Devine Performing Arts Center, containing classroom space, faculty offices and a theater with seating for 400.
Academics
An entrance exam is required. The school attempts to create an academically challenging curriculum that offers classes in a range of subjects, including 23 Advanced Placement courses. In 1988, all but two students in the graduating class achieved semifinalist or higher ranks from the National Merit ScholarNational Merit Scholarship Program
The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and college scholarships administered by National Merit Scholarship Corporation , a privately funded, not-for-profit organization. The program began in 1955...
program. In 2004, roughly two-thirds of the graduating class achieved commendation or higher honors from the National Merit Scholar
National Merit Scholarship Program
The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and college scholarships administered by National Merit Scholarship Corporation , a privately funded, not-for-profit organization. The program began in 1955...
program. The average combined SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
I score was over 1400. In 2011, 30 of the 35 graduates achieved the AP Scholar
Advanced Placement Awards
The College Board offers several awards to select students who take Advanced Placement exams.The term "award" is perhaps misleading, as no benefit is awarded to the recipient except the title itself.-AP Scholar Designations:...
, AP Scholar with Distinction, or National AP Scholar level as defined by the Advanced Placement Program
Advanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college...
.
Each student who has graduated from St. Anselm's Abbey School since its founding has been accepted to and attended an accredited four-year college or university. For the five-year period from 2002–2006, the five most popular destinations for St. Anselm's graduates were Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, and the College of William & Mary.
The school's curriculum emphasizes classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
and is somewhat idiosyncratic. Grades are called "forms," in accordance with the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
school system. In addition to six years of science and five years of a spoken language, three years of Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
are required. Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
is also offered as an elective for students in the Upper School, as is Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for students in fifth and sixth forms. As in many other religious schools, theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
is also a required course each year.
The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools
National Association of Independent Schools
The National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1963, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boarding, and day/boarding schools; elementary and secondary...
.
In a December 2006 online discussion, Washington Post columnist and Challenge Index
Challenge Index
The Challenge Index is a method for the statistical ranking of top public high schools in the United States by Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews...
creator Jay Mathews said, "Saint Anselm's Abbey in NE D.C. has one of the highest ratings in the country, far above most private schools I know."
Following up in June 2011, Mathews declared that had he included private schools on his "Challenge Index," St. Anselm's Abbey School would have "a rating of 7.250 and a national ranking of 27th if [he] put it on the list. On the Washington area list it would have been No. 1."
The Baltimore Sun has called St. Anselm's "one of the country's premier college preparatory schools."
Class sizes are 15-100 per class. The school's student-to-faculty ratio is approximately 5:1. Classes are smallest in the Upper Division (Forms V and VI), and graduating classes are typically made up of 35 or fewer students.
Campus and Facilities
The academic building underwent a renovation in 2008. A lecture hall with a stage and multimedia capabilities was completed. An earth science
Earth science
Earth science is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences...
lab was completed, providing more space for experimentation in the science department. With its completion, the number of labs available to students is four, one for each of the major sciences. The largest and most noticeable upgrade is to the school entrance, which now has a new reception area and office space for student-teacher consultations. The rest of the school also received technological upgrades, including the installation of SMART Boards in several classrooms.
Athletics
St. Anselm's competes in the Potomac Valley Athletic ConferencePotomac Valley Athletic Conference
The Potomac Valley Athletic Conference is a group of independent schools in the Washington Metropolitan area for interscholastic athletics. It was formed in 1979.- Member schools :The current member schools are:*Barrie School**Edmund Burke School...
at the middle school and varsity levels in several sports each season. During the ten-year period from 1998 to 2008, the Panthers won 35 conference championships in basketball, soccer, baseball, tennis, cross country, and track and field.
St. Anselm's has hosted the longest-running high school basketball tournament in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The St. Anselm's Invitational has been a tradition at the school since 1948.
A traditional athletic rivalry is for the Bishop Ansgar Nelson Memorial Soccer Cup, an annual competition held between the varsity boys' soccer teams of St. Anselm's Abbey School and its sister school, Portsmouth Abbey School
Portsmouth Abbey School
Portsmouth Abbey School is a private, coeducational boarding and day school for grades 9 through 12, located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Founded by the Benedictine monks of Portsmouth Abbey in 1926 as Portsmouth Priory School, the school offered a classical education to boys...
of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
. The competition rotates each year between the two schools.
Student life
The school has clubs and associations, many unique to the school. These include the Cultural Student Organization, Investment Club, Fides Fellowship of St. Benedict, Mythology Club, Latin Club, Greek Club, It's AcademicIt's Academic
It's Academic is a televised academic quiz competition for high school students, currently airing on two NBC affiliates in Washington, D.C. and Central Virginia and one CBS affiliate Baltimore, Maryland . The show has been on the air since October 7, 1961, making it the longest...
, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band, Fencing Club, Biology/Forensics Club, and French Club.
In 2008, the school's Model UN team took the honor of "Best School" at Catholic University
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
's annual conference in Washington. In addition, the team participated in the Harvard Model United Nations conference in 2010 and 2011.
The It's Academic
It's Academic
It's Academic is a televised academic quiz competition for high school students, currently airing on two NBC affiliates in Washington, D.C. and Central Virginia and one CBS affiliate Baltimore, Maryland . The show has been on the air since October 7, 1961, making it the longest...
team is nationally-ranked, with members often participating in televised quizbowls and tournaments hosted at various Ivy-League universities, including the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
The school newspaper, the Priory Press, and the yearbook, the Priory Perspective are student-run and contributed to by the Junior and Senior classes.
Traditions
The House SystemEach student is assigned to one of four Houses named for figures in the school’s history: Alban House, named for Fr. Alban Boultwood, the first Abbot of St. Anselm’s Abbey; Austin House, named for Fr. Austin McNamee, the school’s founding Headmaster; Main House, named for Fr. John Main, the school’s fifth Headmaster; and Moore House, named for Fr. Thomas Verner Moore, founder of the monastery and school. The four houses compete each year for the House Championship, based on their performance in intramural athletics and their participation in extracurricular and community service activities.
St. Anselm’s Invitational Basketball Tournament
Each year, St. Anselm’s Abbey School hosts to the Washington region’s longest-running interscholastic basketball tournament, the St. Anselm’s Invitational. The tournament was established in 1948. The post-season tournament traditionally begins on a Friday afternoon in late February, when the entire student body, faculty and staff join parents, friends and alumni in the gym to cheer on the varsity Panthers. The three-day event concludes on Sunday evening with the championship game, and the winning team’s name is inscribed on the Dwyer Trophy (named after the tournament’s founding coach), which is held by the winning school until the following tournament.
Egg Drop
Each spring, Form IV students must complete a unique assignment as part of their Physics class: construct a vessel which, when dropped from the roof of the athletics complex, can hold an egg and keep it from breaking while hitting a target area on the sidewalk below. Students must construct their entries using only a single predetermined material, which changes each year and is revealed less than a month before the Egg Drop. The vehicle is graded on its size and dimensions, as well as its ability to keep the egg safe and intact. The student with the fewest deductions is named the winner of the “Egg Drop Award”—and, receives a perfect score on his assignment.
Notable alumni
- John T. ElsonJohn T. ElsonJohn Truscott Elson was a religion editor and writer who eventually became the assistant managing editor of Time...
, '49 - an editor at Time magazine - Ambassador James E. Nolan, '50 - First Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, U.S. Department of State
- Brian K. Devine, '59 - current Chairman of the Board and former CEO of PetcoPETCOPETCO is a chain of retail stores that offers pet supplies and services such as grooming and dog training. Founded in 1965 and incorporated in Delaware, it is headquartered in San Diego, California...
- Morgan E. O'BrienMorgan E. O'BrienMorgan Edward O'Brien , chairman of Cyren Call Communications, is a pioneer in U.S. wireless telecommunications. As the co-founder and chairman of Nextel Communications, Inc...
, '62 - co-founder, former Chairman of the Board, and current Vice Chairman of Nextel - Xavier SuarezXavier SuarezXavier L. Suarez was the first native born Cuban mayor of Miami.Suarez attended the Colegio de Belen but graduated from St. Anselm's Abbey School in 1967, earned a degree in engineering from Villanova University in 1971, and later studied government and law at Harvard University...
, '67 - First Cuban-born mayor of Miami - Mark S. SmithMark S. SmithMark Stratton John Matthew Smith is an American professor and Biblical scholar who currently holds the Skirball Chair of Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University....
, '73 - Biblical scholar and professor at New York UniversityNew York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan... - Tom Napack, '03 - Member of electropop duo Dangerous MuseDangerous MuseDangerous Muse is an American electropop duo based in New York. The duo comprises vocalist Mike Furey and Musician/Programmer Tom Napack, who is often depicted using a Keytar.-History:...
Notable faculty
- Fr. Benet HillBennett D. HillBennett David Hill was a historian, a Benedictine monk and an author. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and earned advanced degrees from Harvard and Princeton...
, OSBOrder of Saint BenedictThe Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
, former theology and social studies teacher - Fr. John MainJohn MainJohn Main OSB was a Roman Catholic Benedictine monk and priest who presented a way of Christian meditation which utilized a prayer-phrase or mantra. In 1975 Main began Christian meditation groups which met at Ealing Abbey, his monastery in West London, England and, later, in Montreal, Canada...
, OSBOrder of Saint BenedictThe Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
, Fifth Headmaster, 1970-1974 - leader in the field of Christian meditationChristian meditationChristian meditation is a form of prayer in which a structured attempt is made to get in touch with and deliberately reflect upon the revelations of God. The word meditation comes from the Latin word meditārī, which has a range of meanings including to reflect on, to study and to practice... - William E. MayWilliam E. MayWilliam May is the Michael J. McGivney Professor of Moral Theology at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Dr. May has taught courses for the Catholic Distance University. Along with John Finnis, Joseph...
, former Theology teacher - moral theologian - John MontrollJohn MontrollJohn Montroll is an American master origami artist and prolific author, well-known by paper-folding enthusiasts throughout the world.-Biography:John Montroll was born in Washington, D.C...
, current Calculus and OrigamiOrigamiis the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form...
teacher - author of many books on origamiOrigamiis the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form... - James A. Wiseman, OSB, current theology instructor, former chair and associate dean of the Department of Theology at the Catholic University of America, and author/editor of 6 books
- Patrick Granfield, '99 - Alumnus and former social studies instructor, Former Editor with The NationalThe National (Abu Dhabi)The National is a government-owned English-language daily newspaper published in Abu Dhabi. The editor-in-chief since June 8, 2009 has been Hassan Fattah. Prior to this, and from the launch of the newspaper Martin Newland was editor-in-chief. Mubadala Development Company, an investment company...
newspaper in the United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...