The United Arab Republic (UAR) was a political union formed in 1958 between Egypt and Syria. It aimed to promote Arab unity and socialism, with Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Egyptian president, as its leader. The union was short-lived, as Syria withdrew in 1961 due to political differences and dissatisfaction with Egyptian dominance. After Syria's exit, the UAR continued to exist as a name for Egypt until 1971, when it was officially dissolved. The UAR's formation and subsequent dissolution highlighted the challenges of uniting diverse Arab nations under a single government and the complexities of regional politics in the Middle East.