The United Arab Emirates (UAE) faces significant water scarcity due to its arid conditions and rising water demands driven by population growth and economic expansion. Despite relying heavily on desalinated seawater and limited groundwater, inland and coastal water bodies in the region play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity, cultural heritage, economic prosperity, groundwater replenishment, and climate regulation. The waters within the land borders of the UAE, regardless of their salinity, are critically limited yet hold great significance. Therefore, effective preservation and management of scarce water resources is imperative. This study conducts a detailed multi-temporal analysis of inland and coastal water bodies within the current land borders of the UAE. The analysis utilizes satellite imagery spanning from 1972 to 2021 and GIS techniques. It incorporates machine learning algorithms and supplementary datasets to enhance the classification process and improve the accuracy of classified images. The Random Forest classifier demonstrated higher accuracy in land use land cover (LULC) mapping within the study area compared to the CART and SVM classifiers. Consequently, the Random Forest classifier was selected for the mapping process in the study area. The total area occupied by inland surface water bodies, including those near the coastline (coastal water), has fluctuated from 365 km2 in the early 1970s to approximately 154 km2 in 2021, indicating a general decline in surface water bodies over the study period. During this study period, new artificial lakes, such as Al Qudra, Al Wathba, and Zakher, have emerged. However, coastal water areas have experienced a decline due to activities like land reclamation and the construction of artificial islands. The study highlights that the creation of small lakes and the loss of coastal water are primarily driven by anthropogenic factors. This study sheds light on the spatiotemporal dynamics of inland and coastal water bodies within the existing land borders of the UAE, offering valuable insights to assist in the planning and management of the region's limited existing surface water bodies.