10 Interesting Facts About Dubai
Dubai is one of the few places in the world that is synonymous with extravagance and splendor. The combination of old world charm and new world flavour easily positions this cosmopolitan city as the Monaco of the Middle East and a playground for the rich and famous.
Like many developing nations that have flourished over the last half century, there are many factors that have contributed to the development of this fascinating global city.
1. Dubai the Emirate
Due to its glitz, glamour, and larger than life attitude, many people mistakenly classify this sprawling metropolis as a country. In actual fact, Dubai is a city and one of seven emirates located within the United Arab Emirates.
2. Industries of Wealth
The UAE’s discovery of oil in the 1950s have helped to contribute to Dubai’s rapid accumulation of wealth. In modern times, their economy is heavily dependent on tourism and real estate and property development. Both of these industries have outpaced oil exports in the last 10-20 years and are presently viewed as major contributors to the city’s burgeoning economy.
3. Exponential Growth
Rapid modernization during the second half of the 20th century has helped to position Dubai as one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The city is constantly under construction because of their aspirations to build the most spectacular skyscrapers, islands, and malls. It is said that up to 20% of the cranes in the world are currently used by the city.
4. Impressive Achievements
Dubai can be described as ambitious and borderline obsessive when it comes to constructing the biggest and most luxurious man-made structures on Earth. At 163 floors and 2,722 feet, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest man-made skyscraper in the world. The Palm Jumeirah is arguably the most iconic artificial archipelago known to man and the Burj Al Arab is often billed as the only 7 star hotel in the world.
5. Majority and Minority
The demographics of the city are fascinating because approximately 10-15% of the population are Emiratis. Over 80% of the population consists of temporary foreign labour workers from Asia and expatriates from Commonwealth countries and the United States of America.
6. Supporting the People
The government has an interesting and unique system to assist its citizens and residents. Dubai provides free (or very low cost) healthcare to its people and no personal and income tax is collected on earnings and investments.
7. Navigating the City
What is strange for a modern cosmopolitan city like Dubai is that they do not have an address or postal system in place. Residents rely on PO boxes and verbal directions to get around!
8. Climate and Temperature
Heat and humidity reign supreme. Dubai is essentially a hot desert climate with scorching temperatures that reach highs of 49°C during the summer season. Sandstorms are especially prevalent in the summer months and rain is virtually non-existent.
9. Crime and Safety
Virtually no crime is ever committed. This may be due to the fact that Dubai is one of the most open and liberal societies in the world. The city is accepting of its expatriate community and its people tend to have a combination of Eastern and Western mindsets.
10. Displaying Wealth
It’s no secret that Dubai is extremely wealthy and the government’s police force seem to have no trouble displaying their wealth. Police cars in the city are not your run of the mill vehicles but exotic super cars such as Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Bentleys that cost upwards of $300,000 apiece. Maybe that’s why crime is so low.
