Dubai is 90% desert

Much of Dubai's 3900 square kilometers (1600 square miles) consist of sand dunes (see photo) and parched terrain dotted with rocks and shrubs. Other natural features in Dubai include verdant oases, sandy coastlines, and the arid Hajar mountains.

Scant natural water sources

The Dubai emirate solves the severe shortage by desalinating seawater.

World's biggest man-made harbor

Dubai, one of the globe's most important maritime traders, has no natural harbor to accommodate today's super-tankers. It remedied the need by constructing the world's largest artificial harbor in Jebel Ali, a coastal industrial city about a half hour's drive from Dubai.

Dubai history in brief

Highlights:

Earliest known habitation

Archaeologists found evidence of a primitive settlement in the Dubai area dating back nearly 3,000 years.

Several centuries ago

Dubai was a small fishing, pearl-diving and trading port.

Around 1900

It became a thriving town.

Oil boom

After oil was discovered in the UAE in 1958, Dubai grew rapidly, especially in the last 25 years. This happened despite not being oil rich like its sister emirate, Abu Dhabi. Dubai gained wealth by becoming a major world trading and financial center.

Today

Dubai has over a million inhabitants. It is one of seven emirate states comprising the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Citizens are well off

Dubai citizens enjoy one of the world's highest standards of living. It is investing a significant portion of its income in building the city into a major Mid-Eastern business center and tourist destination.

Massive construction projects

The "World" is a massive engineering project. It consists of man-made off-shore islands in the shape of the world's 200 nations. These islands - built for luxury residential use - are arranged into their respective continents (from the air, the collective islands appear as a giant map of the world).

Dubai is also constructing a pair of giant artificial island complexes in the shape of palm tree fronds surrounded by a circle measuring over a mile in diameter. One - the Palm - is half finished (extravagant homes occupy most lots and the large Atlantis Hotel Resort is open).

The current Global Recession has slowed down or put on hold many of Dubai projects.

Land of many tongues

Arabic is Dubai's official language, but English, Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Tagalog are also widely spoken.

Men significantly outnumber women

There are more than twice as many men than women in Dubai.

Know these Dubai tips and insights

Dubai pages
Top10 things to do in Dubai
Ten reasons to visit Dubai
Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa - interesting facts
Burj Al Arab
Best hotels & resorts
Interesting Dubai tidbits

Cruise guide
Persian Gulf cruise

 

 

Dubai Tourism official website

 

World's Top 100 Wonders
World's Top 1000 Wonders

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