According to Forbes, Dubai is a city to watch; the final throes of the oil culture, the rise in business governing society and culture, and the change in the world’s economy from developed to emerging markets.
You can witness these changes being wrought on a global scale, reflected in the tiny, glittering metropolis that is Dubai.
Dubai is one of seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, and Dubai city (the capital city of the Emirate, Dubai) is the largest and most populous city in the UAE. It has become a global centre for business in the Middle East with much of its revenue now coming from tourism, real estate, financial services and aviation.
If you are considering travelling to Dubai for business or pleasure, or just want to find out more about this amazing city, read on…
Expats Vs Emirati Nationals
Surprisingly, Dubai nationals are outnumbered by almost six to one! The majority of the population are Indian, Bangladeshi, Asian and Western.
This means the chances of you meeting any truly ‘local’ people are pretty slim – except for at border control. These roles are often filled by nationals, as are most bureaucratic roles.
However, if you do want to find out more about local culture, custom and tradition you can visit the Sheikh Mohammed Museum of Cultural Understanding, an innovative centre that links holiday-makers with Emirati people, in order to share knowledge and create an understanding of this amazing city and its people.
Living High in Dubai
As of writing, Dubai’s skyline is populated by almost 1400 skyscrapers. This may sound like a lot but when compared to New York’s 6180, it doesn’t seem quite so impressive.
However, it is home to the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa which is 828 metres tall.
The Princess Tower, once the tallest residential building in the world at 413 metres, was surpassed in 2014 by New York’s Park Avenue.
In 2006 over a quarter of the world’s cranes were employed working on Dubai’s many building sites, but after the financial crash in 2008 the construction industry has slowed to a more moderate rate.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai
As already mentioned, the Burj Khalifa has been the world’s tallest structure since completion in 2010 however, it wouldn’t have been completed without financial help from Dubai’s neighbouring Emirate, Abu Dhabi.
In 2010, Dubai was in throes of a financial crisis but were bailed out to the tune of £6.13bn by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan, the Emir of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE.
When the tower finally opened, it was given the name Burj Khalifa (Khalifa Tower) in honour of the generous financial assistance.
Living Life in the Fast Lane
Dubai’s wealth and status is reflected in the cars which are paraded along the Floating Bridge or down Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.
But it’s not only the locals who live life in the fast lane; the Dubai police have their own Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bentleys, and have even added a McLaren and Bugatti Veyron in recent years.
With a BMW that can go from 0 – 60mph in 4.2 seconds, the police soon catch fleeing villains!
Healthy, Wealthy, but not Always Wise
It is obvious from the above facts that many Dubai residents are extraordinarily wealthy. They live in a warm, sunny climate that is good for health too. However, they aren’t always particularly wise, especially when it comes to their possessions.
For instance, a passenger travelling from Dubai Airport left £35,000 in cash in the toilet, two diamond rings worth almost £34,000 were handed in to the airport authorities, and a taxi driver handed in a gold ingot, which he’d found in his cab, thought to be worth over three quarters of a million pound!
Gender and Age
Dubai has a population of 2.5 million of which 1.7 million are male. This means that almost 70% of the population are male.
It is thought that the higher proportion of males is due to the numerous male expats who have left their families at home to work in Dubai.
The population is also extremely youthful in Dubai. Over half the population are aged between 25 and 44, with most aged 30 to 34, while only 15% of the population are over 45.
Prince Charming
Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the son of Dubai’s ruler, is quite literally the prince charming of fairy tales.
He is widely respected by both nationals and expats for his roles in sporting championships such as, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in France (where he won a gold medal), team gold in 2012 and a bronze medal in 2010.
He enjoys tennis, skydiving, fishing, falconry, riding, and diving, and often updates his Instagram with photos of him flying helicopters, visiting Royal Ascot or snuggling up to ponies and babies.
However, he’s not only an action man. He also writes poetry in the traditional Arabic style called Nabati. These poems are published under the name Fazzaa3.
Nabati poetry is written in the local language of the Arab Gulf states and has a long heritage among Bedouin tribes.
Sun, Sea, Sand and Pearls.
Dubai is now a mecca for tourists with its glorious beaches and beautiful architecture, and made most of its money from oil. But before the oil rush, Dubai was famous for its pearl trade.
At the start of the 20th century there were over 300 dhows (traditional Arab sailing boats), which were based in Dubai Creek.
Each day, between May and September, over 7,000 sailors would set out from harbour and dive for up to 14 hours each day in search of pearls.
They would dive to around a depth of 10 metres with a nose-clip and a weight tied to their mid-section. Once a pearl had been located they would then haul themselves back up on a rope to the boat. An average of 50 dives were completed each day.
Shop Until You Drop
There isn’t much you can’t buy in Dubai.
There are vending machines in the Dubai Mall that allow you to purchase gold – anything from a 24 karat gold coin to a one ounce solid gold bar can be bought.
The vending machines contain a computer that checks the price of gold every 10 minutes in order to keep in time with fluctuating prices.
If you don’t fancy carrying around bars of gold in your pocket though, you could always select a tablet, laptop or camera from one of the vending machines in Times Square Centre Mall instead.
Dubai is a city of contrasts; it enjoys temperatures of over 40 degrees centigrade in summer but has the world’s largest indoor ski slopes located in the Mall of the Emirates. The Old Town is home to traditional souks nestled in winding alleyways, while modern, glittering hotels skim the coast line.
It’s evolution from primitive fishing port to global hub has been nothing less than revolutionary – it is definitely worth a visit!
