Updated: October 13, 2024

DUBAI is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the country’s seven emirates

Dubai has the second-most five-star hotels in the world and the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, which is 828 metres (2717 ft) tall

DUBAI AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)
On 2 December 1971 – Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain and Fujairah joined in the Act of Union to form the United Arab Emirates

The seventh emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, joined the UAE on 10 February 1972, following Iran’s annexation of the RAK-claimed Tunbs islands

In 1973-Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a uniform currency: the UAE Dirham

Dubai is situated on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates and is roughly at sea level (16 m or 52 ft above)

Dubai lies directly within the Arabian Desert

Dubai does have a natural inlet, Dubai Creek

DUBAI-THE RULER OF DUBAI AND GOVERNMENT
Dubai has been ruled by the Al Maktoum family since 1833; the emirate is an absolute monarchy

Dubai citizens participate in the electoral college to vote representatives to the Federal National Council of the ‘UAE’

The ruler, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is also the vice-president and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and member of the Supreme Council of the Union (SCU)

Dubai appoints 8 members in two-term periods to the Federal National Council (FNC) of the UAE, the supreme federal legislative body

The Dubai Municipality (DM) was established by the then ruler of Dubai, Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, in 1954 for purposes of city planning, citizen services and upkeep of local facilities

Article 7 of the UAE’s Provisional Constitution declares Islam the official state religion of the UAE

DUBAI-AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE
Dubai is one of the world’s fastest growing economies and leads in many oil and non-oil sectors like Finance, Tourism, Internet, IT, Telecom and entertainment among many others like shipping, logistics, Airline, Aviation hub

Dubai’s Jebel Ali port, constructed in the 1970s, has the largest human-made harbour in the world

Dubai Internet City, combined with Dubai Media City as part of TECOM (Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority), is one such enclave

DUBAI-THE CITY OF GOLD
Dubai has a free trade in gold. Dubai is also known as the City of Gold because a major part of the economy is based on gold trades. Dubai is also referred to as “the City of Gold” as the Gold Souk in Deira houses nearly 250 gold retail shops

DUBAI-AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CENTRE (IFC)
The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) was established in March 2000 as a secondary market for trading securities and bonds, both local and foreign. The other Dubai-based stock exchange is NASDAQ Dubai, which is the international stock exchange in the Middle East

TOURISM
Tourism is an important part of the Dubai government’s strategy to maintain the flow of foreign cash into the emirate

Dubai’s lure for tourists is based mainly on shopping but also on its possession of other ancient and modern attractions

A great tourist attraction in Dubai is the Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world

Dubai has been called the “shopping capital of the Middle East”

Dubai alone has more than 70 shopping centres, including the world’s second largest shopping centre, The Dubai Mall

Dubai is also known for the historical souk districts located on either side of its creek

Traditionally, dhows from East Asia, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargo and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks

PARKS
Dubai has a wide range of parks like Safa Park, Mushrif Park, and Hamriya Park

BEACHES
Some of the most popular beaches in Dubai are Umm Suqeim Beach, Al Mamzar Beach Park, JBR Open Beach, Kite Beach, Black Palace Beach and Royal Island Beach Club

ARCHITECTURES STYLES
Dubai has a rich collection of buildings and structures of various architectural styles

Dubai now has more completed or topped-out skyscrapers higher than 2⁄3 km (2200 ft), 1⁄3 km (1100 ft), or 1⁄4 km (820 ft) than any other city

The Burj Khalifa’s design is derived from the patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture, with the triple-lobed footprint of the building based on an abstracted version of the desert flower hymenocallis which is native to the Dubai region

The Palm Jumeirah is an artificial archipelago, created using land reclamation by Nakheel, a company owned by the Dubai government

Dubai Marina is an artificial canal city, built along a 3-kilometre (2 mi) stretch of Persian Gulf shoreline

Dubai International Airport (IATA: DXB), the hub for the Emirates airline, serves the city of Dubai and other emirates in the country
Emirates is the national airline of Dubai

Dubai Metro consists of two lines (Red line and Green line)
DUBAI MONORAIL connects Palm Jumeirah to the mainland
DUBAI TRAMWAY