SENIORNET

Amazing, fun and interesting facts about Dubai

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There’s so much you can say about Dubai. It’s a haven for expats,

a world-class holiday destination, and a playground of the

rich and famous. It’s new, exciting and vibrant – but also quite mysterious.

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• As of 2018, the population of Dubai had just surpassed 3 million. And only around 15% of this population are Emirati!

• Dubai is one of the 7 “Emirates” that come together to make the United Arab Emirates. It’s closest neighbour is Abu Dhabi, which is the capital Emirate and another popular tourist destination. Each Emirate (Dubai, Abu Dhabi etc) has its own king, otherwise known as a Sheikh.

• Arabic is the official language of Dubai, with English being spoken by many as well.

• Dubai’s main airport is Dubai International Airport, which is the main hub airport of major airline Emirates.

• Dubai’s food is delicious, and shawarma is the most popular local dish. It is much like a kebab or souvlaki, with meat, vegetables and dressings wrapped in pita bread.

• Dubai is fast becoming one of the world’s most progressive cities. Its population is growing rapidly, as is its infrastructure. It’s now one of the most popular destinations in the world for a holiday.

• The national animal of the entire United Arab Emirates is the Arabian oryx. It’s kind of like a mid-sized antelope.

• Dubai was founded in 1833, but back then it was just a small fishing settlement. But it was only the 1980’s and 1990’s that saw it revolutionise itself as a world class tourist destination. In 30 years Dubai has gone from a sparse desert city with very little infrastructure to a multicultural and cosmopolitan destination people are flocking to.

• On average, 14 million tourists a year visit Dubai.

• More than half of the population of Dubai is aged between 25-34, so it’s a youthful city that is geared very much towards those in this age bracket. Only 15% of Dubai’s population is over 45!

• The king (or Sheikh) of Dubai and leader of their Royal Family is His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He has played a major hand in building Dubai into the destination it is today.

• The climate of Dubai is hot, humid and subtropical, due to its desert location. In summer, the average temperature is 42 degrees Celsius (108F) during the day. In winter, the average daytime temperature is around 25 degrees celcius (75F).

• Dubai is a major port city, and its waterways are a unique way to see the city.

• Dubai has the longest automated train network in the world. It stretches for 74.6 kilometres and offers modern, comfortable services. It’s a great way to explore the whole region on a budget.

• Foreigners cannot receive permanent residency or citizenship in the United Arab Emirates, even after living there long-term.

• There’s no denying Dubai is mega rich. But how did it get so cashed up? The main earner for Dubai these days is tourism, but before that it was oil, fishing, farming and pearl diving.

• In 1968 there were only 13 cars in Dubai. Today there are millions. Crazy!

• While Dubai is a rapidly growing cosmopolitan city with a booming nightlife scene, it does have strict rules regarding alcohol. Alcohol can only be consumed at licensed premises by non-Muslims 21 and over, is illegal to drink in public spaces and cannot be sold on religious holidays. Being obviously intoxicated or affected by alcohol can mean jail time or deportation, so keep yourself in check!

• Dubai doesn’t have the relaxed attitude that allows smoking almost anywhere that other Asian countries are famous for. Their approach to smoking is much like the rest of the Western world. You can smoke in designated smoking areas, but that’s it.

• If you’re a loved-up couple that’s fine – just avoid showing public displays of affection in public in Dubai. It’s not culturally acceptable in Dubai and penalties can apply. That even goes for holding hands, so keep it minimal.

• Don’t get snap happy in Dubai. Taking photos of government buildings or locals without consent is warned against.

• During the month of Ramadan, be vigilant about following local customs and laws. Keep noise to a minimum (especially music), do not consume food, drink or smoke in public from dawn until dusk. If you are hungry, you can eat at your hotel or in your home no problem. Swearing is also warned against year-round, so no cussing ever.

• It is illegal to bring any prescription or illicit drugs into Dubai. Harsh jail sentences can apply for travelling with things as simple as common antidepressants. Most people even warn against traveling with even the most basic painkillers. If you are reliant on medications like these, Dubai isn’t the best place to plan your next trip to.

• Dubai is actually one of the safest cities in the world. It’s crime rate is next to nothing, mostly due to the harsh penalties that apply for even small offences.

• 25% of all cranes in the world are located in Dubai

• The Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building, and is situated in the heart of Dubai. It stands at 830 metres tall (2722 feet).

• The uber famous Burj al Arab is the world’s only 7 star hotel, and a stay here is luxurious and incredible. But you might want to start saving now. A night at the Burj al Arab starts at around 1000 Euros per night!

• The Burj Al Arab hotel uses enough gold to cover the Mona Lisa painting 46,265 times. The interior of the hotel is decorated with around 1,790 square meters of 24-carat gold leaf.

• Dubai is a destination for the world’s biggest things, and that also includes the world’s biggest shopping mall. The Dubai Mall spans 5.9 million square feet, has over 1200 shops, a full-sized ice skating rink, a luxury hotel and 120 places to eat.

• The Palms Jumeirah Island is the world’s largest man-made island. It’s even visible from space!

• Dubai’s artificial Palm Islands use enough sand to fill 2.5 Empire State buildings.

• Another world record! Dubai’s Miracle Garden is the biggest flower garden in the world, and a top tourist attraction. It spans 780,000 square feet and boasts 50 million flowers and 250 million plants.

• The world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa, is located in Dubai at Ferrari World.

• The ratio of men to women in Dubai is 3 to 1.

• The police in Dubai often drive luxury sports cars like Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s. A step up from your local police no doubt.

• You can use Dubai’s ATMs to withdraw local currency, but you can also withdraw gold bars from many of them.

• You can order gold infused coffee in Dubai. That takes your morning latte to a whole other level.

• It’s cheaper to purchase fuel in Dubai than water.

• The UAE government has a Minister for Happiness, whose focus is – you guessed it – the happiness of residents.

• Did you notice that Dubai has a hell of a lot of “world’s largest” records? So did the renowned Guinness Book of Records. In fact, Dubai is so often breaking world records that the famous record book has set up an office in Dubai just to keep track of them all!

• Move to Dubai for the ultimate incentive to lose weight. For every kilogram lost, the government awards a family 2 grams of gold. They now dole out almost a million dollars in rewards annually.

• Horse racing and camel racing are both big business in Dubai. Camel racing is a historically important event in Arabian culture. But due to the small size required for jockeys, children were being trafficked into the city. The Dubai government put a stop to this by introducing small robots that ride the camels instead.

• Again, Dubai is a rich city, as are many of its residents. One surefire way to know if someone is loaded in Dubai? Take a look at their license plate. The less digits on the plate, the higher the status. For example, the license plate with “1” on it auctioned a decade back for $14 million.

• Many Dubai residents shun the standard dog or cat as a pet in favour of animals of a more exotic nature. Lions and cheetahs are highly sought after, and the more exotic the animal, the higher your social status.

• One of the reasons Dubai is so enticing for foreign workers is the fact that there is no such thing as income tax there.

• Debt of any kind is not tolerated in Dubai. You could find yourself in a debtors prison with your bank accounts frozen and unable to leave the country.

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