MTC arrow United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates PDF Print E-mail
Article Index
United Arab Emirates
Page 2
Page 1 of 2

AreaDubai

77,700 sq km (30,000 sq miles).

Population

4.4 million (UN, 2007).

Population Density

57 per sq km.

Capital

Abu Dhabi. Population: 1.5 million (2008 figure for entire emirate).

Government

Federation of seven autonomous Emirates. The highest federal authority is the Supreme Council of Rulers comprising the absolute rulers of the seven emirates. Decisions reached by the council must have the agreement of at least five members, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the two largest members. The council appoints a president to act as head of state. There are no political parties.

The Emirates are bordered to the north by the Gulf and the Musandam Peninsula, to the east by Oman, to the south and west by Saudi Arabia and to the northwest by Qatar. They comprise a federation of seven small former sheikhdoms. Abu Dhabi is the largest emirate, and the remainder (Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Qaiwain) are known collectively as the Northern States. The land is mountainous and mostly desert. 

Abu Dhabi is flat and sandy, and within its boundaries is the Buraimi Oasis. Dubai has a 16km (10-mile) deep-water creek, giving it the popular name of ‘Pearl of the Gulf’. Sharjah has a deep-water port on the Batinah coast at Khor Fakkan, facing the Indian Ocean. Ras al-Khaimah is the fourth emirate in size. Fujairah, one of the three smaller sheikhdoms on the Batinah coast, has agricultural potential, while Ajman and Umm al-Qaiwain were once small coastal fishing villages.

Language

Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken and used as a second language in commerce.

Religion

Mostly Muslim, of which 16% are Shiite and the remainder Sunni.

Time

GMT + 4.

Social Conventions

Muslim religious laws should be observed. Women are expected to dress modestly and men should dress formally for most occasions. Alcohol is tolerated, with non-Muslims allowed to drink alcohol in the city’s bars, restaurants, clubs and hotels. Smoking is banned in public places. Under 20s are not allowed to buy cigarettes and are barred from designated smoking areas. It is illegal to eat, drink or smoke in public during Ramadan.

Electricity

220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs are widespread.

Head of Government

Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum since 2006.

Head of State

President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan since 2004.

Recent History

Following the sudden death of Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who had been prime minister and Emir of Dubai since 1990, Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, his brother, succeeded him in January 2006. Sheikh Mohammed had been the UAE Defence Minister since 1971 and heir apparent to the throne of Dubai since 1995. People of the United Arab Emirates voted for the first time in December 2006 to choose half of the country’s Federal National Council. However, only around 7,000 people (less than 1% of Emirati citizens) were eligible to vote.

Dubai - An Oasis for Investment
Said to combine the very best of London, Las Vegas, Miami and Sydney...and then some, Dubai epitomises the potential of worldwide property investment and is synonymous with luxury, quality and innovation.

Although A-List celebrities have been quick off the mark to snap up palatial villas on The Palm or, in the case of The World, even an entire island, you'd be wrong to think you need to be in the super tax bracket to invest in Dubai, where prices are much more affordable than you may ever have believed possible.

One of the seven members of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai is located on the southern shore of the Gulf Coast, and at 3,885 square kilometres is the second largest after Abu Dhabi. The UAE is a member of the UN, IMF, OPEC and the World Trade Organisation.

Within the space of just 30 years, Dubai has grown from a small fishing settlement to a pre-eminent commercial, trading and tourism hub with a population in excess of 1.3 million - a number which is predicted to reach 4 million by 2015 - while it is also expected to welcome 15 million holiday-makers per year by 2010.

With an average maximum daytime temperature ranging from 24ºC in January to 41ºC in July, the region basks in sunshine making it a leading year-round holiday destination for visitors from around the world.


Previous - Next »