Once a huddle of buildings clustered around a salt inlet, Dubai is one of the world’s fastest growing economies - “Dubai has a sub-tropical climate – blue skies and high temperatures can be expected all year round”
FACT FILE
AREA 3,885km2
POPULATION 1.1 million
LIFE EXPECTANCY 75 years
LITERACY 78%
GDP PER CAPITA US$23,300
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 0%
CURRENCY Emirati Dirham (Dh)
LANGUAGES Arab, English, Persian, Hindi, Urdu
Int the past 30 years, Dubai has become synonymous with great city living. Once, camels laden with goods and gerry-can-trussed Landrovers filled the narrow, sandy streets. But now, Porsches and Landcruisers swish between five-star resorts. Every kind of entertainment and convenience is on your doorstep, and year-round sunshine and white sand beaches draw people from all over the world. Dubai is the world’s fastest growing commercial and leisure centre, offering a very high quality of life and the chance to be part of the city’s stunning commercial success. Politics and economy Dubai is one of the United Arab Emirates’ seven separate domains. It has managed to maintain its independence from the Federal Government, and power currently rests with the city’s ruling family the Al-Maktoums.The current ruler is Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who is also Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE. His brother, Sheikh Mohammed, is the Crown Prince of Dubai.There are no political parties or elections in Dubai and, although the UAE has a federal government, each emirate is presided over by a ruler with absolute sovereignty. Stability and growth are assured in Dubai. The economy has grown by an annual average of 8.6 per cent during the last eight years, and this is expected to continue for the next five years. Dubai’s wealth was initially founded on limited oil deposits but, when it was realised that these
would run out, Dubai’s founder, Sheikh Rashid, decided that diversification was the key to success. Despite opposition, he built the Jebel Ali port and Free Zone to help develop regional transshipment routes and increase foreign investment. It was a roaring success.
Climate
Dubai has a sub-tropical and arid climate, and sunny blue skies and high temperatures can be expected throughout most of the year. Rainfall is infrequent and irregular, occurring mainly from November to March.Temperatures range from a low of about 10°C in winter, to a high of 48°C in summer. During the winter, there are occasional sand storms when the sand is whipped up off the desert.The wind is known as the Shamal.The most pleasant time to visit is in the cooler winter months because summer humidity can approach 100 percent.This can be less of a problem than it might appear because all hotels and public buildings are air-conditioned.
Education
Dubai has a modern network of 85 private schools offering education to the curriculum requirements of the UK as well as the USA, Italy and Japan.The American School of Dubai is a prime example of the quality of education in the country. It caters for children of all ages, and is well-located, safe, and has excellent facilities and staff. Many families with young children have a live-in nanny. Wages are lower than in the USA or Europe, and most villas are built with separate maid’s quarters. Nannies are vetted and made available by several
reputable agencies. Cleaning maids and day care are also readily available, and children can go to nursery from two years of age.
Healthcare
Everybody legally visiting or living in Dubai has free access to emergency medical care. Other medical services were free until recently, and costs for standard medical procedures remain heavily subsidised. All expats living in Dubai are provided with an official medical card, and many have private medical cover – often provided by companies as part of their employment package. There are several top-class private hospitals such as Welcare and American Hospital, which are internationally recognised.
Food and drink
There are more than 450 licensed restaurants in Dubai, and the quality of the current array blows the mind.There are quite literally thousands of different places to choose from – Lebanese eateries compete with Chinese take-aways and brilliant Indian curry houses.A wander through the Bur Dubai or Deira areas reveals a cornucopia of different foods and dining themes.There is something to suit every taste while eating out in Dubai, at any time of day or night.The most common Middle Eastern food you will see is Lebanese, although Syrian and Persian food can also be found. Bear in mind that Muslims don’t eat pork and, although Dubai is a city of religious tolerance, you need a special dispensation to bring pork into the city. Alcohol is available but very expensive, and it can only be served in restaurants and bars that are attached to hotels.
Expat population
There are at least 50,000 Britons living in Dubai, and the number is growing by the day.This comes as no surprise because twenty new companies open in the region each week.The UAE’s population topped four million in 2003, with the vast bulk of this influx coming, not from population growth, but expatriates. Dubai has an official population of about 1.1 million (2002), but it is probably larger if you include people working for extended lengths of time without official status. Expats make up approximately 94 per cent of the UAE population, and at least 70 per cent of these are from the subcontinent.
Pets
You can take your pets with you to Dubai, and the process is reasonably simple. Permission is required in the form of a permit from the UAE Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries before the pet travels.To obtain the permit, owners need to submit the pet’s travel itinerary, copies of veterinary health certificates (showing that the animal is free from disease and vaccinated), the sex and colour of the pet and a completed import permit application form (available from the Ministry at UAE Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, PO Box 213,Abu Dhabi, UAE; Tel: 00 971-4-222816).