Quad biking across Dubai's red dunes is one of the city's most exhilarating outdoor experiences. Because it involves speed, sand, and off-road terrain, reputable operators set clear booking requirements to keep riders safe and compliant. Here's what you should know before you reserve your spot.
Eligibility: age, experience, and licenses
Minimum age: Most Dubai operators require riders to be at least 16 years old to drive a quad bike. Quad Biking Tours Dubai . Morning Quad Biking Dubai Under-16s generally cannot operate a quad. If you're traveling with younger teens or children, ask about dune buggy options where minors can ride as passengers with an adult driver.
Driving license: A driver's license is typically not required for quad biking because tours take place off-road on private or permitted desert terrain.
Skill level: No prior experience is usually necessary, but you must be able to follow instructions and control the vehicle safely during a short training session.
Identification, waivers, and supervision
ID check: Bring a valid photo ID (passport or Emirates ID). Operators may verify age and booking details.
Liability waiver: All riders sign a waiver; an adult must sign on behalf of any participating minor (as a passenger in a buggy, if applicable).
Guide-led tours: Expect to ride in a convoy behind a lead marshal. Independent riding is rarely allowed for safety reasons.
Health and fitness considerations
Restrictions: Quad biking is not advised for pregnant guests or anyone with serious back, neck, heart, or balance issues.
Physical readiness: You should be comfortable handling vibrations, bumps, and shifting sand. If you have a recent injury or medical condition, consult your doctor and inform the operator in advance.
Safety gear and clothing
Provided gear: Operators supply helmets and eye protection; some also offer gloves and knee/elbow protection.
What to wear: Closed-toe shoes, breathable long trousers or sturdy shorts, and a lightweight top with sleeves. A neck buff/scarf and sunglasses help with sand.
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Avoid loose scarves, dangling jewelry, and flowing garments that can snag.
Sun and sand: Bring high-SPF sunscreen, lip balm, and drink plenty of water. Many tours include bottled water.
Weight and height guidance
Dubai Desert Quad Bike Experience
Vehicle limits: ATVs have manufacturer weight and size limits. If you're near the upper range or very tall, confirm suitability with your provider so they can assign an appropriate bike.
Insurance, deposits, and damage
Coverage: Tours generally include basic third-party liability insurance. Damage to the ATV may be the rider's responsibility unless a damage waiver is purchased.
Deposits: Some operators may request a refundable security deposit for certain vehicles; many do not. Clarify this before you book.
The booking process and timing
When to book: Reserve at least 24–72 hours in advance; book earlier for peak season (roughly October to April) and for sunrise/sunset slots.
Duration: Rides commonly range from 30 minutes to 2 hours, often within a wider desert experience (camel rides, sandboarding, camp activities).
Group type: Choose between shared group tours (cost-effective) and private tours (custom pace and photos).
Pick-up, meeting points, and transport
Hotel transfers: Many packages include 4x4 pick-up/drop-off from Dubai city hotels. Picturesque Quad Biking Dubai Pick-ups from Sharjah, Ajman, or private residences may cost extra or be unavailable.
Self-drive: If driving yourself, confirm the exact meeting point (popular areas include Lahbab/Red Dunes and Al Badayer) and arrive early to gear up and complete paperwork.
Payments, pricing, and cancellations
Payment methods: Major cards and AED cash are widely accepted. Confirm currency and any add-on costs (scarves, photos, damage waiver).
Cancellation policies: Free cancellation commonly runs up to 24 hours before the tour; last-minute changes or no-shows may incur fees. Weather-related cancellations are typically rescheduled or refunded.
Weather, seasonality, and special dates
Heat and conditions: Summer midday rides can be extremely hot; sunrise or late-afternoon tours are more comfortable. Sandstorms or poor visibility can trigger postponements for safety.
Ramadan and holidays: Tours operate, but evening camp entertainment or dining options may be adjusted in line with local regulations.
Etiquette and responsible riding
Follow the guide, keep safe distances, and respect speed limits given during the briefing.
Stay on designated routes to protect fragile desert ecosystems, and pack out all litter.
Never ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Quick pre-booking checklist
I meet the minimum age (typically 16+) to ride a quad bike.
I have a valid photo ID and understand I must sign a waiver.
I do not have health conditions that make off-road riding unsafe for me.
I know what clothing to wear and that helmets/goggles are provided.
I've confirmed weight/size suitability, insurance coverage, and any deposit.
I've selected my tour time (ideally sunrise/sunset in hotter months) and transport option.
I've read the cancellation policy and any seasonal notes (e.g., Ramadan adjustments).
With these requirements covered, you can focus on the fun part: carving fresh lines across shimmering dunes and soaking up the desert's vast, golden horizons-safely, confidently, and with everything squared away before you hit the sand.
Dubai[a] is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai.[10] It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million,[6] 92% of whom are expatriates.[11] The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023,[7] while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people.
Founded in the early 18th century as a pearling and fishing settlement, Dubai became a regional trade hub in the 20th century after declaring itself a free port (1901) and extending the Creek (1961).[12] Modest oil revenue helped accelerate Dubai's development from the 1960s to the 1990s, when the city started to diversify its economy.[12] In 2018, oil production contributed less than 1% to the emirate's GDP.[13]
Rapid construction since the 1990s has produced one of the world's densest skylines,[14] including the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Extensive land-reclamation projects have added more than 300 kilometres (190 mi) of artificial coastline. The city has a large real estate market, especially in the luxury segment.[15]
Dubai's economy centres on trade, tourism, aviation, financial services, and real estate.[12][16] The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is one of the world's major financial centres. In 2024, Dubai was the seventh most-visited city globally.[17] Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the world's busiest airport for international passenger traffic, handling over 92 million passengers in 2024.[18]
Etymology
[edit]
Many theories have been proposed about the origin of the word "Dubai". One theory suggests the word used to be the souq in Ba.[19] The linguist Zana Vahidzadeh (Dana Pishdar) holds that the word comes from 'money', a reference to the prosperity of the trading centre or that the word refers to 'two brothers'—Deira and Bur Dubai.[20][21]
The poet and scholar Ahmad Mohammad Obaid traces it to the same word, but to its alternative meaning of "baby locust" (جراد) due to the abundance of locusts in the area before settlement.[22]
History
[edit]
Main article: History of Dubai
For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Dubai.
Bronze and iron alloy dagger, Saruq Al Hadid archaeological site (1100 BC)
The history of human settlement in the area now defined by the United Arab Emirates is complex and extensive. It points to extensive trading links between the civilisations of the Indus Valley and Mesopotamia, and even as far afield as the Levant.[23] Archaeological finds in the emirate of Dubai, particularly at Al-Ashoosh, Al Sufouh, and the notably rich trove from Saruq Al Hadid[24] show settlement through the Ubaid and Hafit periods, the Umm Al Nar and Wadi Suq periods, and the three Iron Ages in the UAE. The area was known to the Sumerians as Magan and was a source of metallic goods, notably copper and bronze.[25]
The area was covered with sand about 5,000 years ago as the coast retreated inland, becoming part of the city's present coastline.[26] Pre-Islamic ceramics have been found from the 3rd and 4th centuries.[27] Before the introduction of Islam to the area, people in this region worshiped Bajir (or Bajar).[27] After the spread of Islam in the region, the Umayyad Caliph of the eastern Islamic world conquered southeast Arabia and drove out the Sassanians. Excavations by the Dubai Museum in the region of Al-Jumayra (Jumeirah) found several artefacts from the Umayyad period.[28]
An early mention of Dubai in 1095 is in the Book of Geography by the Andalusian-Arab geographer Abu Abdullah al-Bakri.[29] The Venetian pearl merchant Gasparo Balbi visited the area in 1580 and mentioned Dubai (as Dibei) for its pearling industry.[28]
Establishment of modern Dubai
[edit]
Al Fahidi fort in the 1950s
Dubai is thought to have been established as a pearling and fishing village in the early 18th century[30] and was, by 1822, a town of some 700–800 members of the Bani Yas tribe and subject to the rule of Sheikh Tahnun bin Shakhbut of Abu Dhabi.[31] In 1822, a British naval surveyor noted that Dubai was at that time populated by a thousand people living in an oval-shaped town surrounded by a mud wall, scattered with goats and camels. The main footpath out of the village led to a reedy creek, while another trailed off into the desert and merged into caravan routes.[32]: 17
In 1833, after tribal feuds, members of the Al Bu Falasah tribe seceded from Abu Dhabi and established themselves in Dubai. The exodus from Abu Dhabi was led by Obeid bin Saeed and Maktoum bin Butti, who became joint leaders of Dubai until Ubaid died in 1836, leaving Maktoum to establish the Maktoum dynasty.[30]
Dubai signed the General Maritime Treaty of 1820 with the British government along with other Trucial States, following the British campaign in 1819 against Ras Al Khaimah. This led to the 1853 Perpetual Maritime Truce. Dubai also—like its neighbours on the Trucial Coast—entered into an exclusivity agreement in which the United Kingdom took responsibility for the emirate's security in 1892.
Al Fahidi Fort houses the Dubai Museum.
In 1841, a smallpox epidemic broke out in Bur Dubai, forcing residents to relocate east to Deira.[33] In 1896, fire broke out in Dubai, a disastrous occurrence in a town where many family homes were still constructed from barasti (palm fronds). The conflagration consumed half of Bur Dubai's houses, while the Deira district was said to have been destroyed. The next year, more fires broke out. An enslaved woman was caught in the act of starting one such blaze and was put to death.[34]
A watchtower in Bur Dubai, c. 19th century
In 1901, Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum established Dubai as a free port with no taxation on imports or exports, and also gave merchants parcels of land and guarantees of protection and tolerance. These policies led merchants not only to move directly from Lingeh, but also from those who had settled in Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah (which had historical links with Lingeh through the Al Qawasim tribe) to Dubai.[35] An indicator of the growing importance of the port of Dubai is the movements of the steamer of the Bombay and Persia Steam Navigation Company, which from 1899 to 1901 paid five visits annually to Dubai. In 1902, the company's vessels made 21 visits to Dubai, and from 1904 on,[36] the steamers called fortnightly, trading 70,000 tons of cargo in 1906.[37] The frequency of these vessels only accelerated Dubai's role as an emerging port and trading hub of preference. Lorimer notes the transfer from Lingeh "bids fair to become complete and permanent",[38] and also that the town had by 1906 supplanted Lingeh as the chief entrepôt of the Trucial States.[39]
The "great storm" of 1908 struck the pearling boats of Dubai and the coastal emirates towards the end of the pearling season that year, resulting in the loss of a dozen boats and over 100 men. The disaster was a major setback for Dubai, with many families losing their breadwinners and merchants facing financial ruin. These losses came at a time when the tribes of the interior were also experiencing poverty. In a letter to the Sultan of Muscat in 1911, Butti laments, "Misery and poverty are raging among them, with the result that they are struggling, looting and killing among themselves."[40]
In 1910, in the Hyacinth incident, the town was bombarded by HMS Hyacinth, with 37 people killed.
Pre-oil Dubai
[edit]
As well as expanding its regional trade links, Dubai was also an important regional centre for the collection, sale, and trade of pearls. The collapse of the pearling industry[when?] plunged the city into a deep depression, and many residents lived in poverty or migrated to other parts of the Persian Gulf.[26]
In 1937, an oil exploration contract was signed, guaranteeing royalty rights for Dubai and concessionary payments to Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum. But due to World War II, oil was not struck until 1966.[32]: 36–37
In its early days, Dubai was constantly at odds with Abu Dhabi. In 1947, a border dispute between Dubai and Abu Dhabi on the northern sector of their border escalated into war.[41] Arbitration by the British government resulted in a cessation of hostilities.[42]
The Al Ras district in Deira and Dubai Creek in the mid 1960s
Despite a lack of oil, Dubai's ruler from 1958, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, used revenue from trading activities to build infrastructure, initially through loans raised from local merchants and the ruler of Kuwait. Private companies were established to build and operate infrastructure, including electricity, telephone services, and both the ports and airport operators.[43] An airport of sorts (a runway built on salt flats) was established in Dubai in the 1950s and in 1959, the emirate's first hotel, the Airlines Hotel, was constructed. This was followed by the Ambassador and Carlton Hotels in 1968.[44]
Throughout the late 1950s, the British had urged Sheikh Rashid to agree to the creation of a town plan to manage an already burgeoning real estate market. In 1959, through the correspondence of the British political agent, Sheikh Rashid invited architect John Harris to Dubai to discuss the parameters of a town plan. In May 1960, Harris returned to Dubai with the plan. Harris, who ran his own architectural practice, had a matter of weeks to create the plan upon receiving aerial photography of the city that spring. No later than 1961, the British engineering firm Halcrow was marking the city's street system as shown on the plan and hardening designated routes with asphalt. The plan continued to function as a guide for further extensions of Dubai's street system as municipal funding became available. Harris's plan made minimal suggestions to disrupt the commercial and social lives in the existing areas of Bur Dubai and Deira. Therefore, new development was proposed outside these areas, further inland from the Gulf. While the town plan of 1960 envisioned a very low-rise city, which was not realised, its proposed road system was largely executed as planned. Harris's firm acted independently of Halcrow, but the plan's accurate representation of ongoing land reclamation and the future Maktoum Bridge, which had not yet been proposed to the municipality, suggests that the two firms kept an open line of communication. The master plan's road system also served as a guide for the municipality in designating utility easements, as these became increasingly necessary.[45][46]
In 1959, Dubai's first telephone company was established, 51% owned by IAL (International Aeradio Ltd) and 49% by Sheikh Rashid and local business people. In 1961, both the electricity and telephone companies rolled out operational networks.[47] The water company (Rashid was chairman and majority shareholder) constructed a pipeline from wells at Awir and a series of storage tanks and, by 1968, Dubai had a reliable supply of piped water.[47] The same year, a sand tax was briefly imposed by Rashid in an effort to boost trade by monetising the Emirate's most abundant resource. The tax was lifted after 11 days, making it the shortest-lived tax in the region's history.[48][49]
On 7 April 1961, the Dubai-based MV Dara, a five-thousand-ton British-flagged vessel that plied the route between Basra (Iraq), Kuwait, and Bombay (Mumbai, India), was caught in unusually high winds off Dubai. Early the next morning, in heavy seas off Umm al-Quwain, an explosion tore out the second-class cabins and started fires. The captain gave the order to abandon ship, but two lifeboats capsized, and a second explosion occurred. A flotilla of small boats from Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, and Umm al-Quwain picked up survivors, but 238 of the 819 persons on board were lost in the disaster.[50]
Construction of Dubai's first airport began on the northern edge of the town in 1959, and the terminal building opened for business in September 1960. The airport was initially serviced by Gulf Aviation (flying Dakotas, Herons, and Viscounts) but Iran Air commenced services to Shiraz in 1961.[47]
In 1962, the British Political Agent noted that "Many new houses and blocks of offices and flats are being built... the Ruler is determined, against advice [from the British authorities] to press on with the construction of a jet airport... More and more European and Arab firms are opening up, and the future looks bright."[44]
In 1962, with expenditure on infrastructure projects already approaching levels some thought imprudent, Sheikh Rashid approached his brother-in-law, the Ruler of Qatar, for a loan to build the first bridge crossing Dubai Creek. This crossing was completed in May 1963 and was paid for by a toll levied on traffic from the Dubai side of the creek to Deira.[43]
BOAC was initially reluctant to launch regular flights between Bombay and Dubai, fearing insufficient demand for seats. However, by the time the asphalt runway of Dubai Airport was constructed in 1965, opening Dubai to both regional and long-haul traffic, several foreign airlines were competing for landing rights.[43] In 1970, a new airport terminal building was constructed, which included Dubai's first duty-free shops.[51]
Throughout the 1960s, Dubai was the centre of a lively gold trade, with 1968 imports of gold at some £56 million. This gold was, in the vast majority, re-exported – mainly to customers who took delivery in international waters off India. The import of gold to India had been banned, and so the trade was characterised as smuggling. However, Dubai's merchants were quick to point out that they were making legal deliveries of gold and that it was up to the customer where they took it.[52]
In 1966, more gold was shipped from London to Dubai than from almost anywhere else in the world (only France and Switzerland shipped more), totaling 4 million ounces. Dubai also took delivery of over $15 million worth of watches and over 5 million ounces of silver. The 1967 price of gold was $35 an ounce, but its market price in India was $68 an ounce – a healthy markup. Estimates at the time put the volume of gold imports from Dubai to India at around 75% of the total market.[53]
Oil era
[edit]
View of Business Bay
After years of exploration following large finds in neighbouring Abu Dhabi, oil was eventually discovered in territorial waters off Dubai in 1966, albeit in far smaller quantities. The first field was named "Fateh" or "good fortune". This led to an acceleration of Sheikh Rashid's infrastructure development plans and a construction boom that brought a massive influx of foreign workers, mainly Asians and Middle Easterners. Between 1968 and 1975, the city's population grew by over 300%.[54]
As part of the infrastructure for pumping and transporting oil from the Fateh field, located offshore of the Jebel Ali area of Dubai, two 500,000-gallon storage tanks were built, known locally as "Kazzans",[55] by welding them together on the beach and then digging them out and floating them to drop onto the seabed at the Fateh field. These were constructed by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, which gave the beach its local name (Chicago Beach), which was transferred to the Chicago Beach Hotel, which was demolished and replaced by the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in the late 1990s. The Kazzans were an innovative oil storage solution which meant supertankers could moor offshore even in bad weather and avoided the need to pipe oil onshore from Fateh, which is some 60 miles out to sea.[56]
Dubai had already embarked on a period of infrastructural development and expansion. Oil revenue, flowing from 1969 onwards, supported a period of growth, with Sheikh Rashid embarking on a policy of building infrastructure and a diversified trading economy before the emirate's limited reserves were depleted. Oil accounted for 24% of GDP in 1990 but had fallen to 7% of GDP by 2004.[57]
Critically, one of the first major projects Sheikh Rashid embarked upon when oil revenue began to flow was the construction of Port Rashid, a deep-water free port built by the British company Halcrow. Originally intended to be a four-berth port, it was extended to sixteen berths during construction.[58] The project was an outstanding success, with shipping queuing to access the new facilities. The port was inaugurated on 5 October 1972, although its berths were put to use as soon as they were built. Port Rashid was to be expanded in 1975 by 35 berths before the larger Jebel Ali port was constructed.[57]
Port Rashid was the first of a swath of projects designed to create a modern trading infrastructure, including roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals.[59]
Reaching the UAE's Act of Union
[edit]
Adi Bitar in a meeting with Sheiks Rashid Al Maktoum, Mohammad Al Maktoum, and Maktoum Al Maktoum in Dubai, 1968
Dubai and the other "Trucial States" had long been a British protectorate where the British government took care of foreign policy and defence, as well as arbitrating between the rulers of the Eastern Gulf, the result of a treaty signed in 1892 named the "Exclusive Agreement". This was to change with Prime Minister Harold Wilson's announcement, on 16 January 1968, that all British troops were to be withdrawn from "East of Aden". The decision was to pitch the coastal emirates, together with Qatar and Bahrain, into fevered negotiations to fill the political vacuum left by the British withdrawal.[60]
The principle of union was first agreed upon between the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and Sheikh Rashid of Dubai on 18 February 1968, at a meeting in an encampment at Argoub Al Sedirah, near Al Semeih, a desert stop between the two emirates.[61] The two agreed to work towards bringing the other emirates, including Qatar and Bahrain, into the union. Over the next two years, negotiations and meetings of the rulers followed—often stormy—as a form of union was thrashed out. The nine-state union never recovered from the October 1969 meeting, when British intervention against aggressive actions by two of the Emirates prompted walkouts by Bahrain and Qatar. They dropped out of talks, leaving six of the seven "trucial" emirates to agree on a union on 18 July 1971.[62]
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.[63]
In 1973, Dubai, along with the other emirates, adopted a uniform currency: the UAE dirham.[64] In that same year, the prior monetary union with Qatar was dissolved, and the UAE dirham was introduced throughout the Emirates.[65]
Modern Dubai
[edit]
Dubai Palm Jumeirah and Marina in 2011
Throughout the 1970s, Dubai experienced continued growth fuelled by oil and trade revenues, even as the city witnessed an influx of immigrants fleeing the Lebanese civil war.[66] Border disputes between the emirates persisted even after the formation of the UAE; it was only in 1979 that a formal compromise was reached, putting an end to disagreements.[67] In 1979, the establishment of the Jebel Ali port, a deep-water port accommodating larger ships, marked a significant development. Initially facing challenges, Sheikh Mohammed established JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone) around the port in 1985, facilitating the unrestricted import of labour and the export of capital for foreign companies.[68] Simultaneously, Dubai airport and the aviation industry continued their expansion.
The Gulf War in early 1991 had a negative financial impact on the city, with depositors and traders withdrawing money and trade. But Dubai rebounded in a changing political climate and prospered. In the late 1990s, various foreign trading communities—initially from Kuwait during the Gulf War and later from Bahrain amid the Shia unrest—relocated to Dubai.[69] Dubai served as a refuelling base for allied forces at the Jebel Ali Free Zone during the Gulf War and again during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Subsequent significant increases in oil prices prompted Dubai to maintain its focus on free trade and tourism.[70]
In the early 2000s, construction of artificial islands on the coast of Dubai, known as the Palm Islands and The World Islands, began.[71] The Burj Khalifa opened in Dubai in 2010, surpassing the Taipei 101 to become the tallest skyscraper in the world.[72]
Dubai's smart city initiatives, including smart tourism, play a key role in advancing the city's growth ambitions, primarily through the Smart Dubai project.[73] In 2016, the world's first functioning 3D-printed office building was opened in Dubai,[74] having taken 17 days to build.[74] Its architect, Killa Design, was the same architect that designed the Museum of the Future.[75] The construction of Dubai Frame, a 150-meter marvel, commenced in 2014, and was completed in 2017.[76]
Geography
[edit]
Main article: Geography of Dubai
See also: List of communities in Dubai
This time-lapse video shows the rate of Dubai's growth at one frame per year from 2000 through 2011. In the false-colour satellite images making up the video, the bare desert is tan, plant-covered land is red, water is black, and urban areas are silver.Dune bashing in one of the deserts of DubaiDubai by Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite in false-colour in 2024
Dubai is on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates and roughly at sea level (16 m or 52 ft above). The emirate of Dubai borders Abu Dhabi to the south, Sharjah to the northeast, and the Sultanate of Oman to the southeast. Hatta, a minor exclave of the emirate, is surrounded on three sides by Oman and by the emirates of Ajman (in the west) and Ras Al Khaimah (in the north). The Persian Gulf borders the western coast of the emirate. Dubai is positioned at
25°16′11″N55°18′34″E / 25.2697°N 55.3095°E / 25.2697; 55.3095 and has an area of 1,588 sq mi (4,110 km2), a significant expansion beyond its initial 1,500 sq mi (3,900 km2) designation due to land reclamation from the sea.[77][78]
Dubai lies directly in the Arabian Desert. Still, its topography is significantly different from that of the southern portion of the UAE, with much of Dubai's landscape highlighted by sandy desert patterns. In contrast, gravel deserts dominate much of the country's south.[79] The sand consists mostly of crushed shells and coral and is fine, clean, and white. East of the city, the salt-crusted coastal plains, known as sabkha, give way to a north–south running line of dunes. Farther east, the dunes grow larger and are tinged red with iron oxide.[54]
The flat sandy desert gives way to the Western Hajar Mountains, which run alongside Dubai's border with Oman at Hatta. The Western Hajar chain has an arid, jagged, and shattered landscape, whose mountains rise to about 1,300 metres (4,265 feet) in some places. Dubai has no natural rivers or oases, but it does have a natural inlet, Dubai Creek, which has been dredged to allow large vessels to pass. Dubai also has multiple gorges and waterholes dotting the base of the Western Al Hajar mountains. A vast sea of dunes covers much of southern Dubai and leads into the desert known as The Empty Quarter. Seismically, Dubai is in a very stable zone—the nearest seismic fault line, the Zagros Fault, is 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the UAE and unlikely to affect Dubai.[80] Experts also say the probability of a tsunami in the region is minimal because the Persian Gulf waters are not deep enough to trigger one.[80]
The sandy desert surrounding the city supports wild grasses and occasional date palms. Desert hyacinths grow in the sabkha plains east of the city. In contrast, acacia and ghaf trees grow in the flat plains within the proximity of the Western Al Hajar mountains. Several Indigenous trees, such as the date palm and neem, as well as imported trees, such as the eucalyptus and jacaranda, grow in Dubai's natural parks. The MacQueen's bustard, striped hyena, caracal, desert fox, falcon, and Arabian oryx are common in Dubai's desert. Dubai is on the migration path between Europe, Asia, and Africa, and more than 320 migratory bird species pass through it in spring and autumn. The waters of Dubai are home to more than 300 species of fish, including the hammour. Marine life off the coast of Dubai includes tropical fish, jellyfish, coral, dugong, dolphins, whales, and sharks. Various types of turtles are also found in the area, including the hawksbill turtle and green turtle, which are listed as endangered species.[81][82]
Climate
[edit]
Main article: Climate of Dubai
Dubai features a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh). Summers are extremely hot, prolonged, windy, and humid, with an average high around 40 °C (104 °F) and overnight lows around 30 °C (86 °F) in the hottest month, August. Most days are sunny throughout the year. Winters are mild to warm, with an average high of 24 °C (75 °F) and overnight lows of 14 °C (57 °F) in January, the coolest month.
Dubai summers are also known for very high humidity, which can make it very uncomfortable for many, with exceptionally high dewpoints that can exceed 30 °C (86 °F). Heat index values can reach over 60 °C (140 °F) at the height of summer.[83] The highest recorded temperature in Dubai is 49.0 °C (120.2 °F).
Very dry, Dubai's average annual precipitation is 79.2 mm (3.12 in). But precipitation has been increasing in the last few decades, with accumulated rain reaching 110.7 mm (4.36 in) per year.[84] Record-setting flooding inundated Dubai in April 2024, demonstrating a lack of appropriate drainage to deal with the immense challenges precipitated by climate change.[85]
Source 2: UAE National Center of Meteorology,[89] Weather.Directory[90]
Dubai desert
Government
[edit]
Main articles: Al Maktoum, Government of Dubai, Dubai Municipality, and Politics of the United Arab Emirates
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and the Ruler of Dubai
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, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is also the vice-president and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and a member of the Supreme Council of the Union (SCU). Dubai appoints eight members to the Federal National Council (FNC) of the UAE, the supreme federal legislative body, for two-term periods.[91]
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.[92] It has since then evolved into an autonomous subnational authority, collectively known as the Government of Dubai, which is responsible for both the city of Dubai and the greater emirate.[93] The Government of Dubai has over 58 governmental departments responsible for security, economic policy, education, transportation, immigration, and is one of only three emirates to have a separate judicial system independent from the federal judiciary of the UAE.[94] The Ruler of Dubai is the head of government and emir (head of state) and laws, decrees, and court judgments are issued in his name, however, since 2003, executive authority of managing and overseeing Dubai Governmental agencies has been delegated to the Dubai Executive Council, led by the Crown Prince of Dubai Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. Although no legislative assembly exists, the traditional open majlis (council), where citizens and representatives of the Ruler meet, is often used for feedback on certain domestic issues.[95][96]
Demographics
[edit]
Main article: Demographics of Dubai
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1822[33]
1,200
—
1900[97]
10,000
+733.3%
1930[98]
20,000
+100.0%
1940[33]
38,000
+90.0%
1960[99]
40,000
+5.3%
1968[100]
58,971
+47.4%
1975[101]
183,000
+210.3%
1985[102]
370,800
+102.6%
1995[102]
674,000
+81.8%
2005
1,204,000
+78.6%
2010[103]
1,905,476
+58.3%
2015[104]
2,446,675
+28.4%
2019[105]
3,355,900
+37.2%
c-census; e-estimate
Ethnicity and languages
[edit]
See also: Emirati people and Expatriates in the United Arab Emirates
As of September 2019[update], the population is 3,331,420 – an annual increase of 177,020 people, which represents a growth rate of 5.64%.[106] The region covers 1,287.5 square kilometres (497.1 mi2). The population density is 408.18/km2 – more than eight times that of the entire country. Dubai is the second-most-expensive city in the region and the 20th-most-expensive city in the world.[107]
As of 2013[update], only about 15% of the emirate's population was made up of UAE nationals,[108] with the rest comprising expatriates, many of whom either have been in the country for generations or were born in the UAE.[109][110] Approximately 85% of the expatriate population (and 71% of the emirate's total population) was Asian, chiefly Indian (51%) and Pakistani (16%); other significant Asian groups include Bangladeshis (9%) and Filipinos (3%).[111] A quarter of the population (local and foreign) reportedly traces their origins to Iran.[112] In addition, 16% of the population (or 288,000 persons) living in collective labour accommodation were not identified by ethnicity or nationality, but were thought to be primarily Asian.[113] 461,000 Westerners live in the United Arab Emirates, making up 5.1% of its total population.[114][115] There are over 100,000 British expatriates in Dubai, by far the largest group of Western expatriates in the city.[116] The median age in the emirate was about 27 years. In 2014, there were estimated to be 15.54 births and 1.99 deaths per 1,000 people.[117] There are other Arab nationals, including GCC nationals.[citation needed]
Arabic is the national and official language of the UAE. The Gulf dialect of Arabic is spoken natively by most Emiratis; some Emiratis also speak Shihhi Arabic.[118] English is used as a second language. Other major languages spoken in Dubai due to immigration are Malayalam, Sindhi, Gujarati, Urdu, Persian, Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi, Pashto, Bengali, Balochi, Tulu,[119] Kannada, Sinhala, Marathi, Telugu, Tagalog, and Chinese, in addition to many others.[120]
Religion
[edit]
See also: Religion in the United Arab Emirates
Al Salam Mosque in Al Barsha and St. Mary's Catholic Church, Dubai
Article 7 of the UAE's Provisional Constitution declares Islam the official state religion of the UAE. The government subsidises almost 95% of mosques and employs all Imams; approximately 5% of mosques are entirely private, and several large mosques have large private endowments.[121] All mosques in Dubai are managed by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department, also known as "Awqaf", under the Government of Dubai, and all Imams are appointed by the Government.[122] The Constitution of the United Arab Emirates provides for freedom of religion. Expats held to be preaching religious hatred or promoting religious extremism are usually jailed and deported.[123]
Religion in Dubai (2014)[124]
Religion
Percent
Islam
56%
Christian
25%
Hindu
16%
Others
2%
Dubai has large Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Baháʼí, Buddhist, Jain and other religious communities residing in the city, as well as a small but growing Jewish community.[125] In 2014, more than 56% of Dubai residents were Muslims, while 25% of the Dubai residents were Christians and 16% were Hindus. While around 2% of the Dubai residents were adherent of other religions.[124] The Churches Complex in Jebel Ali Village is an area for several churches and temples of different religious denominations, especially Christian denominations.[126] The largest Christian parish in the world is that of St Mary's Catholic Church in Dubai, owing to the large number of migrant workers in the city.[127]
Non-Muslim groups can own their own houses of worship, where they can practice their religion freely, by requesting a land grant and permission to build a compound. Groups that do not have their own buildings may use the facilities of other religious organisations or worship in private homes.[128] Non-Muslim religious groups are also permitted to advertise group functions openly and distribute various religious literature. Catholics are served pastorally by the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia. British preacher Reverend Andrew Thompson claimed that the United Arab Emirates is one of the most tolerant places in the world towards Christians and that it is easier to be a Christian in the UAE than in the UK.[129] On 5 April 2020, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the building of one of their temples in Dubai. As part of the announcement, church President Russell M. Nelson said, "The plan for a temple in Dubai comes in response to their gracious invitation, which we gratefully acknowledge."[130]
Economy
[edit]
Main article: Economy of Dubai
Burj Khalifa and Downtown DubaiDubai Marina
One of the world's fastest-growing economies,[131] Dubai's gross domestic product is projected at over US$177 billion in 2021, with a growth rate of 6.1% in 2014.[132] Although a number of core elements of Dubai's trading infrastructure were built on the back of the oil industry,[133] revenues from oil and natural gas account for less than 5% of the emirate's revenues.[134] It is estimated that Dubai produces 50,000 to 70,000 barrels (7,900 to 11,100 m3) of oil a day[135] and substantial quantities of gas from offshore fields. The emirate's share in the UAE's total gas revenues is about 2%. Dubai's oil reserves have diminished significantly and are expected to be exhausted in 20 years.[136] Real estate and construction (22.6%),[137] trade (16%), entrepôt (15%), and financial services (11%) are the largest contributors to Dubai's economy.[138]
Dubai's non-oil foreign trade stood at $362 billion in 2014. Of the overall trade volumes, imports accounted for the largest share, valued at $230 billion, while exports and re-exports to the emirate stood at $31 billion and $101 billion, respectively.[139]
By 2014, China had emerged as Dubai's largest international trading partner, with total trade of $47.7 billion, up 29% from 2013. India was second among Dubai's key trading partners, with trade totaling $29.7 billion, followed by the United States at $22.62 billion. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was Dubai's fourth-largest trading partner globally and its first in the GCC and the Arab world, with a total trade value of $14.2 billion. Trade with Germany in 2014 totalled $12.3 billion, Switzerland and Japan both at $11.72 billion, and the UK trade totalled $10.9 billion.[139]
Port of Jebel Ali
Historically, Dubai and its twin across Dubai Creek, Deira (then independent of Dubai City), were important ports of call for Western manufacturers. Most of the new city's banking and financial centres were headquartered in the port area. Dubai maintained its importance as a trade route through the 1970s and 1980s. Dubai has a free trade in gold and, until the 1990s, was the hub of a "brisk smuggling trade"[64] of gold ingots to India, where gold import was restricted. Dubai's Jebel Ali port, constructed in the 1970s, has the largest human-made harbour in the world and was ranked seventh globally for the volume of container traffic it supports.[140] Dubai is also a hub for service industries such as information technology and finance, with industry-specific free zones throughout the city.[141] 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, whose members include IT firms such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP Inc., Halliburton, Google, EMC Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Microsoft, Dell, and IBM, and media organisations such as MBC, CNN, BBC, Reuters, Sky News, and AP.[142] Various programmes, resources, and value-added services support the growth of startups in Dubai and help them connect to new business opportunities.[143]
National Bank of Dubai
The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) was established in 2000 as a secondary market for trading securities and bonds, both local and foreign. As of the fourth quarter of 2006, its trading volume stood at about 400 billion shares, valued at $95 billion. The DFM had a market capitalisation of about $87 billion.[113] The other Dubai-based stock exchange is NASDAQ Dubai, the Middle East's international stock exchange. It enables a range of companies, including UAE and regional small and medium-sized enterprises, to trade on an exchange with an international brand name, with access to both regional and international investors.[144]
DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre) was established in 2002. It is the world's fastest-growing free zone and has been nominated as "Global Free Zone of the Year 2016" by The Financial Times Magazine.
Dubai is also known as the City of Gold because a major part of the economy is based on gold trading, with Dubai's total gold trading volumes in H1 2011 reaching 580 tonnes at an average price of US$1,455 per troy ounce.[145]
A City Mayors survey ranked Dubai 44th among the world's best financial cities in 2007,[146] while another report by City Mayors indicated that Dubai was the world's 27th richest city in 2012, in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP).[147] Dubai is also an international financial centre (IFC) and has been ranked 37th within the top 50 global financial cities as surveyed by the MasterCard Worldwide Centres of Commerce Index (2007),[148] and first within the Middle East. Since it opened in September 2004, the Dubai IFC has attracted leading international firms as a regional hub and has established NASDAQ Dubai, which lists equity, derivatives, structured products, Islamic bonds (sukuk), and other bonds. The Dubai IFC model is an independent risk-based regulator with a legislative system consistent with English common law.[149]
In 2012, the Global City Competitiveness Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Dubai at No. 40 with a total score of 55.9. According to its 2013 research report on the future competitiveness of cities, in 2025, Dubai will have moved up to 23rd place overall in the Index.[150] Indians, followed by Britons and Pakistanis are the top foreign investors in Dubai real estate.[151]
Dubai has launched several major projects to support its economy and develop different sectors. These include Dubai Fashion 2020[152] and Dubai Design District,[153] which is expected to become a home to leading local and international designers. The AED 4 billion first phase of the project was completed in 2015.[154]
As of March 2024, Dubai began operating the world's biggest waste-to-energy facility, which will power approximately 135,000 homes.[155]
In July 2024, Dubai signed an agreement to develop a logistics hub for food, fruits, and vegetables, planned to be the largest of its kind in the world. UAE Minister of Finance Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed was present at the signing.[156]
In 2024, the city of Dubai ranked 12 out of 142 cities in the Smart City Index.[157]
Real estate and property
[edit]
Dubai Creek, which separates Deira from Bur Dubai, played a vital role in the economic development of the city.
In September 2019, Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum ordered the establishment of the Higher Committee for Real Estate Planning to study and evaluate future real estate construction projects, in order to achieve a balance between supply and demand,[158] which is seen as a move to curb the pace of construction projects following a decline in property prices.[159]
The government's decision to diversify from a trade-based, oil-reliant economy to one that is service- and tourism-oriented made property more valuable, resulting in property appreciation from 2004 to 2006. A longer-term assessment of Dubai's property market, however, showed depreciation; some properties lost as much as 64% of their value from 2001 to November 2008.[160] The large-scale real estate development projects have led to the construction of some of the tallest skyscrapers and largest projects in the world such as the Emirates Towers, the Burj Khalifa, the Palm Islands, and the most expensive hotel, the Burj Al Arab.[161] Dubai's property market experienced a major downturn in 2008[162] and 2009 as a result of the slowing economic climate.[163] By early 2009, the situation had worsened with the Great Recession taking a heavy toll on property values, construction, and employment.[164] This has had a major impact on property investors in the region, some of whom were unable to release funds from investments made in property developments.[165] As of February 2009[update], Dubai's foreign debt was estimated at $80 billion. However, this is a tiny fraction of the world's sovereign debt.[166]
In Dubai, many of the property owners are residents or genuine investors. However, the 2020 Data from the Centre for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS) exposed that several real estate owners in the city were either facing international sanctions or were involved in criminal activities. Some others were public officials, with little likelihood of purchasing it with their known incomes. The report "Dubai Uncovered" names 100 Russian oligarchs, public officials, and Europeans involved in money laundering. Benefiting from Dubai's lack of proper real estate regulations, several corrupt individuals owned houses away from home, laundered their illicit money, and invested to store their wealth. Names of some of such questionable figures included Daniel Kinahan, Alexander Borodai, Roman Lyabikhov, Tibor Bokor, Ruslan Baisarov, Miroslav Výboh, and others.[167]
For years, Dubai has been labeled as a major hub for laundering illicit cash, primarily through its real estate market. Due to the UAE's lack of proper regulations and extradition treaties with many countries, fugitives found it to be a perfect hideout. The "Dubai Unlocked" investigation by journalists from 75 media outlets, in coordination with OCCRP and E24, revealed how Dubai's real estate market became a haven for criminals, money launderers, drug lords, fugitives, political figures accused of corruption, and sanctioned individuals seeking to hide their money there. The investigation was based on data leaks from 2020 and 2022, primarily from the Dubai Land Department and publicly owned utility companies. The EU Tax Observatory and Norway's Centre for Tax Research estimated that, in 2022, foreign ownership of real estate in Dubai was approximately $160 billion. Until 2022, there was no obligation for real estate agents, brokers, and lawyers in Dubai to report large cash or cryptocurrency transactions to authorities.[168]
Following February 2022, property prices in Dubai increased significantly as wealthy Russians began investing in the UAE's real estate following the Ukraine invasion. Since 2020, property prices in Dubai have increased by 124%. Meanwhile, the EU Tax Observatory and Norway's Centre for Tax Research revealed that Russians invested around $6.3 billion in Dubai's existing and in-development properties since 2022. The increase in property prices pushed out the British expatriates, and forced them to look for property outside Dubai in cities like Ras Al Khaimah.[169]
Despite rising property prices, real estate transactions in Dubai are at an all-time high, with 180,987 transactions worth AED 522.5bn in 2024. This marks a 36.5% increase in transaction volume since 2023.[170]
Tourism and retail
[edit]
See also: Tourism in Dubai and List of tourist attractions in Dubai
Hotel Atlantis in DubaiAin Dubai
Tourism is an essential part of the Dubai government's strategy to maintain the flow of foreign cash. Dubai's lure for tourists is based mainly on shopping,[171][172] but also on its ancient and modern attractions.[173] As of 2018, Dubai is the fourth-most-visited city in the world based on the number of international visitors and the fastest growing, increasing at a 10.7% rate.[174] The city hosted 14.9 million overnight visitors in 2016 and was expected to reach 20 million tourists by 2020.[175] A great tourist attraction in Dubai is the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, although Jeddah Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is aiming to be taller.
The Dubai Mall AquariumThe Dubai Fountain in Burj Khalifa lake, Downtown Dubai
Dubai has been called the "shopping capital of the Middle East".[176] Dubai alone has more than 70 shopping centres, including the world's second-largest shopping centre, The Dubai Mall. As of June 2024, the Emirate real estate developer Emaar Properties announced plans to expand the 12-million-square-foot mall for 1.5 billion dirhams ($408 million), adding 240 luxury stores, along with new food outlets.[177] Dubai is also known for the historical souk districts on either side of its creek. Traditionally, dhows from East Asia, China, Sri Lanka, and India discharged their cargo, and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks. Dubai Creek played a vital role in sustaining the city's community life and was the resource that originally drove Dubai's economic boom.[178] As of September 2013[update], Dubai Creek has been proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[179] Many boutiques and jeweler stores are in the city. Dubai is also known as "the City of Gold", as the Gold Souk in Deira houses nearly 250 gold retail shops.[180]
View of the Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab
Dubai Creek Park in Dubai Creek also plays a vital role in Dubai tourism as it showcases some of the most famous tourist attractions in Dubai such as the Dolphinarium, Cable Car, Camel Ride, Horse Carriage, and Exotic Birds Shows.[181]
Dubai has a wide range of parks like Safa Park, Mushrif Park, and Hamriya Park. Each is uniquely distinctive. Mushrif Park showcases different houses from around the world. A visitor can view the architectural features of both the exterior and interior of each home.
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. Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index 2019 found that tourists spend more in Dubai than in any other city. In 2018, the country topped the list for the fourth year in a row with a total spend of $30.82 billion. The average daily spend was $553.[182]
In 2019, Dubai loosened its liquor laws, allowing tourists to purchase alcohol from state-controlled stores. Previously, alcohol was accessible only to locals with special licences. The policy shift came as the United Arab Emirates witnessed a severe economic crisis that led to a drop in alcohol sales by volume.[183]
In 2021, the UAE was ranked among the 20 most dangerous places for LGBTQ tourists to visit.[184] In 2022, several LGBTQ tourists who travelled to Dubai were deported. In March 2022, Thai transgender model Rachaya Noppakaroon visited Dubai to perform at the Expo 2020, but was sent back because her passport gave her sex as male.[185] In another case, a French influencer on TikTok and Snapchat, Ibrahim Godin, was sent back from Dubai because the authorities assumed his male friend travelling with him was his boyfriend. Ibrahim filed a complaint for "public defamation because of sexual orientation", and an investigation was opened by the Vesoul police. He said, "Dubai is not all pretty, all rosy as we see on social networks."[186][187]
Expo 2020
[edit]
See also: Expo 2020
Sign of Expo 2020 Dubai UAE at Dubai International Airport
On 2 November 2011, four cities had their bids for Expo 2020[188] already lodged, with Dubai making a last-minute entry. The delegation from the Bureau International des Expositions, which visited Dubai in February 2013 to examine its readiness for the largest exposition, was impressed by the infrastructure and level of national support. In May 2013, the Dubai Expo 2020 Master Plan was revealed.[189] Dubai won the right to host Expo 2020 on 27 November 2013.[190]
The leading site of Dubai Expo 2020 was planned to be a 438-hectare area (1,083 acres), part of the new Dubai Trade Centre Jebel Ali urban development, located midway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.[191] Moreover, the Expo 2020 also created various social enlistment projects and monetary boons to the city targeting the year 2020, such as initiating the world's largest solar power project.[192]
The Dubai Expo 2020 was scheduled to take place from 20 October 2020 until 10 April 2021 for 173 days where there would be 192 country pavilions featuring narratives from every part of the globe, have different thematic districts that would promote learning the wildlife in the forest exhibit too many other experiences.[193]
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the organisers of Expo 2020 postponed the Expo by one year to begin in 2021 (the new dates are 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022).[194][195]
Dubai has targets to build an inclusive, barrier-free, and disability-friendly city, which opened as Expo City Dubai. The city has already introduced changes, including wheelchair-friendly taxis, sloped pavements, and tactile floor indicators at all metro stations for the visually impaired.[196]
Architecture
[edit]
See also: List of tallest buildings in Dubai and Developments in Dubai
Photographic silhouette of the Downtown Dubai's skyline; Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, is visible at the centerInterior of a Dubai Metro stationMuseum of the Future
Dubai has a rich collection of buildings and structures of various architectural styles. Many modern interpretations of Islamic architecture are found here, due to a boom in construction and architectural innovation in the Arab World in general, and in Dubai in particular, supported not only by top Arab or international architectural and engineering design firms such as Al Hashemi and Aedas, but also by top firms of New York and Chicago.[33] As a result of this boom, modern Islamic – and world – architecture has literally been taken to new levels in skyscraper building design and technology. Dubai now has more completed or topped-out skyscrapers higher than
2⁄3 km (2,200 ft),
1⁄3 km (1,100 ft), or
1⁄4 km (820 ft) than any other city. A culmination point was reached in 2010 with the completion of the Burj Khalifa (Khalifa Tower), now by far the world's tallest building at 829.8 m (2,722 ft). 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.[197]
The completion of the Burj Khalifa, following the construction boom that began in the 1980s, accelerated in the 1990s and reached a rapid pace during the 2000s, leaving Dubai with the world's tallest skyline as of 4 January 2010[update].[198][199] At The Top in Burj Khalifa, the world's second highest observatory deck after the Shanghai Tower with an outdoor terrace, is one of Dubai's most popular tourist attractions, with over 1.87 million visitors in 2013.[200]
The Creek Tower had been planned in the 2010s to keep Dubai atop the list of tallest buildings.[201] However, construction was placed on indefinite hold during the coronavirus pandemic. No date has been announced for the project to continue.[202] Dubai is recognised as a "Design City" by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network.
Burj Al Arab
[edit]
Main article: Burj Al Arab
The Burj Al Arab (Arabic: برج العرب, Tower of the Arabs), a luxury hotel, is frequently called "the world's only 7-star", though its management has never made that claim. The term "7-star hotel" was coined by a British journalist to describe their experience of the hotel.[203] A Jumeirah Group spokesperson said: "There's not a lot we can do to stop it. We're not encouraging the use of the term. We've never used it in our advertising."[203] The hotel opened in December 1999.
Burj Khalifa
[edit]
Main article: Burj Khalifa
Dubai Police Agusta A-109K-2 in flight near Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa, known as the Burj Dubai before its inauguration, is a 828 metres (2,717 ft) high[204] skyscraper in Dubai, and the tallest building in the world. The structure of the desert flower inspired the tower Hymenocallis. It was constructed by more than 30 contracting companies worldwide, with workers from 100 nationalities, from 2004 to 2009. It's also an architectural icon, named after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.[205] The building opened on 4 January 2010.[206]
Palm Jumeirah
[edit]
Main article: Palm Jumeirah
The Palm Jumeirah
The Palm Jumeirah is an artificial archipelago, created using land reclamation by Nakheel Properties, a company owned by the Dubai government, and designed and developed by Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock/Architects, Inc. It is one of three planned islands, the Palm Islands, which extend into the Persian Gulf. The Palm Jumeirah is the smallest and the original of the three Palm Islands, and is in the Jumeirah coastal area. It was built from 2001 to 2006.[207]
The World Islands
[edit]
Main article: The World (archipelago)
The World Islands is an archipelago of small artificial islands shaped like a world map in the waters of the Persian Gulf, 4.0 kilometres (2.5 mi) off the coast of Dubai.[208] The World islands are mainly made of sand dredged from Dubai's shallow coastal waters and are one of several artificial island developments in Dubai. The islands' areas vary from 250,000 to 900,000 square feet. The islands are arranged in the shape of a world map, and the archipelago spans about 9 km.[209]
Dubai Miracle Garden
[edit]
Main article: Dubai Miracle Garden
On 14 February 2013, the Dubai Miracle Garden, a 72,000-metre (236,000-foot) flower garden, opened in Dubailand. It is the world's largest flower garden. The garden displays more than 50 million flowers with more than 70 species of flowering plants.[210] The garden uses treated wastewater from the city's municipality and utilises the drip irrigation method for watering the plants. During the summer seasons from late May to September, when the climate can get extremely hot with an average high of about 40 °C (104 °F), the garden stays closed.[211][212]
Aeternitas Tower
[edit]
In January 2024, Dubai announced its intention to build the Aeternitas Tower, which will become the world's tallest residential clock tower at a height of 450 m (1,480 ft). That is four times the height of London's Big Ben. The tallest clock tower to date is Makkah Clock Royal Tower in Mecca. The tower's name, "Aeternitas", comes from the ancient Roman religion; she was the divine personification of eternity. The project is a joint venture between Dubai-based real estate developer London Gate and Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Franck Muller.[213] The tower offers luxury apartments, including 1 to 4-bedroom units, as well as Sky Villas and Sky Mansions, with interiors inspired by Franck Muller's designs.[214]
Dubai Marina
[edit]
Main article: Dubai Marina
Dubai Marina
Dubai Marina is an artificial canal city, built along a 3-kilometre (2 mi) stretch of Persian Gulf shoreline. As of 2018[update], it had a population of 55,052.[215] When the entire development is complete, it will accommodate more than 120,000 people in residential towers and villas.[216] The 50 million square feet area of the Dubai Marina boasts a centrepiece that includes a 3.5-kilometer water canal which is the heart of the development and provides dual access to the sea, making Dubai Marina a foremost sailing destination.[217] It is on Interchange 5 between Jebel Ali Port and the area which hosts Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, and the American University in Dubai. The first phase of this project has been completed. Dubai Marina was inspired by the Concord Pacific Place development along False Creek in Vancouver, BC, Canada.[218] Much marine wildlife (especially whales and sharks) has entered the marina because of its proximity to the open sea.[219]
Address Beach Resort and Address Beach Residences
[edit]
The structure consists of two towers connected at the bottom, with a sky bridge at the top that connects the 63rd through the 77th levels. The sky bridge houses luxury apartments on the world's highest occupiable floor at 294.36 metres.[citation needed] Known as Jumeirah Gate, it opened in December 2020 and is situated along the beach. The towers have the world's highest infinity pool in a building, on the roof, at a height of 293.906 metres.[220]
Transportation
[edit]
Main article: Transportation in Dubai
Transport in Dubai is controlled by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), an agency of the government of Dubai, formed by royal decree in 2005.[221] The public transport network has in the past faced congestion and reliability issues which a large investment programme has addressed, including over AED 70 billion of improvements planned for completion by 2020, when the population of the city is projected to exceed 3.5 million.[222] In 2009, according to Dubai Municipality statistics, there were an estimated 1,021,880 cars in Dubai.[223] In January 2010, the proportion of Dubai residents who use public transport stood at 6%.[224]
Road
[edit]
See also: List of roads in Dubai, Dubai route numbering system, and List of bridges and tunnels in Dubai
Tolerance Bridge of Business BayE 11 Road
Five main routes – E 11 (Sheikh Zayed Road), E 311 (Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road), E 44 (Dubai-Hatta Highway), E 77 (Dubai-Al Habab Road), and E 66 (Oud Metha Road, Dubai-Al Ain Road, or Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan Road)[225] – run through Dubai, connecting the city to other towns and emirates. Additionally, several important intra-city routes, such as D 89 (Al Maktoum Road/Airport Road), D 85 (Baniyas Road), D 75 (Sheikh Rashid Road), D 73 (Al Dhiyafa Road now named as 2 December street), D 94 (Jumeirah Road), and D 92 (Al Khaleej/Al Wasl Road) connect the various localities in the city. The eastern and western sections of the city are connected by Al Maktoum Bridge, Al Garhoud Bridge, Al Shindagha Tunnel, Business Bay Crossing, and Floating Bridge.[226]
The RTA runs the public bus transport system in Dubai. The bus system services 140 routes and transports over 109 million people in 2008. By the end of 2010, there will be 2,100 buses in service across the city.[227] In 2006, the transport authority announced the construction of 500 air-conditioned passenger bus shelters, and planned for 1,000 more across the emirates in a move to encourage the use of public buses.[228]
The RTA licenses all taxi services. Dubai-licensed taxis are easily identifiable by their cream bodywork, with varied roof colours indicating the operator. Dubai Taxi Corporation, a division of the RTA, is the largest operator and operates red-roofed taxis. There are five private operators: Metro Taxis (orange roofs); Network Taxis (yellow roofs); Cars Taxis (blue roofs); Arabia Taxis (green roofs); and City Taxis (purple roofs). In addition, there is a Ladies and Families taxi service (pink roofs) with female drivers, which caters exclusively to women and children. More than 3,000 taxis operate in the emirate, making an average of 192,000 trips daily and carrying about 385,000 people. In 2009, taxi trips exceeded 70 million trips, serving around 140.45 million passengers.[229][230][231]
Air
[edit]
Dubai International Airport is the busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic.[232]
Dubai International Airport (IATA: DXB), the hub for the Emirates airline, serves the city of Dubai and other emirates in the country. The airport is the third-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic and the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic.[233] In addition to being an important passenger traffic hub, the airport is the sixth-busiest cargo airport in world, handling 2.37 million tons of cargo in 2014.[234] Emirates is one of the national flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates.[235] As of 2018[update], it operated internationally, serving over 150 destinations in over 70 countries across six continents.[236]
The development of Al Maktoum International Airport (IATA: DWC) was announced in 2004. The first phase of the airport, featuring one A380-capable runway, 64 remote stands, one cargo terminal with an annual capacity for 250,000 tonnes of cargo, and a passenger terminal building designed to accommodate five million passengers per year, has been opened.[237] When completed, Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International will be the largest airport in the world with five runways, four terminal buildings, and capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tons of cargo.[238][239]
Rail
[edit]
Main articles: Dubai Metro, Palm Jumeirah Monorail, and Dubai Tram
Dubai Metro is the first kind of rail transportation in the UAE, and is the Arabian Peninsula's first urban train network.[240]Dubai Tram is one of the first completely ground-level power supply-based tram networks in the world.[241]
Dubai Metro consists of two lines (Red and Green) that run through the city's financial and residential areas. It was opened in September 2009.[242] UK-based international service company Serco is responsible for operating the metro. The Red Line is the major backbone, with 29 stations (4 underground, 24 elevated, and one at ground level) running from Rashidiya Station to UAE Xchange Station in Jebel Ali. The Green Line, running from the Etisalat Station to the Creek Station, has 20 stations (8 underground, 12 elevated). An extension to the Red Line connecting the EXPO 2020 site opened on 1 June 2021. A Blue and a Purple Line have also been planned. The Dubai Metro is the first urban train network in the Arabian Peninsula.[240] The trains are fully automated and driverless.[243]
A monorail line connecting the Palm Jumeirah to the mainland opened on 30 April 2009.[244] It is the first monorail in the Middle East.[245] An extension to connect to the Red Line of the Dubai Metro is planned.[246]
A tramway located in Al Sufouh runs for 14.5 km (9.0 mi) along Al Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina to the Burj Al Arab and the Mall of the Emirates with two interchanges with the Dubai Metro Red Line. The first section, a 10.6 km (6.6 mi)- long tram line serving 11 stations, was opened in 2014.[247]
Dubai has announced it will complete a link of the UAE high-speed rail system which is planned to link with the whole GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council, also known as Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf), and then possibly Europe.[citation needed] The high-speed rail will support passengers and cargo.[248]
Waterways
[edit]
Abras and dhows are traditional modes of waterway transport.
There are two major commercial ports in Dubai, Port Rashid and Port Jebel Ali. Port Jebel Ali is the world's largest human-made harbour, the biggest port in the Middle East,[249] and the 7th-busiest port in the world.[140] One of the more traditional methods of getting across Bur Dubai to Deira is by abras, small boats that ferry passengers across the Dubai Creek, between abra stations in Bastakiya and Baniyas Road.[250] The Marine Transport Agency has also implemented the Dubai Water Bus System. The water bus is a fully air-conditioned boat service connecting selected destinations across the creek. One can also avail oneself of the tourist water bus facility in Dubai. The latest addition to the water transport system is the Water Taxi.[251] The Water-Taxis can transport a maximum of 20 passengers at a time which provides a smooth journey along Al Mamzar and Dubai Marina via Dubai Creek. It has 40 pickup points across Dubai.[252]
Dubai is increasingly leveraging its logistics and ports to participate in trade between Europe and China, as well as between Europe and Africa, in addition to oil transport. For this purpose, ports such as Jebel Ali and Mina Rashid are rapidly expanded, and investments are made in their technology. The country is historically and currently part of the Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast to the south via the southern tip of India to Mombasa, from there through the Red Sea via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region to the northern Italian hub of Trieste with its rail connections to Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the North Sea.[253][254][255]
Culture
[edit]
Main article: Culture of Dubai
Further information: Culture of the United Arab Emirates
Museum of the Future and interior, showing the annual Dubai Future Forum (2024)
The UAE's culture mainly reflects traditional Arab culture. The influence of Arab and Islamic culture on architecture, music, attire, cuisine, and lifestyle is also very prominent. Five times a day, Muslims are called to prayer from the minarets of mosques scattered across the country. Major holidays in Dubai include Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and National Day (2 December), which marks the formation of the United Arab Emirates.[256]
The city's cultural imprint as a small, ethnically homogeneous pearling community was transformed by the arrival of other ethnic groups and nationals—first by Iranians in the early 1900s, and later by Indians and Pakistanis in the 1960s. In 2005, 84% of the population of metropolitan Dubai was foreign-born, about half of them from India.[111]
From 2006 to 2022, the weekend had been Friday and Saturday, as a compromise between Friday's holiness to Muslims and the Western weekend of Saturday and Sunday.[257] Before 2006, the weekend was Thursday-Friday. On 1 January 2022, Dubai moved to a four-and-a-half-day working week, with the weekend comprising Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday.[258]
Meydan Beach Club, Jumeirah
Because of the touristic approach of many Dubai residents in the entrepreneurial sector and the high standard of living, Dubai's culture has gradually evolved towards one of luxury, opulence, and lavishness with a high regard for leisure-related extravagance.[259][260][261] Dubai is known for its nightlife. Clubs and bars are chiefly found in hotels due to liquor laws. The New York Times called Dubai "the kind of city where you might run into Michael Jordan at the Buddha Bar or stumble across Naomi Campbell celebrating her birthday with a multiday bash".[262]
Annual entertainment events such as the Dubai Shopping Festival[263] (DSF) and Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) attract over 4 million visitors from across the region and generate revenues over $2.7 billion.[264][265] The International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA), the world's leading events trade association, has crowned Dubai as IFEA World Festival and Event City, 2012 in the cities category with a population of more than one million.[266][267]
Large shopping malls in the city, such as Deira City Centre, Mirdiff City Centre, BurJuman, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall (the world's second-largest), Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai Hills Mall, Dragon Mart, Dubai Festival City Mall, and Ibn Battuta Mall as well as traditional Dubai Gold Souk, Al Souk Al Kabir (known as Meena Bazaar), and other souks attract shoppers from the region.[268]
Cuisine
[edit]
See also: Emirati cuisine
Traditional Middle Eastern spices at the Dubai Spice Souk in Deira, Old Dubai
Arabic cuisine is very popular and is available everywhere in the city, from the small shawarma diners in Deira and Al Karama to the restaurants in Dubai's hotels. Fast food, South Asian, and Chinese cuisines are also very popular and are widely available. The sale and consumption of pork is regulated and is legally permitted to be sold only to non-Muslims, in designated areas of supermarkets and airports.[269] Similarly, the sale of alcoholic beverages is also regulated. A liquor permit is required to purchase alcohol, but it is available at hotel bars and restaurants.[270]Shisha and qahwa boutiques are also popular in Dubai. Biryani is also a popular cuisine across Dubai.[271]
The inaugural Dubai Food Festival was held between 21 February and 15 March 2014.[272] According to Vision magazine, the event was aimed at enhancing and celebrating Dubai's position as the gastronomic capital of the region. The festival was designed to showcase the variety of flavours and cuisines on offer in Dubai, featuring dishes from over 200 nationalities.[273] The next food festival was held between 23 February 2017 and 11 March 2017.[274]
Entertainment
[edit]
See also: Music of the United Arab Emirates
Dubai Opera
Dubai Opera opened its doors on 31 August 2016 in Downtown Dubai with a performance by Plácido Domingo. The venue is a 2000-seat, multifunctional performing arts centre that can host not only theatrical shows, concerts, and operas, but also weddings, gala dinners, banquets, and conferences. Arabic movies are popular in Dubai and the UAE. Since 2004, the city has hosted the annual Dubai International Film Festival which serves as a showcase for Arab and Middle Eastern filmmaking talent.[275] The Dubai Desert Rock Festival was also another major festival consisting of heavy metal and rock artists but is no longer held in Dubai.
One of the lesser-known sides of Dubai is the importance of its young contemporary art gallery scene. Since 2008, the leading contemporary art galleries such as Carbon 12 Dubai,[276] Green Art, gallery Isabelle van den Eynde, and The Third Line have brought the city onto the international art map. Art Dubai, the region's growing and reputable art fair, is also a major contributor to the development of the contemporary art scene.[277] The Theatre of Digital Art Dubai (ToDA) opened in 2020 and presents immersive digital art, including contemporary work.[278]
Media
[edit]
Main article: Dubai Media Incorporated
See also: List of media outlets in Dubai Media City, Radio and television channels of Dubai, and Studio 52
Etisalat's headquarters in Dubai
Many international news agencies, such as Reuters, APTN, Bloomberg L.P., and Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC), operate in Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City. Additionally, several local network television channels, such as Dubai One (formerly Channel 33) and Dubai TV (EDTV), provide programming in English and Arabic, respectively. Dubai is also the headquarters for several print media outlets. Dar Al Khaleej, Al Bayan, and Al Ittihad are the city's largest circulating Arabic language newspapers,[279] while Gulf News, Khaleej Times, Khaleej Mag, and 7days are the largest circulating English newspapers.[280]
Etisalat, the government-owned telecommunications provider, held a virtual monopoly over telecommunication services in Dubai before the establishment of other, smaller telecommunications companies such as Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC—better known as Du) in 2006. The Internet was introduced into the UAE (and therefore Dubai) in 1995. The network has an Internet bandwidth of 7.5 Gbit/s with a capacity of 49 STM1 links.[281] Dubai houses two of four Domain Name System (DNS) data centres in the country (DXBNIC1, DXBNIC2).[282] Censorship is common in Dubai and used by the government to control content that it believes violates the cultural and political sensitivities of Emirates.[283] Homosexuality, drugs, and the theory of evolution are generally considered taboo.[270][284]
Internet content is regulated in Dubai. Etisalat uses a proxy server to filter Internet content the government deems inconsistent with the values of the country, such as sites that provide information on how to bypass the proxy; sites about dating, gay and lesbian networks, and pornography; and formerly sites originating from Israel.[285] Emirates Media and Internet (a division of Etisalat) notes that as of 2002[update], 76% of Internet users are male. About 60% of Internet users were Asian, while 25% of users were Arab. Dubai enacted the Electronic Transactions and Commerce Law in 2002, which addresses digital signatures and electronic registers. It prohibits Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from disclosing information gathered in the course of providing services.[286] The penal code contains official provisions that prohibit digital access to pornography; however, it does not address cyber crime or data protection.[287] In 2019 the Italian artist Princess Bee produced "Hi Dubai", the first cross media format revealing the "soul of the city" through the life and work experience of 25 Emirati and expat women. The series also promoted the Emirate's lifestyle and main events to attract young people to visit and live in Dubai. "Hi Dubai" was on air on the national channel Dubai One TV in prime time, after the National News, during the U.A.E. National Day week; then distributed online on Dubai Post and in-flight on ICE across all Emirates Airlines flights.[288]
Sports
[edit]
Main article: List of sports venues in Dubai
See also: Traditional sports in the United Arab Emirates
Dubai Tennis Stadium
Football and cricket are the most popular sports in Dubai. The headquarters of the International Cricket Council is in Dubai. Three football teams (Al Wasl FC, Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai FC, and Al Nasr SC) represent Dubai in UAE Pro-League.[270] Al-Wasl have the second-most championships in the UAE League, after Al Ain. Dubai also hosts both the annual Dubai Tennis Championships and The Legends Rock Dubai tennis tournaments, as well as the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament and the DP World Tour Championship, all of which attract sports stars from around the world. The Dubai World Cup, a thoroughbred horse race, is held annually at the Meydan Racecourse. The city's top basketball team has traditionally been Shabab Al Ahli Basket. Dubai also hosts the traditional rugby union tournament, Dubai Sevens, part of the Sevens World Series. Event pictures from Rugby 7 Dubai 2015. In 2009, Dubai hosted the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens. Auto racing is also a major sport in Dubai; the Dubai Autodrome hosts many auto racing events throughout the year. Another sporting event in Dubai is the Dubai Run, which is part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge and the world's largest free fun run, a main highlight of the challenge since 2017.[289] It also features a state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor Kartdrome, popular among racing enthusiasts and recreational riders. The Indian Premier League cricket competition was held in the UAE in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 12 June, Tommy Fleetwood, 7-time DP World Tour winner, was declared World Global Ambassador.[290] In 2025, Dubai introduced the "Dubai Sports Strategy 2033", a long-term framework designed to support the emirate’s sports sector and strengthen its position as a global sports destination. The strategy outlines initiatives to expand community participation in physical activity, enhance the quality and number of sporting events, and develop local talent across multiple disciplines. It also aims to increase the economic contribution of Dubai’s sports industry through targeted programmes and infrastructure development.[291]
Dress code
[edit]
Men wearing the kandurah and the traditional ghotrah, held in place by an egal
The Emirati attire is typical of several countries in the Arabian Peninsula. Women usually wear the "abaya", a long black robe, with a hijab (a headscarf that covers the neck and part of the head, all of the hair and the ears). Some women may wear a niqab that covers the mouth and nose, leaving only the eyes exposed. Men wear the "kandurah" also referred to as "dishdasha" or even "thawb" (long white robe) and the headscarf (ghotrah). The traditional ghutrah in the UAE is white and held in place by an accessory called "egal", which resembles a black cord. Younger Emiratis prefer to wear red-and-white ghutrah and tie them around their heads like turbans.[292]
The dress code is never compulsory; many people wear Western or other Eastern clothing. However, prohibitions on "indecent clothing" or revealing too much skin are aspects of the UAE to which Dubai's visitors are expected to conform and are encoded in Dubai's criminal law.[293] The UAE has enforced decency regulations in most public places, aside from waterparks, beaches, clubs, and bars.[294]
Education
[edit]
Main article: Education in Dubai
See also: List of universities and colleges in Dubai
The school system in Dubai follows the United Arab Emirates' system. As of 2009[update], there are 79 public schools run by the Ministry of Education that serve Emiratis and expatriate Arab people, as well as 207 private schools.[295] The medium of instruction in public schools is Arabic with emphasis on English as a second language, while most of the private schools use English as their medium of instruction. Currently, only the Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai claims to offer parallel streams in different languages – bilingual English/French or English/German.[296] Most private schools cater to one or more expatriate communities.[297]
University of Wollongong in Dubai
Some 36 schools offer international education using one or more of the four International Baccalaureate Programmes for students aged 3–19.[298] Currently, 15 schools[299] have introduced the IB Career-related Programme that can be combined with a vocational qualification such as a BTEC.[300]
While there are more UK-curriculum-based schools in Dubai than any other curriculum, more students attend Indian-curriculum schools, which tend to be considerably larger and cost less to attend. There are 34 Indian-curriculum schools in the emirate,[301] most of which offer the CBSE, and just a handful the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Indian syllabus. Examples of Indian-curriculum schools include IHS, DPS, and DMHS. There are a small number of Pakistani schools in Dubai offering the FBISE curriculum for expatriate children.
A total of 18 schools offer British primary education through age 11.[302] There are 64 schools that offer a variation of a UK curriculum style secondary education,[303] either a pure GCSE and A-Level offering, or increasingly I/GCSE up to 16, and then the IB Diploma post-16. Currently, no school in the UAE offers IB or A-Level at 16, but several schools have said they will offer them in the future. British style eleven-to-eighteen secondary schools offering General Certificate of Secondary Education and A-Levels include Dubai College, Dubai British School, and English Language School Pvt. Some schools, such as The American School of Dubai, also offer the curriculum of the United States.[304]
Dubai has a very active education regulator, the KHDA, which is best known for its school ratings, but actually has a wide mandate[305] when it comes to school improvement in the emirate. Its inspections truly matter, and there is no doubt that school quality has improved as a result of its implementation. A total of 17 schools are currently rated Outstanding (2020), and a further 40 are rated Very Good. Parents in general rate schools highly.[306]
The top 10 largest universities by student numbers in Dubai according to the KHDA (2024)[307] are Middlesex University Dubai, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, University of Wollongong in Dubai, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dubai, American University in Dubai, S P Jain School of Global Management, Rochester Institute of Technology of Dubai, Amity University Dubai, University of Birmingham Dubai, and Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani Dubai. They offer courses in all major subjects, with the most popular subject areas being Business, followed by Information Technology, then Engineering.[307] Most Universities in Dubai are located in the two Educational Zones (Knowledge Village or Academic City). In 2013, Synergy University Dubai Campus[308] opened its campus in Jumeirah Lakes Towers being a first University in Dubai to be located outside of Educational Zones (Knowledge Village or Academic City).[309]
Only 4 Dubai Universities are present in the QS World University Rankings 2024/2025.[310] To allow the assessment of more UAE Universities, the Ministry of Education launched The National Higher Education Institutions Classification Framework[311] which classifies UAE Universities based on their research and teaching. Of the top 10 largest Dubai universities University of Wollongong in Dubai, American University in Dubai, and Rochester Institute of Technology of Dubai, were all classified as "Very Good" within The National Higher Education Institutions Classification Framework.[311]
Healthcare
[edit]
Main articles: Dubai Health Authority and List of hospitals in Dubai
See also: Dubai Camel Hospital
The Dubai Hospital
Healthcare in Dubai can be divided into two different sectors: public and private. Each Emirate can set healthcare standards in accordance with its internal laws, though the standards and regulations rarely differ significantly. Public hospitals in Dubai were first built in the late 1950s and continued to grow with public health initiatives. There are now 28 hospitals in Dubai, six public and 22 private, with three more major hospitals scheduled to be built by 2025.[312]
By the end of 2012, there were also a total of 1,348 medical clinics, 97% of which were operated privately.[313] In 2015, Dubai phased in mandatory health insurance for all inhabitants, thereby leading to increased demand for medical services.[314]
Dubai Hospital is a public hospital in Dubai and is part of Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services. Although the decision to construct Dubai Hospital was made in 1977, it did not begin admitting patients until March 1983.[315] The hospital consists of 14 stories, with the lower two for Accident & Emergency and outpatients, and the upper ten forwards.
Notable people
[edit]
Main article: List of people from Dubai
Twin towns – sister cities
[edit]
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in UAE
Dubai is twinned with:[316]
Amman, Jordan
Beirut, Lebanon
Busan, South Korea (2006)
Cape Town, South Africa
Casablanca, Morocco
Kish Island, Iran
Damascus, Syria
Dundee, Scotland, UK (2004)[317]
Detroit, USA (2003)
Frankfurt, Germany (2005)
Gaza City, Palestine[318]
Gold Coast, Australia (2001)
Guangzhou, China[319]
Istanbul, Turkey (1997)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2010)[320]
Moscow, Russia[321]
Mumbai, India
Osaka Prefecture, Japan (2002)
Pyongyang, North Korea[322]
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Salvador, El Salvador
Shanghai, China
See also
[edit]
Cities portal
United Arab Emirates portal
Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates
Al Sufouh Archaeological Site
Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
List of buildings in Dubai
Outline of Dubai
Sanitation in Dubai
Sustainability in Dubai
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^"Indian curriculum schools in Dubai". WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
^"UAE School Reviews – In-depth reviews, fees, admissions and contact information". WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"Schools offering some level of a British education in Dubai". WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
^"List of schools in Dubai, Dubai school finder". Dubaifaqs.com. 5 June 2012. Archived from the original on 28 April 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
^"What is the KHDA, and what does it do for Dubai parents?". WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
^"Highest rated schools, by parents, in Dubai". WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
^ ab"KHDA - KHDA's data & statistics". web.khda.gov.ae. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
^Synergy University Dubai Campus. "Synergy University Dubai Campus – Home Page". Synergy University Dubai Campus. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^DEG. "Synergy University, Dubai Educational Guide". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^"QS World University Rankings 2025". Top Universities. 23 June 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
^ abWebsite, M. O. E. "The National Higher Education Institutions Classification Framework". www.moe.gov.ae (in Arabic). Retrieved 1 July 2024.
^"UAE Expo 2020 bid in good health: Dubai gets new hospitals". 19 August 2013. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
^"Dubai Healthcare Overview". Colliers. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
^"Dubai's mandatory health insurance law comes into force". The National. 15 February 2014. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
^"Dubai Hospital". Archived from the original on 20 April 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
^"توأمة بين مدينتي دبي وكيب تاون". ajmannews.ae (in Arabic). Ajman News. 16 December 2019. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
^"Dubai, Dundee become sister cities". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
^"عون الشوا من الفترة ما بين 1994 وحتى 2001". gaza-city.org (in Arabic). Gaza City. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
^"Sister Cities". eguangzhou.gov.cn. Guangzhou. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
^"6 Bandar Di Malaysia Yang Berkembar Dengan Bandar Lain di Seluruh Dunia". iluminasi.com (in Malay). Iluminasi. 24 April 2018. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
^"بحضور عمدة مدينة فرانكفورت إزاحة الستار عن النصب التذكاري". moccae.gov.ae (in Arabic). Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of United Arab Emirates. 9 March 2014. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
^Corfield, Justin (2013). "Sister Cities". Historical Dictionary of Pyongyang. London: Anthem Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-85728-234-7. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
Notes
[edit]
^/duːˈbaɪ/ doo-BYE; Modern Standard Arabic: Arabic: دُبَيّ; Emirati Arabic: Arabic: دِبَيّ, romanised: /diˈbej/
Further reading
[edit]
Syed Ali. Dubai: Gilded Cage (Yale University Press; 2010) 240 pages. Focuses on the Arab emirate's treatment of foreign workers.
Heiko Schmid: Economy of Fascination: Dubai and Chicago as Themed Urban Landscapes, Berlin, Stuttgart, 2009, ISBN 978-3-443-37014-5.
John M. Smith: Dubai The Maktoum Story, Norderstedt, 2007, ISBN 3-8334-4660-9.
External links
[edit]
Dubai at Wikipedia's sister projects
Media from Commons
News from Wikinews
Travel information from Wikivoyage
Data from Wikidata
دبي.امارات (Archived 29 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine) – official government portal
www.dm.gov.ae – Dubai Municipality website
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"UAE" and "The Emirates" redirect here. For other uses, see UAE (disambiguation) and Emirates (disambiguation).
74.5% Islam (official)
63.3% Sunni Islam
6.7% Shia Islam
4.4% other
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Federal Supreme Council
.ae
امارات.
United Arab Emirates
الإمارات العربية المتحدة(Arabic) al-Imārāt al-'Arabiyya al-Muttaḥida
Flag
Emblem
Anthem:عيشي بلادي Īshī Bilādī
"Long Live My Country"
Location of United Arab Emirates (green)
in the Arabian Peninsula
United Arab Emirates
Capital
Abu Dhabi 24°28′N54°22′E / 24.467°N 54.367°E / 24.467; 54.367
Federal semi-presidential semi-constitutional monarchy[8]
• President
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Vice Presidents
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Prime Minister
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Legislature
Establishment
• British protectorate as part of Trucial States
1820 and 1892
• Independence from the United Kingdom
2 December 1971
• Admission of Ras Al Khaimah
10 February 1972
Area
• Total
83,600 km2 (32,300 sq mi) (114th)
• Water (%)
Negligible
Population
• 2024 estimate
11,027,129[9]
• Density
132/km2 (341.9/sq mi) (83rd)
GDP
(PPP)
2025 estimate
• Total
$905.23 billion[10] (36th)
• Per capita
$81,680[10] (13th)
GDP
(nominal)
2025 estimate
• Total
$548.60 billion[10] (28th)
• Per capita
$49,550[10] (21st)
Gini
(2018)
26[11][12] low inequality
HDI
(2023)
0.940[13]
very high (15th)
Currency
UAE dirham (AED)
Time zone
UTC+04:00 (GST)
Calling code
+971
ISO 3166 code
AE
Internet TLD
United Arab Emirates portal
The United Arab Emirates[b] (UAE), also known simply as the Emirates,[c] is a country in West Asia, situated at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a federal semi-constitutional monarchy made up of seven emirates, with Abu Dhabi serving as its national capital. The UAE borders Oman to the east and northeast, and Saudi Arabia to the southwest; it shares maritime borders with Qatar and Iran in the Persian Gulf, and with Oman in the Gulf of Oman. As of 2024[update], the UAE has an estimated population of over 10 million; Dubai is the country's largest city. Islam is the state religion and Arabic is the official language while English remains the most spoken language and the language of business.[2][14]
The present-day United Arab Emirates is located within the historical region of Eastern Arabia, which was oriented to maritime trade and seafaring. The Portuguese arrived in the region around 1500 and set up bases on the territory while waging wars against the Persians. After their expulsion,[when?] the Dutch controlled the straits and established global maritime dominance.[15] By the 19th century, with pearling becoming a major economic activity, piracy became rampant in the gulf, prompting British intervention;[16][17] local sheikhdoms formed a pact with the United Kingdom to create the Trucial States, a British protectorate that was effectively shielded from attempted Saudi and Omani suzerainty.[18] The Trucial States remained under British influence until full independence as the United Arab Emirates in 1971. Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi and the country's first president (1971–2004), oversaw rapid development of the Emirates by investing revenues from newly found oil into healthcare, education, and infrastructure.[19]
The UAE is considered a middle power in global affairs;[20] Dubai serves as an international hub of finance, tourism, and commerce.[21][22] Only 11% of the population are native Emiratis; the vast majority of inhabitants are expatriates and migrant workers, most of whom are from South Asia.[23] The United Arab Emirates has the world's seventh-largest oil reserves and seventh-largest natural gas reserves.[24][25] The country has the most diversified economy among the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), having become less reliant on natural resources in the 21st century and increasingly focusing on tourism and business.[26] The UAE is a member of the United Nations, Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, OPEC, Non-Aligned Movement, World Trade Organization, and BRICS; it is also a dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
The Federal Supreme Council, made up of the seven ruling emirs, is the highest state authority; it jointly appoints one member as federal president, who appoints a prime minister, who in turn forms and leads the cabinet.[27] The UAE is an authoritarian state but generally liberal by regional standards.[17] It ranks highly in several social indicators such as housing, healthcare, education and personal safety, as well as the highest regionally in the Human Development Index.[28] Human rights organisations consider the UAE substandard on human rights, ranking low in the human freedom index due to reports of government critics being imprisoned and tortured, families harassed by the state security apparatus, and cases of forced disappearances.[29] Individual rights such as the freedoms of assembly, association, expression, and the freedom of the press are severely repressed.[30]
Etymology
[edit]
The United Arab Emirates is named after the seven emirates that formed a federation: the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the Emirate of Dubai, the Emirate of Ajman, the Emirate of Sharjah, the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain, and the Emirate of Fujairah.[31]
History
[edit]
Main article: History of the United Arab Emirates
Antiquity
[edit]
2nd century BCE era jar found in Mleiha Archaeological site in Sharjah
Stone tools recovered reveal a settlement of people from Africa some 127,000 years ago and a stone tool used for butchering animals discovered on the Arabian coast suggests an even older habitation from 130,000 years ago.[32] In time, lively trading links developed with civilisations in Mesopotamia, Iran, and the Harappan culture of the Indus Valley. This contact persisted and became wider, probably motivated by the trade in copper from the Hajar Mountains, which commenced around 3,000 BCE.[33] Sumerian sources talk of the Magan civilisation, which has been identified as encompassing the modern UAE and Oman.[34]
There are six periods of human settlement with distinctive behaviours in the region before Islam, which include the Hafit period from 3,200 to 2,600 BCE, the Umm Al Nar culture from 2,600 to 2,000 BCE, and the Wadi Suq culture from 2,000 to 1,300 BCE. From 1,200 BCE to the advent of Islam in Eastern Arabia, through three distinctive Iron Ages and the Mleiha period, the area was variously occupied by the Achaemenids and other forces, and saw the construction of fortified settlements and extensive husbandry thanks to the development of the falaj irrigation system.
Islam
[edit]
The spread of Islam to the northeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula is thought to have followed directly from a letter sent by the Islamic prophet Muhammad to the rulers of Oman in 630 CE. This led to a group of rulers travelling to Medina, converting to Islam, and subsequently driving a successful uprising against the unpopular Sassanids, who dominated the coast at the time.[35] Following the death of Muhammad, the new Islamic communities south of the Persian Gulf threatened to disintegrate, with insurrections against the Muslim leaders. Caliph Abu Bakr sent an army from the capital Medina which completed its reconquest of the territory (the Ridda Wars) with the Battle of Dibba in which 10,000 lives are thought to have been lost.[36] This assured the integrity of the Caliphate and the unification of the Arabian Peninsula under the newly emerging Rashidun Caliphate.
In 637, Julfar (in the area of today's Ras Al Khaimah) was an important port that was used as a staging post for the Islamic invasion of the Sasanian Empire.[37] The area of the Al Ain/Buraimi Oasis was known as Tu'am and was an important trading post for camel routes between the coast and the Arabian interior.[38]
The earliest Christian site in the UAE was first discovered in the 1990s, an extensive monastic complex on what is now known as Sir Bani Yas Island and which dates back to the seventh century. Thought to be Nestorian and built in 600 CE, the church appears to have been abandoned peacefully in 750 CE.[39] It forms a rare physical link to a legacy of Christianity, which is thought to have spread across the peninsula from 50 to 350 CE following trade routes. Certainly, by the fifth century, Oman had a bishop named John – the last bishop of Oman being Etienne, in 676 CE.[40]
Portuguese era
[edit]
See also: Battle of the Strait of Hormuz (1553) and Piracy in the Persian Gulf
A painting of the Portuguese Empire Doba Fortress [pt] in Dibba Al-Hisn in 1620
The harsh desert environment led to the emergence of the "versatile tribesman", nomadic groups who subsisted due to a variety of economic activities, including animal husbandry, agriculture, and hunting. The seasonal movements of these groups led not only to frequent clashes between groups but also to the establishment of seasonal and semi-seasonal settlements and centres. These formed tribal groupings whose names are still carried by modern Emiratis, including the Bani Yas and Al Bu Falah of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Liwa, and the west coast; the Dhawahir, Awamir, Al Ali, and Manasir of the interior; the Sharqiyin of the east coast; and the Qawasim to the north.[41]
With the expansion of European colonial empires, Portuguese, English, and Dutch forces appeared in the Persian Gulf region. By the 18th century, the Bani Yas confederation was the dominant force in most of the area now known as Abu Dhabi,[42][43][44] while the Northern Al Qawasim (Al Qasimi) dominated maritime commerce. The Portuguese maintained an influence over the coastal settlements, building forts in the wake of the bloody 16th-century conquests of coastal communities by Albuquerque and the Portuguese commanders who followed him – particularly on the east coast at Muscat, Sohar, and Khor Fakkan.[45]
The southern coast of the Persian Gulf was known to the British as the "Pirate Coast",[46][47] as boats of the Al Qawasim federation harassed British-flagged shipping from the 17th century into the 19th.[48] The charge of piracy is disputed by modern Emirati historians, including the current ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi, in his 1986 book The Myth of Arab Piracy in the Gulf.[49]
Purple – Portuguese in the Persian Gulf in the 16th and 17th century. Main cities, ports, and routes.A painting depicting the burning of the coastal town and port of Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah during the Persian Gulf campaign of 1809
British expeditions to protect their Indian trade routes led to campaigns against Ras Al Khaimah and other harbours along the coast, including the Persian Gulf campaign of 1809 and the more successful campaign of 1819. The following year, Britain and a number of local rulers signed a maritime truce, giving rise to the term Trucial States, which came to define the status of the coastal emirates. A further treaty was signed in 1843 and in 1853, the Perpetual Maritime Truce was agreed. To this was added the 'Exclusive Agreements', signed in 1892, which made the Trucial States a British protectorate.[50]
Under the 1892 treaty, the trucial sheikhs agreed not to dispose of any territory except to the British and not to enter into relationships with any foreign government other than the British without their consent. In return, the British promised to protect the Trucial Coast from all aggression by sea and to help in case of land attack. British maritime policing meant that pearling fleets could operate in relative security. However, the British prohibition of the slave trade meant an important source of income was lost to some sheikhs and merchants.[51]
In 1869, the Qubaisat tribe settled at Khor Al Adaid and tried to enlist the support of the Ottomans. Khor Al Adaid was claimed by Abu Dhabi at that time, a claim supported by the British. In 1906, the British Political Resident, Percy Cox, confirmed in writing to the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan ('Zayed the Great'), that Khor Al Adaid belonged to his sheikhdom.[52]
British era and discovery of oil
[edit]
See also: Persian Gulf campaign of 1809, Persian Gulf campaign of 1819, General Maritime Treaty of 1820, and Trucial States
Dhayah Fort at the hill top. In 1819 it was the last Al-Qasimi stronghold to fall in the Persian Gulf campaign of 1819. The fall of Dhayah was to pave the way for the signing of the General Maritime Treaty of 1820.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the pearling industry thrived, providing both income and employment to the people of the Persian Gulf.[53] The First World War had a severe impact on the industry, but it was the economic depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s, coupled with the invention of the cultured pearl, that wiped out the trade. The remnants of the trade eventually faded away shortly after the Second World War, when the newly independent Government of India imposed heavy taxation on imported pearls. The decline of pearling resulted in extreme economic hardship in the Trucial States.[54]
In 1922, the British government secured undertakings from the rulers of the Trucial States not to sign concessions with foreign companies without their consent. Aware of the potential for the development of natural resources such as oil, following finds in Persia (from 1908) and Mesopotamia (from 1927), a British-led oil company, the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC), showed an interest in the region. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC, later to become British Petroleum, or BP) had a 23.75% share in IPC. From 1935, onshore concessions to explore for oil were granted by local rulers, with APOC signing the first one on behalf of Petroleum Concessions Ltd (PCL), an associate company of IPC.[55] APOC was prevented from developing the region alone because of the restrictions of the Red Line Agreement, which required it to operate through IPC. A number of options between PCL and the trucial rulers were signed, providing useful revenue for communities experiencing poverty following the collapse of the pearl trade. However, the wealth of oil which the rulers could see from the revenues accruing to surrounding countries remained elusive. The first bore holes in Abu Dhabi were drilled by IPC's operating company, Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Ltd (PDTC) at Ras Sadr in 1950, with a 13,000-foot-deep (4,000-metre) bore hole taking a year to drill and turning out dry, at the tremendous cost at the time of £1 million.
Dubai in 1950: the area in this photo shows Bur Dubai in the foreground (centred on Al-Fahidi Fort), Deira in middle-right on the other side of the creek, and Al Shindagha (left) and Al Ras (right) in the background across the creek, from Deira.
The British set up a development office that helped in some small developments in the emirates. The seven sheikhs of the emirates then decided to form a council to coordinate matters between them and took over the development office. In 1952, they formed the Trucial States Council,[56] and appointed Adi Al Bitar, Dubai's Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum's legal advisor, as secretary general and legal advisor to the council. The council was terminated once the United Arab Emirates was formed.[57] The tribal nature of society and the lack of definition of borders between emirates frequently led to disputes, settled either through mediation or, more rarely, force. The Trucial Oman Scouts was a small military force used by the British to keep the peace.
In 1953, a subsidiary of BP, D'Arcy Exploration Ltd, obtained an offshore concession from the ruler of Abu Dhabi. BP joined with Compagnie Française des Pétroles (later Total) to form operating companies, Abu Dhabi Marine Areas Ltd (ADMA) and Dubai Marine Areas Ltd (DUMA). A number of undersea oil surveys were carried out, including one led by the famous marine explorer Jacques Cousteau.[58][59] In 1958, a floating platform rig was towed from Hamburg, Germany, and positioned over the Umm Shaif pearl bed, in Abu Dhabi waters, where drilling began. In March, it struck oil in the Upper Thamama rock formation. This was the first commercial discovery of the Trucial Coast, leading to the first exports of oil in 1962. ADMA made further offshore discoveries at Zakum and elsewhere, and other companies made commercial finds such as the Fateh oilfield off Dubai and the Mubarak field off Sharjah (shared with Iran).[60]
Meanwhile, onshore exploration was hindered by territorial disputes. In 1955, the United Kingdom represented Abu Dhabi and Oman in their dispute with Saudi Arabia over the Buraimi Oasis.[61] A 1974 agreement between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia seemed to have settled the Abu Dhabi-Saudi border dispute, but this has not been ratified.[62] The UAE's border with Oman was ratified in 2008.[63]
PDTC continued its onshore exploration away from the disputed area, drilling five more bore holes that were also dry. However, on 27 October 1960, the company discovered oil in commercial quantities at the Murban No. 3 well on the coast near Tarif.[64] In 1962, PDTC became the Abu Dhabi Petroleum Company. As oil revenues increased, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, undertook a massive construction program, building schools, housing, hospitals, and roads. When Dubai's oil exports commenced in 1969, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, was able to invest the revenues from the limited reserves found to spark the diversification drive that would create the modern global city of Dubai.[19]
Independence
[edit]
See also: Foundation of the United Arab Emirates and Seizure of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs
Historic photo depicting the first hoisting of the United Arab Emirates flag by the rulers of the emirates at the Union House in Dubai on 2 December 1971
By 1966, it had become clear that the British government could no longer afford to administer and protect the Trucial States, what is now the United Arab Emirates. British Members of Parliament (MPs) debated the preparedness of the Royal Navy to defend the sheikhdoms. On 24 January 1968, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson announced the government's decision, reaffirmed in March 1971 by Prime Minister Edward Heath, to end the treaty relationships with the seven trucial sheikhdoms. Days after the announcement, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, fearing vulnerability, tried to persuade the British to honour the protection treaties by offering to pay the full costs of keeping the British Armed Forces in the Emirates. The British Conservative government rejected the offer.[65] After Labour MP Goronwy Roberts informed Sheikh Zayed of the news of British withdrawal, the nine Persian Gulf sheikhdoms attempted to form a union of Arab emirates, but by mid-1971 they were still unable to agree on terms of union even though the British treaty relationship was to expire in December of that year.[66]
Fears of vulnerability were realised the day before independence. An Iranian destroyer group broke formation from an exercise in the lower Gulf, sailing to the Tunb islands. The islands were taken by force, civilians and Arab defenders alike allowed to flee. A British warship stood idle during the course of the invasion.[67] A destroyer group approached the island of Abu Musa as well. But there, Sheikh Khalid bin Muhammad Al Qasimi had already negotiated with the Iranian shah, and the island was quickly leased to Iran for $3 million a year. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia laid claim to swathes of Abu Dhabi.[68] It was not until 1974 that a border agreement was signed with Saudi Arabia, formally demarcating the frontiers between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The UAE's sense of threat from Iran influenced its financial support for Iraq during the Iran–Iraq War.[69]
Originally intended to be part of the proposed Federation of Arab Emirates, Bahrain became independent in August, and Qatar in September 1971. When the British-Trucial Sheikhdoms treaty expired on 1 December 1971, both emirates became fully independent.[70] On 2 December 1971, six of the emirates (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain) agreed to enter into a union named the United Arab Emirates. Ras al-Khaimah joined later, on 10 January 1972.[71][72] In February 1972, the Federal National Council (FNC) was created; it was a 40-member consultative body appointed by the seven rulers. The UAE joined the Arab League on 6 December 1971 and the United Nations on 9 December.[73] It was a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council in May 1981, with Abu Dhabi hosting the first GCC summit.
Post-independence period
[edit]
This section needs expansion. You can help by making an edit requestexpanding it. (November 2025)
The founding fathers of the United Arab Emirates were: Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi; Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Dubai; Khalid bin Muhammad Al Qasimi of Sharjah; Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi of Ajman; Ahmad bin Rashid Al Mualla of Umm Al Quwain; Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi of Ras Al Khaimah and Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi of Fujairah.
Skyline of Dubai
The UAE supported military operations by the US and other coalition states engaged in the Gulf War against Saddam Hussein in Ba'athist Iraq (1991), as well as operations supporting the global war on terror for the Horn of Africa at Al Dhafra Air Base located outside of Abu Dhabi. The air base also supported Allied operations during the 1991 Persian Gulf War and Operation Northern Watch. The country had already signed a military defence agreement with the U.S. in 1994 and one with France in 1995.[74][75] In January 2008, France and the UAE signed a deal allowing France to set up a permanent military base in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.[76] The UAE joined international military operations in Libya in March 2011.
On 2 November 2004, the UAE's first president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, died. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan was elected as the president of the UAE. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan succeeded Sheikh Khalifa as crown prince of Abu Dhabi.[77] In January 2006, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the prime minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, died, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum assumed both roles.
The first ever national elections were held on 16 December 2006. A number of voters chose half of the members of the Federal National Council. The UAE has largely escaped the Arab Spring, which other countries have experienced; however, 60 Emirati activists from Al Islah were apprehended for an alleged coup attempt and the attempt of the establishment of an Islamist state in the UAE.[78][79][80] Mindful of the protests in nearby Bahrain, in November 2012 the UAE outlawed online mockery of its government or attempts to organise public protests through social media.[19]
On 29 January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the UAE.[81] Two months later, in March, the government announced the closure of shopping malls, schools, and places of worship, in addition to imposing a 24-hour curfew, and suspending all Emirates passenger flights.[82][83] This resulted in a major economic downturn, which eventually led to the merger of more than 50% of the UAE's federal agencies.[84]
UAE's President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other leaders at the GCC+3 summit in Jeddah, 16 July 2022
On 29 August 2020, the UAE established normal diplomatic relations with Israel and with the help of the United States, they signed the Abraham Accords with Bahrain.[85]
On 9 February 2021, the UAE achieved a historic milestone when its probe, named Hope, successfully reached Mars's orbit. The UAE became the first country in the Arab world to reach Mars, the fifth country to successfully reach Mars, and the second country, after an Indian probe, to orbit Mars on its maiden attempt.
On 14 May 2022, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was elected as the UAE's new president after the death of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.[86]
Geography
[edit]
Main article: Geography of the United Arab Emirates
Satellite image of United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates is situated in the Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia; it is in a strategic location slightly south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil.[87]
The UAE lies between 22°30' and 26°10' north latitude and between 51° and 56°25′ east longitude. It shares a 530-kilometre (330 mi) border with Saudi Arabia on the west, south, and southeast, and a 450-kilometre (280 mi) border with Oman on the southeast and northeast. The land border with Qatar in the Khor Al Adaid area is about nineteen kilometres (12 miles) in the northwest; however, it is a source of ongoing dispute.[88] Following Britain's military departure from the UAE in 1971, and its establishment as a new state, the UAE laid claim to Iranian-occupied islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and the Lesser Tunbs, when Iran captured them during the British rule, resulting in disputes with Iran that remain unresolved.[89] The UAE also disputes claim on other islands against the neighbouring state of Qatar.[90] The largest emirate, Abu Dhabi, accounts for 87% of the UAE's total area,[91] 67,340 square kilometres (26,000 sq mi).[92] The smallest emirate, Ajman, encompasses only 259 km2 (100 sq mi).[93]
The UAE coast stretches for nearly 650 km (404 mi) along the southern shore of the Persian Gulf, briefly interrupted by an isolated outcrop of the Sultanate of Oman. Six of the emirates are situated along the Persian Gulf, and the seventh, Fujairah, is on the eastern coast of the peninsula with direct access to the Gulf of Oman.[94] Most of the coast consists of salt pans that extend 8–10 km (5.0–6.2 mi) inland.[95] The largest natural harbor is at Dubai, although other ports have been dredged at Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and elsewhere.[96] Numerous islands are found in the Persian Gulf, and the ownership of some of them has been the subject of international disputes with both Iran and Qatar. The smaller islands, as well as many coral reefs and shifting sandbars, are a menace to navigation. Strong tides and occasional windstorms further complicate ship movements near the shore. The UAE also has a stretch of the Al Bāţinah coast of the Gulf of Oman. The Musandam Peninsula, the very tip of Arabia by the Strait of Hormuz, and Madha are exclaves of Oman separated by the UAE.[97]
Roads leading to Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE (1,892 m), in Ras Al Khaimah
South and west of Abu Dhabi, vast, rolling sand dunes merge into the Rub al-Khali (Empty Quarter) of Saudi Arabia.[98] The desert area of Abu Dhabi includes two important oases with adequate underground water for permanent settlements and cultivation. The extensive Liwa Oasis is in the south near the undefined border with Saudi Arabia. About 100 km (62 mi) to the northeast of Liwa is the Al-Buraimi oasis, which extends on both sides of the Abu Dhabi-Oman border. Lake Zakher in Al Ain is a human-made lake near the border with Oman that was created from treated waste water.[99]
Prior to withdrawing from the area in 1971, Britain delineated the internal borders among the seven emirates in order to preempt territorial disputes that might hamper formation of the federation. In general, the rulers of the emirates accepted the British interventions, but in the case of boundary disputes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and also between Dubai and Sharjah, conflicting claims were not resolved until after the UAE became independent. The most complicated borders were in the Western Hajar Mountains, where five of the emirates contested jurisdiction over more than a dozen enclaves.
Biodiversity
[edit]
Main article: Wildlife of the United Arab Emirates
Acacia trees growing in desert suburbs near Fujairah
The UAE contains the following terrestrial ecoregions: Al Hajar montane woodlands and shrublands, Gulf of Oman desert and semi-desert, and Al-Hajar foothill xeric woodlands and shrublands.[100]
The oases grow date palms, acacia, and eucalyptus trees. In the desert, the flora is very sparse and consists of grasses and thorn bushes. The indigenous fauna had come close to extinction because of intensive hunting, which has led to a conservation program on Sir Bani Yas Island initiated by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the 1970s, resulting in the survival of, for example, Arabian Oryx, Arabian camel, and leopards. Coastal fish and mammals consist mainly of mackerel, perch, and tuna, as well as sharks and whales.
Climate
[edit]
The climate of the UAE is subtropical-arid with hot summers and warm winters. The climate is categorised as desert climate. The hottest months are July and August, when average maximum temperatures reach above 45 °C (113 °F) on the coastal plain. In the Hajar Mountains, temperatures are considerably lower, a result of increased elevation.[101] Average minimum temperatures in January and February are between 10 and 14 °C (50 and 57 °F).[102] During the late summer months, a humid southeastern wind known as Sharqi (i.e. "Easterner") makes the coastal region especially unpleasant. The average annual rainfall in the coastal area is less than 120 mm (4.7 in), but in some mountainous areas annual rainfall often reaches 350 mm (13.8 in). Rain in the coastal region falls in short, torrential bursts during the winter months, sometimes resulting in floods in ordinarily dry wadi beds.[103] The region is prone to occasional, violent dust storms, which can severely reduce visibility.
On 28 December 2004, snow was recorded in the UAE for the first time, in the Jebel Jais mountain cluster in Ras al-Khaimah.[104] A few years later, there were more sightings of snow and hail.[105][106] The Jebel Jais mountain cluster has experienced snow only twice since records began.[107]
Government and politics
[edit]
Main article: Politics of the United Arab Emirates
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
President since 2022
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Prime Minister and
Vice President since 2006
The United Arab Emirates is a federal semi-presidential state under a semi-constitutional monarchy made up of seven hereditary tribal monarchy-styled political units called Sheikhdoms. It is governed by a Federal Supreme Council made up of the ruling Sheikhs of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Umm Al Quwain. All responsibilities not granted to the federal government are reserved to the individual emirate.[108] A percentage[quantify] of revenues from each emirate is allocated to the UAE's central budget.[109]
The UAE uses the title Sheikh instead of Emir to refer to the rulers of individual emirates. The title is used due to the sheikhdom-styled governing system in adherence to the culture of tribes of Arabia, where Sheikh means leader, elder, or the tribal chief of the clan who partakes in shared decision making with his followers. The president and vice president are elected by the Federal Supreme Council. Usually, the Head of the Al Nahyan family, who are based in Abu Dhabi, holds the presidency and the Head of the Al Maktoum family, based in Dubai, the prime ministership. All prime ministers but one have served concurrently as vice president. The federal government is composed of three branches:
Legislative: A unicameral Federal Supreme Council and the advisory Federal National Council (FNC).
Executive: The President, who is also commander-in-chief of the military, the prime minister, and the Council of Ministers.
Judicial: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts.
Entrance to Qasr Al Watan, the presidential palace in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE e-Government is the extension of the UAE federal government in its electronic form.[110] The UAE's Council of Ministers (Arabic: مجلس الوزراء) is the chief executive branch of the government presided over by the prime minister. The prime minister, who is appointed by the Federal Supreme Council, appoints the ministers. The Council of Ministers is made up of 22 members and manages all internal and foreign affairs of the federation under its constitutional and federal law.[111] In December 2019,[112] the UAE became the only Arab country, and one of only five countries in the world, to attain gender parity in a national legislative body, with its lower house being 50 percent women.[113][114]
The UAE is the only country in the world that has a Ministry of Tolerance,[115] a Ministry of Happiness,[116] and a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence.[117] The UAE also has a virtual ministry called the Ministry of Possibilities, designed to find solutions to challenges and improve quality of life.[118][119] The UAE also has a National Youth Council, which is represented in the UAE cabinet by the Minister of Youth.[120][121]
The UAE legislative body is the Federal National Council which convenes nationwide elections every four years. The FNC consists of 40 members drawn from all the emirates. Each emirate is allocated specific seats to ensure full representation. Half are appointed by the rulers of the constituent emirates, and the other half are elected by a small percentage of Emirati citizens, currently 33%, hand-picked by the rulers of each emirate.[122] By law, the council members have to be equally divided between males and females. The FNC is restricted to a largely consultative role.[123][124][125]
The UAE is an authoritarian federal monarchy.[126][127][128][129][130] The UAE has been described as a "tribal autocracy" where the seven constituent monarchies are led by tribal rulers in an autocratic fashion.[131] There are no democratically elected institutions, and there is no formal commitment to free speech.[132] According to human rights organizations, there are systematic human rights violations, including the torture and forced disappearance of government critics.[132] The UAE ranks poorly in freedom indices measuring civil liberties and political rights. The UAE has consistently ranked poorly across a number of freedom indices, including being ranked as "Not Free" in Freedom House's annual Freedom in the World report from 1999 to present day,[133] ranks poorly in the annual Reporters without Borders' Press Freedom Index, International IDEA's Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Indices, the Democracy Tracker, and the Bertelsmann Transformation Index - which describes the UAE as a "moderate monarchy". The country was ranked 91 out of 137 states and is far below the average scoring for development towards a democracy, and is the third least democratic country in the Middle East.[134][135] The country, by all measurements is not democratic, with particular weaknesses in political representation, including inclusive suffrage and credible elections.[136][137][138]
Administrative divisions
[edit]
See also: Politics of the United Arab Emirates, List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, and Emirates of the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates comprises seven emirates. The Emirate of Dubai is the most populous emirate with 35.6% of the UAE population. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has 31.2%, meaning that over two-thirds of the UAE population lives in either Abu Dhabi or Dubai.
Abu Dhabi has an area of 67,340 square kilometres (26,000 square miles), which is 86.7% of the country's total area, excluding the islands. It has a coastline extending for more than 400 km (250 mi) and is divided for administrative purposes into three major regions. The Emirate of Dubai extends along the Persian Gulf coast of the UAE for approximately 72 km (45 mi). Dubai has an area of 3,885 square kilometres (1,500 square miles), which is equivalent to 5% of the country's total area, excluding the islands. The Emirate of Sharjah extends along approximately 16 km (10 mi) of the UAE's Persian Gulf coastline and for more than 80 km (50 mi) into the interior. The northern emirates which include Fujairah, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, and Umm al-Qaiwain all have a total area of 3,881 square kilometres (1,498 square miles). There are two areas under joint control. One is jointly controlled by Oman and Ajman, the other by Fujairah and Sharjah.
There is an Omani exclave surrounded by UAE territory, known as Wadi Madha. It is located halfway between the Musandam peninsula and the rest of Oman in the Emirate of Sharjah. It covers approximately 75 square kilometres (29 square miles) and the boundary was settled in 1969. The north-east corner of Madha is closest to the Khor Fakkan-Fujairah road, barely 10 metres (33 feet) away. Within the Omani exclave of Madha, is a UAE exclave called Nahwa, also belonging to the Emirate of Sharjah. It is about eight kilometres (5.0 miles) on a dirt track west of the town of New Madha. It consists of about forty houses with its own clinic and telephone exchange.
Foreign relations
[edit]
Main article: Foreign relations of the United Arab Emirates
Emirati Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (furthest right) at the signing of the Abraham Accords
The United Arab Emirates has broad diplomatic and commercial relations with most countries and members of the United Nations, despite significant human rights abuses. It plays a significant role in OPEC, and is one of the founding members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The UAE is a member of the United Nations and several of its specialised agencies (ICAO, ILO, UPU, WHO, WIPO), as well as the World Bank, IMF, Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Non-Aligned Movement. Also, it is an observer in the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. Most countries have diplomatic missions in the capital Abu Dhabi with most consulates being in UAE's largest city, Dubai.
Emirati foreign relations are motivated to a large extent by identity and relationship to the Arab world.[139] The United Arab Emirates has strong ties with Bahrain,[140] China,[141] Egypt, India,[142] Jordan,[143] Pakistan,[144] Russia,[145] Saudi Arabia, and the United States.[146]
Following the British withdrawal from the UAE in 1971 and the establishment of the UAE as a state, the UAE disputed rights to three islands in the Persian Gulf against Iran, namely Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb. The UAE tried to bring the matter to the International Court of Justice, but Iran dismissed the notion.[147] Pakistan was the first country to formally recognise the UAE upon its formation.[148] The UAE alongside multiple Middle Eastern and African countries cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in June 2017 due to allegations of Qatar being a state sponsor of terrorism, resulting in the Qatar diplomatic crisis. Ties were restored in January 2021.[149] The UAE recognised Israel in August 2020, reaching a historic Israel–United Arab Emirates peace agreement and leading towards full normalisation of relations between the two countries.[85][150][151]
UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed at the 16th BRICS summit in October 2024
Gulf Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, showed interest in engaging with the Syrian transitional government to promote political transition and address regional concerns following the fall of the Assad regime. Additionally, the UAE leadership see the change in Syria as an opportunity to undermine Iranian influence in the Levant. The hope is to help push Iran out of Syria and cut its pathways between Iraq and Lebanon.[152][153][154]
The UAE is the primary supporter of the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the ongoing Sudanese Civil War.[155] In 2025, multiple reports exposed the UAE for supplying the RSF with weapons, in violation of international sanctions, and used to commit genocide in the region.[156] On 6 March 2025, Sudan filed a case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice, accusing the UAE of complicity in genocide by supporting the RSF, which are alleged to have committed atrocities against the Masalit people in Darfur.[157] In late 2025, the fall of El Fasher to the RSF led to widespread massacres and intensified global scrutiny of the UAE for its role in supporting the paramilitary group.[158]
Joining US Senator Chris Van Hollen, United States Congress has pushed for an export ban of weapons to the UAE.[159] As of November 2025, the bill remained in Congress.[160]
Military
[edit]
Main article: United Arab Emirates Armed Forces
Baynunah-class corvette of the United Arab Emirates Navy
F-16 Desert Falcon of the United Arab Emirates Air Force
The armed forces of the United Arab Emirates consist of 44,000 active personnel in the Army, 2,500 personnel and 46 ships in the Navy, 4,500 personnel and 386 aircraft in the Air Force, and 12,000 personnel in the Presidential Guard. In 2022 the country spent US$20.4 billion on defense, which is 4% of its GDP. The UAE is considered to have the most capable military among the Gulf states.[161][4]
Although initially small in number, the UAE armed forces have grown significantly over the years and are presently equipped with some of the most modern weapon systems, purchased from a variety of western military advanced countries, mainly France, the US, and the UK. Most officers are graduates of the United Kingdom's Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, with others having attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Australia, and St Cyr, the military academy of France. France and the United States have played the most strategically significant roles with defence cooperation agreements and military material provision.[162]
Some of the UAE military deployments include an infantry battalion to the United Nations UNOSOM II force in Somalia in 1993, the 35th Mechanised Infantry Battalion to Kosovo, a regiment to Kuwait during the Iraq War, demining operations in Lebanon, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, American-led intervention in Libya, American-led intervention in Syria, and the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen. The active and effective military role, despite its small active personnel, has led the UAE military to be nicknamed as "Little Sparta" by United States Armed Forces Generals and former US defense secretary James Mattis.[163]
The UAE intervened in the Libyan Civil War in support of General Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army in its conflict with the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).[164][165][166]
Examples of the military assets deployed include the enforcement of the no-fly-zone over Libya by sending six UAEAF F-16 and six Mirage 2000 multi-role fighter aircraft,[167] ground troop deployment in Afghanistan,[168] 30 UAEAF F-16s and ground troops deployment in Southern Yemen,[169] and helping the US launch its first airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria.[170]
The UAE has begun production of a greater amount of military equipment, in a bid to reduce foreign dependence and help with national industrialisation. Example of national military development include the Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding company (ADSB), which produces a range of ships and is a prime contractor in the Baynunah Programme, a programme to design, develop, and produce corvettes customised for operation in the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf. The UAE is also producing weapons and ammunition through Caracal International, military transport vehicles through Nimr LLC, and unmanned aerial vehicles collectively through Emirates Defence Industries Company. The UAE operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon F-16E Block 60 unique variant unofficially called "Desert Falcon", developed by General Dynamics in collaboration with the UAE and specifically for the United Arab Emirates Air Force.[171] The United Arab Emirates Army operates a customised Leclerc tank and is the only other operator of the tank aside from the French Army.[172] The largest defence exhibition and conference in the Middle East, International Defence Exhibition, takes place biennially in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE introduced a mandatory military service for adult males, since 2014, for 16 months to expand its reserve force.[173] The highest loss of life in the history of UAE military occurred on Friday 4 September 2015, in which 52 soldiers were killed in Marib area of central Yemen by a Tochka missile which targeted a weapons cache and caused a large explosion.[174]
Law
[edit]
Main articles: Legal system of the United Arab Emirates and Crime in the United Arab Emirates
See also: LGBT rights in the United Arab Emirates
Dubai Police helicopter flying at sunset
The United Arab Emirates has a federal court system, and the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras Al Khaimah also have local court systems. The UAE's judicial system is derived from the civil law system and Sharia law. The court system consists of civil courts and Sharia courts. Sharia courts have exclusive jurisdiction in Muslim family law matters, while civil courts deal with all other legal matters.[175] Since September 2020, corporal punishment is no longer a legal form of punishment under UAE federal law. Under the decree, legal forms of punishment are retribution and blood money payments, capital punishment, life imprisonment, temporary imprisonment, indefinite detention, and fines.[175] Article 1 of the Federal Penal Code was amended in 2020 to state that Islamic Law applies only to retribution and blood money punishments; previously the article stated that "provisions of the Islamic Law shall apply to the crimes of doctrinal punishment, punitive punishment and blood money."[175][176] Before 2020, flogging, stoning, amputation, and crucifixion were technically legal punishments for criminal offences such as adultery, premarital sex, and drug or alcohol use.[177][178] In recent history, the UAE has declared its intention to move towards a more tolerant legal code, and to phase out corporal punishment altogether in favour of private punishment.[179] With alcohol and cohabitation laws being loosened in advance of the 2020 World Expo, Emirati laws have become increasingly acceptable to visitors from non-Muslim countries.[180]
Dubai Police super-car motorcade at Jumeirah Road
Sharia courts have exclusive jurisdiction over Muslim family law matters such as marriage, divorce, child custody, and inheritance.[181][182] Muslim women must receive permission from a male guardian to marry and remarry. This requirement is derived from Sharia law and has been federal law since 2005.[181] It is illegal for Muslim women to marry non-Muslims and is punishable by law.[183] Non-Muslim expatriates were liable to Sharia rulings on marriage, divorce, child custody, and inheritance, however, federal law was changed to introduce non-Sharia personal status law for non-Muslims.[184][185] Recently, the emirate of Abu Dhabi opened a civil law family court for non-Muslims and Dubai has announced that non-Muslims can opt for civil marriages.[186][184]
Apostasy is a technically capital crime in the UAE, however, there are no documented cases of apostates being executed.[187][188] Blasphemy is illegal; expatriates involved in insulting Islam are liable for deportation.[189][190][191]
Sodomy is illegal and is punishable by a minimum of 6-month imprisonment or a fine or both, but the law does not apply "except on the basis of a complaint from the husband or legal guardian", but the penalty may be suspended if the complaint is waived.[192] In 2013, an Emirati man was on trial for being accused of a "gay handshake".[193]
Due to local customs, public shows of affection in certain public places are illegal and could result in deportation, but holding hands is tolerated.[194] Expats in Dubai have been deported for kissing in public.[195] In several cases, the courts of the UAE have jailed women who have reported rape.[d] Federal law in the UAE prohibits swearing on social media.[201][202] Dancing in public is illegal in the UAE.[203][204][205] In November 2020, UAE announced that it decriminalised alcohol, lifted the ban on unmarried couples living together, and ended lenient punishment on honor killing. Foreigners living in the Emirates were allowed to follow their native country's laws on divorce and inheritance.[206]
Despite the Sharia laws that restrict gambling tools and machines in the UAE, the country granted its first commercial gaming operator's licence to Wynn Resorts that was developing a luxury resort, including a 224,000 ft2 (20,800 m2) casino component, at Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. In September 2023, the UAE established the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), hinting towards its plans to legalise gambling. The GCGRA has outlined a comprehensive framework that includes licenses for casinos, slot machines, and poker tables, as well as lotteries, internet gaming, and sports wagering. The GCGRA emphasises responsible gaming, requiring operators to implement socially responsible gaming programs and undergo audits every two years. These programs include player education, responsible marketing, employee training, and evaluation plans to measure their effectiveness. Gaming operators must have a "qualifying domestic entity" in the UAE, defined as any UAE company with substantial business operations in the jurisdiction. The GCGRA also mandates player management tools, including deposit limits and cooling-off periods for online gaming.[207][208]
The first lottery license has been granted to The Game LLC, operating under the banner of the 'UAE Lottery'. This move supersedes existing lottery operators like Mahzooz and Big Ticket, which are no longer legally permitted to offer their services. Players are required to engage only with licensed gaming operators to avoid severe penalties. The regulations also specify that operators must enable players to restrict themselves from online gaming platforms for a period of at least 72 hours upon request. This is part of the broader initiative to ensure a secure and responsible commercial gaming environment in the UAE.[207]
The UAE's move to legalise gaming is seen as a strategic step to enhance its tourism and entertainment sector, leveraging its existing infrastructure and business-friendly environment. This development is expected to attract major gaming operators and contribute significantly to the country's economy.[207]
The country does not have any formal gaming laws, and therefore the project details about the casino were not completely made public. Local citizens are not permitted for gambling, which remains a legal and cultural taboo.[209][208]
Human rights violations
[edit]
Main article: Human rights in the United Arab Emirates
Human Rights Watch has reported on the country's ongoing unfair mass trials, restrictions of freedom of speech and abuses to migrant labor forces.[210] The annual Freedom House report on Freedom in the World has listed the United Arab Emirates as "Not Free" every year since 1999, the first year for which records are available on their website.[211] In 2025, the country ranked 18 out of 100 in terms of the freedom index, due to a lack of free elections, lack of government transparency and accountability, and a lack of free media and independent judicial system, and low scores against other metrics.[133]
Freedom of association is also severely curtailed, and in most cases, banned under existing law. In the UAE an association requires twenty individuals, none of which can have previous convictions and must be preauthorized and registered with the government.[212] All associations have to be submitted to censorship guidelines and all publications have first to be approved by the government.[213] Updated in 2022, article 188 in the Penal Code makes the establishment of an association with the intended goal of challenging the existing regime punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty.[214][215] In its 2025 Annual Report, Amnesty International has continuously identified severe human rights violations, particularly against freedom of assembly, freedom speech and an uptick in arbitrary arrest and torture.[216]
Immigrant workers are often subject to harsh forms of the law within the country, and are often victims of arbitrary detention or torture within the country.[217][218] One notable example is Ryan Cornelius, a 71-year-old British citizen who has been unlawfully detained in the UAE since 2008.[219] The Arab Organization for Human Rights obtained testimonies from defendants who claimed being kidnapped, tortured and abused in detention centers; they reported sixteen methods of torture including beatings, threats with electrocution and denial of medical care.[220] Repressive measures, including deportation, were applied on foreigners based on allegations of attempts to destabilize the country.[221] The issue of sexual abuse among female domestic workers is another area of concern, particularly given that domestic servants are not covered by the UAE labour law of 1980 or the draft labour law of 2007.[222] Additionally, the kafala system, or sponsorship for work results in a significant cost to migrant workers and conditions comparable to indentured servitude.[223] Protests by foreign workers have been suppressed, and protesters imprisoned without due process; including in 2008, 2012, and most recently in 2023.[224][225][226]
The state security apparatus in the UAE has been accused of human rights abuses including forced disappearance, arbitrary arrests and torture.[227][228][229] In a mass trial in 2013, human rights activist and lawyer, Salim al-Shehhi claimed he was held in solitary confinement and forced to give a confession to crimes he was accused of.[230][231] In 2023, the country held its largest mass trial where defendants were not given fair treatment. Beginning in December 2023, a trial with 84 defendants resulted in 43 people sentenced to life in prison, ten received sentences up to fifteen years for peaceful protests against the government. Those convicted were Bangladeshi individuals in the UAE, protesting their home government, while the UAE claimed the defendants were a part of a terrorist organization. The trial took place in secrecy with no documents or evidence provided in the court.[133][216][232] In January 2025, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report highlighting the human rights abuses committed by the UAE in 2024, majorly focusing on the unfair mass trial, where the UAE's use of Federal Penal Code and the Cybercrime Law were used to silence government critics, journalists, dissidents and activists, while restricting their freedom of expression.
A December 2024 report by European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR) highlights the country's acute issue with unlawful, political persecution and absence of judicial independence. Trials are often held in secrecy and the defendants' lawyers are neglected from accessing case files and court documents. The UAE's 2014 Counter-Terrorism Law is used to enforce travel bans, life imprisonment and even death penalty for peaceful critics of the regime and those managing an organization.[233] The UAE's counterterrorism law represses freedom of expression. The country's judicial system lacks any form of transparency or independence, and international organizations have called on the UN to form an independent committee to review all allegations of torture, incommunicado detention, and unfair trials.[234]
Investigations have found that Qatari men have been abducted by the UAE government and allegedly withheld information about the men's fate from their families.[221][235] Over 4,000 Shia expatriates have been deported from the UAE;[236][237] including Lebanese Shia families for their alleged sympathies for Hezbollah.[238][239][240] In 2013, 94 Emirati activists were held in secret detention centres and put on trial for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government;[241] a relative of a defendant was arrested for tweeting about the trial, and sentenced to 10 months in jail.[242] The latest forced disappearance involves three sisters from Abu Dhabi.[243]
The UAE has expanded its international influence, subsequently committing human rights abuses across national borders. The country has been a leading supporter of Israel's genocide in Gaza as well as funding the genocide in Sudan, through direct support and supply of weapons to the Rapid Support Forces in the Sudanese civil war.[244][216]
On 29 March 2024, Sudan filed a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), in response to the UAE's planning and backing the RSF militias against the Sudanese army.[245] The ongoing conflict has reached new heights of violence with the continued support of the RSF by the UAE in terms of weapons and other equipment.[246] Reports stating the Emirates wanted to provide humanitarian support for the Sudanese people turned out to be an expansion of a covert operation to funnel money, weapons - including drone technology - to opposition forces. Officials said the UAE was playing the most consequential role by inflaming the crisis, while pledging to ease it.[247] In October 2024, Sudan wrote a second official letter to the UNSC, calling for it to take strong action against the UAE's continued aggression towards Sudan, with the Sudanese Foreign Ministry also claimed that the UAE is not just an indirect supporter of RSF, but rather a "vicious frontline player in the war of aggression" against Sudan.[244][247][248]
As a response to their poor human rights records, the government of the UAE has tried to strengthen relations with a number of western private and public entities through whitewashing, to improve their public image.[249] They established a Soft Power Council in 2017 in order to address their international image.[250] The UAE deploys a number of these techniques, including gender-washing, green-washing and sports-washing; as evident in hosting major events like COP28, sporting events including Formula One races,[251] the Abu Dhabi Cup in 2026;[252] or promoting tourism and business to Dubai.[253][254][255] The growing interest in playing a role in the international entertainment industriy is an attempt to scour the country's image of its ongoing human rights violations. They continue to face criticism for its ongoing contribution to climate change and human rights abuses, despite participating in these international events.[256] In 2018, the country hosted the Second Annual World Tolerance Summit, which was protested by a number of NGOs and scholars.[257]
Migrant workers
[edit]
Main articles: Migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates and Migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council region
Two South Asian blue-collar workers posing for a picture with the Burj Khalifa on the background
Migrant workers in the UAE are not allowed to join trade unions or go on strike. Those who strike may risk prison and deportation,[258][259] as seen in 2014 when dozens of workers were deported for striking.[260] The International Trade Union Confederation has called on the United Nations to investigate evidence that thousands of migrant workers in the UAE are treated as slave labour.[261]
In 2019, an investigation performed by The Guardian revealed that thousands of migrant construction workers employed on infrastructure and building projects for the UAE's Expo 2020 exhibition were working in an unsafe environment. Some were even exposed to potentially fatal situations due to cardiovascular issues. Long hours in the sun made them vulnerable to heat strokes.[262]
A report in January 2020 highlighted that the employers in the United Arab Emirates have been exploiting the Indian labor and hiring them on tourist visas, which is easier and cheaper than work permits. These migrant workers are left open to labor abuse, where they also fear reporting exploitation due to their illegal status. Besides, the issue remains unknown as the visit visa data is not maintained in both the UAE and Indian migration and employment records.[263]
Dubai construction workers having a lunch break
In a 22 July 2020 news piece, Reuters reported human rights groups as saying conditions had deteriorated because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many migrant workers racked up debt and depended on the help of charities. The report cited salary delays and layoffs as a major risk, in addition to overcrowded living conditions, lack of support and problems linked with healthcare and sick pay. Reuters reported at least 200,000 workers, mostly from India but also from Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Nepal, had been repatriated, according to their diplomatic missions.[264]
On 2 May 2020, the Consul General of India in Dubai, Vipul, confirmed that more than 150,000 Indians in the United Arab Emirates registered to be repatriated through the e-registration option provided by Indian consulates in the UAE. According to the figures, 25% of applicants lost their jobs and nearly 15% were stranded in the country due to lockdown. Besides, 50% of the total applicants were from the state of Kerala, India.[265]
On 9 October 2020, The Telegraph reported that many migrant workers were left abandoned, as they lost their jobs amidst the tightening economy due to COVID-19.[266]
Various human rights organisations have raised serious concerns about the alleged abuse of migrant workers by major contractors organising Expo 2020. UAE's business solution provider German Pavilion is also held accountable for abusing migrant workers.[267]
Environmental policy
[edit]
Further information: Environmental issues in the United Arab Emirates
Environmental issues in the United Arab Emirates are caused by the exploitation of natural resources, rapid population growth, and high energy demand. Climate change contributes to UAE's water scarcity, drought, and rising sea level.[268] The country is a leading oil and gas producer. Its energy consumption per capita is around 370 Gigajoule. The UAE's carbon dioxide emissions per capita are high, ranking sixth among countries globally.[269] Recently, it made efforts to make itself more sustainable. Those include:[270]
Setting a target to reduce GHG emissions by 31% in comparison to business scenario by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
Launching a program to make the 3 most emissions-intensive sectors, 40% more energy efficient.
Launching some programs related to green building. Retrofitting of 30,000 buildings alone, should cut 1 million tons emissions.
Promoting public transport and more.
According to official sources, in Dubai, "the share of mass transport in people's mobility increased from 6 per cent in 2006 to 20.61 per cent in 2022."[271] Together with the USA the country invested 17 billion dollars in sustainable agriculture.[272]
Economy
[edit]
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Main article: Economy of the United Arab Emirates
Burj Khalifa, the tallest human-made structure in the world, located in Dubai
The United Arab Emirates has developed from a juxtaposition of Bedouin tribes to one of the world's wealthiest states in only about 50 years, boasting one of the highest GDP (PPP) per capita figures in the world. Economic growth has been impressive and steady throughout the history of this young confederation of emirates with brief periods of recessions only, e.g. in the global financial and economic crisis years 2008–09, and a couple of more mixed years starting in 2015 and persisting until 2019. Between 2000 and 2018, average real gross domestic product (GDP) growth was at close to 4%.[273] It is the second largest economy in the GCC (after Saudi Arabia),[274] with a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of US$414.2 billion, and a real GDP of 392.8 billion constant 2010 USD in 2018.[273] Since its independence in 1971, the UAE's economy has grown by nearly 231 times to 1.45 trillion AED in 2013. The non-oil trade has grown to 1.2 trillion AED, a growth by around 28 times from 1981 to 2012.[274] Supported by the world's seventh-largest oil reserves and aided by prudent investments coupled with a resolute commitment to economic liberalism and strong governmental oversight, the UAE has witnessed its real GDP increase by more than three times over the past four decades. Presently, the UAE is among the wealthiest countries globally, with GDP per capita nearly 80% higher than the OECD average.[273]
Dubai International Financial Center
World Trade Center Abu Dhabi
As impressive as economic growth has been in the UAE, the total population has increased from just around 550,000 in 1975 to close to 10 million in 2018. This growth is mainly due to the influx of foreign workers into the country, making the national population a minority. The UAE features a unique labour market system, in which residence in the UAE is conditional on stringent visa rules. This system is a major advantage in terms of macroeconomic stability, as labour supply adjusts quickly to demand throughout economic business cycles. This allows the government to keep unemployment in the country on a very low level of less than 3%, and it also gives the government more leeway in terms of macroeconomic policies – where other governments often need to make trade-offs between fighting unemployment and fighting inflation.[273]
Between 2014 and 2018, the accommodation and food, education, information and communication, arts and recreation, and real estate sectors overperformed in terms of growth, whereas the construction, logistics, professional services, public, and oil and gas sectors underperformed.[273]
As for competitiveness, in June 2024 it was reported that the UAE has moved up three place to the 7th place among the top 10 countries in the IMD World Competitiveness. This ranking is issued by the World Competitiveness Centre of the Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland.[275]
Business and finance
[edit]
Abu Dhabi skyline
The UAE is ranked as the 26th best country in the world for doing business by the Doing Business 2017 Report published by the World Bank Group.[276] The UAE are in the top ranks of several other global indices, such as the World Happiness Report (WHR) and 30th in the Global Innovation Index in 2025.[277][278]The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) assigns the UAE rank two regionally in terms of business environment and 22 worldwide. From the 2018 Arab Youth Survey, the UAE emerges as the top Arab country in areas such as living, safety and security, economic opportunities, and starting a business, and as an example for other states to emulate.[273]
The weaker points remain the level of education across the UAE population, limitations in the financial and labour markets, barriers to trade and some regulations that hinder business dynamism. The major challenge for the country, though, remains translating investments and strong enabling conditions into innovation and creative outputs.[273]
UAE law does not allow trade unions to exist.[279] The right to collective bargaining and the right to strike are not recognised, and the Ministry of Labour has the power to force workers to go back to work. Migrant workers who participate in a strike can have their work permits cancelled and be deported.[279] Consequently, there are very few anti-discrimination laws in relation to labour issues, with Emiratis – and other GCC Arabs – getting preference in public sector jobs despite lesser credentials than competitors and lower motivation. In fact, just over eighty per cent of Emirati workers hold government posts, with many of the rest taking part in state-owned enterprises such as Dubai Properties and the airline Emirates.[280] Western states, including the United Kingdom, were also warned by the Emirati Trade Minister, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, to keep politics separate from trade and the economy, as it dilutes the agreements' main objectives. In 2023, Al Zeyoudi indicated that these countries should "tone down" the human and workers' rights provisions in the trade deals, in order to gain greater market access and business opportunities.[281]
The UAE's monetary policy stresses stability and predictability. The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) keeps a peg to the US Dollar (USD) and moves interest rates close to the Federal Funds Rate.[273]
According to Fitch Ratings, the decline in property sector follows risks of progressively worsening the quality of assets in possession with UAE banks, leading the economy to rougher times ahead. Even though as compared to retail and property, UAE banks fared well. The higher US interest rates followed since 2016 – which the UAE currency complies to – have boosted profitability. However, the likelihood of plunging interest rates and increasing provisioning costs on bad loans, point to difficult times ahead for the economy.[282]
Dubai Marina skyline
Since 2015, economic growth has been more mixed due to a number of factors impacting both demand and supply. In 2017 and 2018, growth has been positive but on a low level of 0.8 and 1.4%, respectively. To support the economy, the government is currently following an expansionary fiscal policy. However, the effects of this policy are partially offset by monetary policy, which has been contractionary. If not for the fiscal stimulus in 2018, the UAE economy would probably have contracted in that year. One of the factors responsible for slower growth has been a credit crunch, which is due to, among other factors, higher interest rates. Government debt has remained on a low level, despite high deficits in a few recent years. Risks related to government debt remain low. Inflation has been picking up in 2017 and 2018. Contributing factors were the introduction of a value added tax (VAT) of 5%[283] in 2018 as well as higher commodity prices. Despite the government's expansionary fiscal policy and a growing economy in 2018 and at the beginning of 2019, prices have been dropping in late 2018 and 2019 owing to oversupply in some sectors of importance to consumer prices.[273]
The UAE has an attractive tax system for companies and wealthy individuals, making it a preferred destination for companies seeking tax avoidance. The NGO Tax Justice Network places them in 2021 in the group of the ten largest tax havens.[284] In 2023, the UAE's legal system fell under international scrutiny, as the members of the British Parliament opened an inquiry into how the foreign business executives are treated in the country, in case of accusations of breaking the law.[285]
2024 will be the third consecutive year that the UAE holds first place as the world's leading wealth magnet, as 6,700 wealthy migrants are set to move to the country.[286]
VAT
[edit]
The UAE government implemented value-added tax (VAT) in the country from 1 January 2018, at a standard rate of 5%.[287] While the government may still adjust the exact arrangement of the VAT, it is not likely that any new taxes will be introduced in the foreseeable future. Additional taxes would destroy one of the UAE's main enticements for businesses to operate in the country and put a heavy burden on the economy.[273]
Energy
[edit]
Main article: Energy in the United Arab Emirates
See also: Solar power in the United Arab Emirates
Ruwais Refinery is the fourth-largest single-site oil refinery in the world and the biggest in the Middle East.
Oil and gas production is an important part of the economy of the UAE. In 2018, the oil and gas sector contributed 26% to overall GDP. The UAE leadership initiated economic diversification efforts even before the oil price crash in the 1980s, resulting in the UAE having the most diversified economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region at present. Although the oil and gas sector continues to be significant to the UAE economy, these efforts have yielded great resilience during periods of oil price fluctuations and economic turbulence. The introduction of the VAT has provided the government with an additional source of income – approximately 6% of the total revenue in 2018, or 27 billion United Arab Emirates dirham (AED) – affording its fiscal policy more independence from oil- and gas-related revenue, which constitutes about 36% of the total government revenue.
The Barakah nuclear power plant is the first on the Arabian peninsula and expected to reduce the carbon footprint of the country.[288]
The UAE has solar generation potential, and its energy policy has shifted due to the declining price of solar. The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy aims to provide 7 per cent of Dubai's energy from clean energy sources by 2020. It will increase this target to 25 per cent by 2030 and 75 per cent by 2050.[289]
In 2023, ADNOC and its CEO Sultan Al Jaber closed at least 20 business deals worth nearly $100 billion. The state oil firm was alleged of exploiting the UAE's COP28 presidency to pursue oil and gas deals. As per leaked documents, Al Jaber's team targeted 16 nations to lobby firms, delegates or ministers on such deals. ADNOC sought deals with companies from 12 countries, which included 11 of the 16 target nations. Al Jaber and senior ADNOC officials openly discussed deals. COP28 organising teams were excluded from meetings and replaced by ADNOC officials, leaving a closed group that made deals.[290]
Tourism
[edit]
Main article: Tourism in the United Arab Emirates
Palm Jumeirah in Dubai
The Dubai Mall
Tourism acts as a growth sector for the entire UAE economy. Dubai is the top tourism destination in the Middle East.[198] According to the annual MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index, Dubai is the fifth most popular tourism destination in the world.[291] Dubai holds up to 66% share of the UAE's tourism economy, with Abu Dhabi having 16% and Sharjah 10%. Dubai welcomed 10 million tourists in 2013.
The UAE has the most advanced and developed infrastructure in the region.[292] Since the 1980s, the UAE has been spending billions of dollars on infrastructure. These developments are particularly evident in the larger emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The northern emirates are rapidly following suit, providing major incentives for developers of residential and commercial property.[293][294]
The inbound tourism expenditure in the UAE for 2019 accounted for 118.6 per cent share of the outbound tourism expenditure.[294] Since 6 January 2020, tourist visas to the United Arab Emirates are valid for five years.[295] It has been projected that the travel and tourism industry will contribute about 280.6 billion United Arab Emirati dirham to the UAE's GDP by 2028.[294]
The country's major tourist attraction includes the famous Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest tower in the world;[296] The World archipelago and Palm Jumeirah also in Dubai;[297] Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi; Al Hajar Mountains in Fujairah. The uniqueness of the country's natural desert life, especially with the Bedouins, also facilitates the country's tourist industry.[298]
The UAE will diversify its tourism sector with the introduction of casino gambling. Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah will feature the first casino in the country and will also be the country's first integrated resort when it opens in March 2027.[299][300][301]
Abu Dhabi is set to become the home of Disneyland Abu Dhabi, the first Disney theme park in the Middle East.[302]
Transport
[edit]
Main article: Transport in the United Arab Emirates
Dubai International Airport became the busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic in 2014, overtaking London Heathrow.[303] Abu Dhabi International Airport is the second-largest airport in the UAE. Due to the announced expansion of Al Maktoum Airport on 28 April 2024, Dubai International Airport will be shut down once Al Maktoum Airport expansion will be completed.[304]
E 311, a major road in the UAE
Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah are connected by the E11 highway, which is the longest road in the UAE. In Dubai, in addition to the Dubai Metro, The Dubai Tram and Palm Jumeirah Monorail also connect specific parts of the city. There is also a bus, taxi, abra (traditional boat), and water taxi network run by RTA. T1, a double-decker tram system in Downtown Dubai, were operational from 2015 to 2019.
Salik, meaning "open" or "clear", is Dubai's electronic toll collection system that was launched in July 2007 and is part of Dubai's traffic congestion management system. Each time one passes through a Salik tolling point, a toll is deducted from the drivers' prepaid toll account using advanced Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. There are four Salik tolling points placed in strategic locations in Dubai: at Al Maktoum Bridge, Al Garhoud Bridge, and along Sheikh Zayed Road at Al Safa and Al Barsha.[305]
A Dubai Metro train. Dubai Metro is the Arabian peninsula's first rapid transit system and was the world's longest driverless metro network until 2016.
A 1,200 km (750 mi) country-wide railway is under construction which will connect all the major cities and ports.[306] The Dubai Metro is the first urban train network in the Arabian Peninsula.[307]
The major ports of the United Arab Emirates are Khalifa Port, Zayed Port, Port Jebel Ali, Port Rashid, Port Khalid, Port Saeed, and Port Khor Fakkan.[308] The Emirates are increasingly developing their logistics and ports in order to participate in trade between Europe and China or Africa. For this purpose, ports are being rapidly expanded and investments are being made in their technology.
The Emirates have historically been and currently still are part of the Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast to the south via the southern tip of India to Mombasa, from there through the Red Sea via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region and the northern Italian hub of Trieste with its rail connections to Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the North Sea.[309][310]
Telecommunications
[edit]
The United Arab Emirates is served by two telecommunications operators, Etisalat and Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company ("du"). Etisalat operated a monopoly until du launched mobile services in February 2007.[311] Internet subscribers were expected to increase from 0.904 million in 2007 to 2.66 million in 2012.[312] The regulator, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, mandates filtering websites for religious, political, and sexual content.[313]
5G wireless services were installed nationwide in 2019 through a partnership with Huawei.[314]
Demographics
[edit]
Main article: Demographics of the United Arab Emirates
Skyline of Dubai, largest city of United Arab Emirates
According to an estimate by the World Bank, the UAE's population in 2020 was 9,890,400. Immigrants accounted for 88.52% while Emiratis made up the remaining 11.48%.[315] This unique imbalance is due to the country's exceptionally high net migration rate of 21.71, the world's highest.[316] UAE citizenship is very difficult to obtain other than by filiation and only granted under very special circumstances.[317]
Residential villas in the Palm Jumeirah palm fronds in Dubai
The UAE is ethnically diverse. The five most populous nationalities in the emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman are Indian (25%), Pakistani (12%), Emirati (9%), Bangladeshi (7%), and Filipino (5%).[318] Immigrants from Europe, Australia, and North America make up around 100,000 of the population.[319][320][321] The rest of the population are from other Arab states.[4][322]
About 88% of the population of the United Arab Emirates is urban.[323] The average life expectancy was 76.7 in 2012, higher than for any other Arab country.[324][325] With a male/female sex ratio of 2.2 males for each female in the total population and 2.75 to 1 for the 15–65 age group, the UAE's gender imbalance is second highest in the world after Qatar.[326]
Largest cities
[edit]
Largest cities or towns in the United Arab Emirates
2023 Calculation
Rank
Name
Emirate
Pop.
1
Dubai
Dubai
3,564,931
2
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
1,807,000
3
Sharjah
Sharjah
1,405,000
4
Al Ain
Abu Dhabi
846,747
5
Ajman
Ajman
490,035
6
Ras Al Khaimah
Ras al Khaimah
191,753
7
Fujairah
Fujairah
118,933
8
Umm Al Quwain
Umm Al Quwain
59,098
9
Khor Fakkan
Sharjah
53,000
10
Kalba
Sharjah
51,000
Language
[edit]
Modern Standard Arabic is the national language of the United Arab Emirates. English is the most commonly spoken language,[2][3] following British English conventions.[327] Emirati Arabic, a variety of Gulf Arabic, is spoken natively by Emirati people.[328]
Religion
[edit]
Main article: Religion in the United Arab Emirates
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi
Islam is the largest and the official state religion of the United Arab Emirates. The government follows a policy of tolerance toward other religions and rarely interferes in the religious activities of non-Muslims.[329]
There are more Sunni than Shia Muslims in the United Arab Emirates,[330] and 85% of the Emirati population are Sunni Muslims with most of them adhering to the Maliki school of jurisprudence.[331][332] The vast majority of the remainder 15% are Shia Muslims, who are concentrated in the Emirates of Dubai and Sharjah. Although no official statistics are available for the breakdown between Sunni and Shia Muslims among noncitizen residents, media estimates suggest less than 20% of the noncitizen Muslim population are Shia.[329] The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is the largest mosque in the country and a major tourist attraction. Ibadi is common among Omanis in the UAE, while Sufi influences exist as well.[333]
Christians account for 9% of the total population of the United Arab Emirates, according to the 2005 census; estimates in 2010 suggested a figure of 12.6%.[329] Roman Catholics and Protestants form significant proportions of the Christian minority. The country has over 52 churches in 2023.[334] Many Christians in the United Arab Emirates are of Asian, African, and European origin, along with fellow Middle Eastern countries such as Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt.[335] The United Arab Emirates forms part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia and the Vicar Apostolic Bishop Paul Hinder is based in Abu Dhabi.[336]
There is a small Jewish community in the United Arab Emirates. Before 2023, there was only one known synagogue in Dubai, which has been open since 2008 and the synagogue also welcomes visitors.[337] Another synagogue, Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue, was completed in 2023 as part of the Abrahamic Family House complex in Abu Dhabi. As of 2019, according to Rabbi Marc Schneier of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, it is estimated that there are about 150 families to 3,000 Jews who live and worship freely in the UAE.[338]
Religions in UAE in 2010 (Pew Research)[339][340]
Religion
Per cent
Islam
76%
Christianity
13%
Hinduism
7%
Buddhism
2%
Other
1%
None
1%
South Asians in the United Arab Emirates constitute the largest ethnic group in the country.[341] Over 2 million Indian migrants (mostly from the southern states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Coastal Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu) are estimated to be living in the UAE.[342] There are currently three Hindu temples in the country. Other religions also exist in the United Arab Emirates, including Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism, Baháʼís, and Druze.[183]
The UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Abdullah bin Zayed, announced in 2019 the design and construction plan of the Abrahamic Family House, which will serve as an interfaith complex that houses a synagogue, mosque, and a church on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.[343]
Education
[edit]
Main article: Education in the United Arab Emirates
University City Hall is the largest building located in University City in Sharjah. Graduation ceremonies of American University of Sharjah, University of Sharjah, and Higher Colleges of Technology are notably held here.
The education system through secondary level is administered by the Ministry of Education in all emirates except Abu Dhabi, where it falls under the authority of the Department of Education and Knowledge. Public schools are divided into primary schools, middle schools, and high schools. The public schools are government-funded and the curriculum is created to match the United Arab Emirates' development goals. The medium of instruction in the public school is Arabic with emphasis on English as a second language. There are also many private schools which are internationally accredited. Public schools in the country are free for citizens of the UAE, while the fees for private schools vary.
The higher education system is monitored by the Ministry of Higher Education. The ministry also is responsible for admitting students to its undergraduate institutions.[344] The adult literacy rate in 2015 was 93.8%.[4]
The UAE has shown a strong interest in improving education and research. Enterprises include the establishment of the CERT Research Centres and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and Institute for Enterprise Development.[345] According to the QS Rankings, the top-ranking universities in the country are the United Arab Emirates University (421–430th worldwide), Khalifa University[346] (441–450th worldwide), the American University of Sharjah (431–440th), and University of Sharjah (551–600th worldwide).[347] United Arab Emirates was ranked 33rd in the Global Innovation Index in 2021, up from 36th in 2019.[348][349][350][351]
Health
[edit]
Main article: Health in the United Arab Emirates
The life expectancy at birth in the UAE is at 76.96 years.[352] Cardiovascular disease is the principal cause of death in the UAE, constituting 28% of total deaths; other major causes are accidents and injuries, malignancies, and congenital anomalies.[353] According to World Health Organization data from 2016, 34.5% of adults in the UAE are clinically obese, with a body mass index (BMI) score of 30 or more.[354]
In February 2008, the Ministry of Health unveiled a five-year health strategy for the public health sector in the northern emirates, which fall under its purview and which, unlike Abu Dhabi and Dubai, do not have separate healthcare authorities. The strategy focuses on unifying healthcare policy and improving access to healthcare services at reasonable cost, at the same time reducing dependence on overseas treatment. The ministry plans to add three hospitals to the current 14, and 29 primary healthcare centres to the current 86. Nine were scheduled to open in 2008.[355]
The introduction of mandatory health insurance in Abu Dhabi for expatriates and their dependents was a major driver in reform of healthcare policy. Abu Dhabi nationals were brought under the scheme from 1 June 2008 and Dubai followed for its government employees. Eventually, under federal law, every Emirati and expatriate in the country will be covered by compulsory health insurance under a unified mandatory scheme.[356] The country has benefited from medical tourists from all over the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. The UAE attracts medical tourists seeking cosmetic surgery and advanced procedures, cardiac and spinal surgery, and dental treatment, as health services have higher standards than other Arab countries in the Persian Gulf.[357]
Culture
[edit]
Main article: Culture of the United Arab Emirates
Women in an Emirati folk dance.
Emirati culture is based on Arabian culture and has been influenced by the cultures of Persia, India, and East Africa.[358] Arabian and Arabian inspired architecture is part of the expression of the local Emirati identity.[359] Arabian influence on Emirati culture is noticeably visible in traditional Emirati architecture and folk arts.[358] For example, the distinctive wind tower that tops traditional Emirati buildings, the barjeel, has become an identifying mark of Emirati architecture and is attributed to Arabian influence.[358] This influence is derived both from traders who fled the tax regime in Persia in the early 19th century and from Emirati ownership of ports on the Arabian coast, for instance the Al Qassimi port of Lingeh.[360]
Major holidays in the United Arab Emirates include Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and National Day (2 December), which marks the formation of the United Arab Emirates.[361]
Literature and other written works by modern Emiratis are not well known globally because the majority of writers in country do not publish in English, women are restricted from participating in traditional literary groups, and freedom of expression is surpessed.[362] The earliest known poet in the UAE is Ibn Majid, born between 1432 and 1437 in Ras Al-Khaimah. The most famous Emirati writers were Mubarak Al Oqaili (1880–1954), Salem bin Ali al Owais (1887–1959), and Ahmed bin Sulayem (1905–1976). Three other poets from Sharjah, known as the Hirah group, are observed to have been heavily influenced by the Apollo and Romantic poets.[363] The Sharjah International Book Fair is the oldest and largest in the country.
Traditional folk dances, such as Al-Ayyala, are performed by men and women in the UAE during festivals, holidays, and weddings.[364] Liwa is a type of music and dance performed locally, mainly in communities that contain descendants of Bantu peoples from the African Great Lakes region.[363]
The list of museums in the United Arab Emirates includes some of regional repute, most famously Sharjah with its Heritage District containing 17 museums,[365] which in 1998 was the Cultural Capital of the Arab World.[366] In Dubai, the area of Al Quoz has attracted a number of art galleries as well as museums such as the Salsali Private Museum.[367] Abu Dhabi has established a culture district on Saadiyat Island. Six grand projects are planned, including the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.[368] Dubai also plans to build a Kunsthal museum and a district for galleries and artists.[369] There are very few cinemas of the United Arab Emirates, and any published material is subject to strict censorship guidelines, despite a repeal of the harshest guidelines in 2021. To view a movie in the country you must be 21 years old.[370]
Media
[edit]
Main article: Mass media in the United Arab Emirates
See also: List of newspapers in the United Arab Emirates
Dubai Media City is home to diverse news and tech companies.
The UAE's media is annually classified as "not free" in the Freedom of the Press report by Freedom House.[371] The UAE ranks poorly in the annual Press Freedom Index by Reporters without Borders. Dubai Media City is the UAE's main media zone. The UAE is home to some pan-Arab broadcasters, including the Middle East Broadcasting Centre and Orbit Showtime Network. In 2007, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum decreed that journalists can no longer be prosecuted or imprisoned for reasons relating to their work.[372] At the same time, the UAE has made it illegal to disseminate online material that can threaten "public order",[373] and hands down prison terms for those who "deride or damage" the reputation of the state and "display contempt" for religion. Journalists who are arrested for violating this law are often brutally beaten by the police.[374]
According to UAE Year Book 2013, there are seven Arabic newspapers and eight English language newspapers, as well as a Tagalog newspaper produced and published in the UAE.
New media, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram are used widely in the UAE by the government entities and by the public as well.[375] The UAE government avails official social media accounts to communicate with public and hear their needs.[375]
In recent years, there has been a notable surge in digital media consumption in the UAE, driven by the widespread use of platforms like Snapchat and TikTok among the younger population.[376] Influencers on these platforms play a significant role in shaping trends and promoting various products and services.[377] The government has also implemented digital initiatives to enhance e-Government services and promote smart city concepts, further demonstrating the UAE's commitment to technological advancements.[377][378]
Cuisine
[edit]
Main article: Emirati cuisine
Arabic coffee with lugaimat, a traditional Emirati sweet
The traditional food of the Emirates has always been rice, fish, and meat. The people of the United Arab Emirates have adopted most of their foods from other West and South Asian countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Pakistan, and India. Seafood has been the mainstay of the Emirati diet for centuries. Meat and rice are other staple foods, with lamb and mutton preferred to goat and beef. Popular beverages are coffee and tea, which can be complemented with cardamom or saffron to give them a distinctive flavour.[379]
Popular cultural Emirati dishes include threed, machboos, khubisa, khameer, and chabab bread among others while lugaimat is a famous Emirati dessert.[380]
With the influence of western culture, fast food has become very popular among young people, to the extent that campaigns have been held to highlight the dangers of fast food excesses.[381] Alcohol is allowed to be served only in hotel restaurants and bars. All nightclubs are permitted to sell alcohol. Specific supermarkets may sell alcohol, but these products are sold in separate sections. Likewise, pork, which is haram (not permitted for Muslims), is sold in separate sections in all major supermarkets. Although alcohol may be consumed, it is illegal to be intoxicated in public or drive a motor vehicle with any trace of alcohol in the blood.[382]
Sports
[edit]
Main article: Sport in the United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi
Formula One is particularly popular in the United Arab Emirates, and a Grand Prix is annually held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The race takes place in the evening, and was the first ever Grand Prix to start in daylight and finish at night.[383] Other popular sports include camel racing, falconry, endurance riding, and tennis.[384] The emirate of Dubai is also home to two major golf courses: the Dubai Golf Club and Emirates Golf Club.
Aside from the leisure aspect, sports can play an important part in shaping national identity. Falconry, for example, has functioned as a national symbol since its inception in 1971.[385] Aside from the national prevalence of falconry, the UAE have played a formative role internationally in the co-ordination of UNESCO's recognition of falconry as intangible heritage.[386]
In the past, child camel jockeys were used, leading to widespread criticism. Eventually, the UAE passed laws banning the use of children for the sport, leading to the prompt removal of almost all child jockeys.[387] Recently robot jockeys have been introduced to overcome the problem of child camel jockeys which was an issue of human rights violations. Ansar Burney is often praised for the work he has done in this area.[388]
Football
[edit]
Further information: Football in the United Arab Emirates
Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi
Football is a popular sport in the UAE. Al Nasr, Al Ain, Al Wasl, Sharjah, Al Wahda, and Shabab Al Ahli are the most popular teams and enjoy the reputation of long-time regional champions. The United Arab Emirates Football Association was established in 1971 and since then has dedicated its time and effort to promoting the game, organising youth programmes, and improving the abilities of not only its players, but also the officials and coaches involved with its regional teams. The UAE qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 1990, along with Egypt. It was the third consecutive World Cup with two Arab nations qualifying, after Kuwait and Algeria in 1982, and Iraq and Algeria again in 1986. The UAE has won the Gulf Cup Championship twice: the first cup won in January 2007 held in Abu Dhabi and the second in January 2013, held in Bahrain.[389] The country hosted the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The UAE team went all the way to the semi-finals, where they were defeated by the eventual champions, Qatar.
Cricket
[edit]
Further information: Cricket in the United Arab Emirates and List of cricket grounds in the United Arab Emirates
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the UAE, largely because of the expatriate population from the SAARC countries, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The headquarters of the International Cricket Council (ICC) have been located in the Dubai Sports City complex since 2005, including the ICC Academy which was established in 2009.[390] There are a number of international cricket venues in the UAE, which are frequently used for international tournaments and "neutral" bilateral series due to the local climate and Dubai's status as a transport hub. Notable international tournaments hosted by the UAE have included the 2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, and three editions of the Asia Cup (1984, 1995, and 2018). Notable grounds include the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium in Sharjah,[391] Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, and Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.[392]
The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) became a member of the ICC in 1990. The UAE national cricket team has qualified for the Cricket World Cup on two occasions (1996 and 2015)[393][394] and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup on two occasions (2014 and 2022). The national women's team is similarly one of the strongest associate teams in Asia, notably participating in the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier.
Following the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team, the UAE served as the de facto home of the Pakistan national cricket team for nearly a decade, as well as hosting the Pakistan Super League.[395][396] The UAE has also hosted one full edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2020 and two partial editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2014 and 2021.[397]
See also
[edit]
United Arab Emirates portal
Asia portal
List of United Arab Emirates–related topics
Outline of the United Arab Emirates
Notes
[edit]
^English is the most commonly spoken language in the UAE.[2][3]
^Attributed to multiple sources:[196][197][78][198][199][200]
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Further reading
[edit]
Abu Libdeh, A. (1994). 'English on Khalifa Street'. "The Journal of the College of Education". UAE University 10, 25–51.
Bianco, C. (2020a). "The GCC monarchies: Perceptions of the Iranian threat amid shifting geopolitics". The International Spectator, 55(2), 92–107.
Bianco, C. (February 2020). "A Gulf apart: How Europe can gain influence with the Gulf Cooperation Council". European Council on Foreign Relations.
Bianco, C. (March 2021). "Can Europe Choreograph a Saudi-Iranian Détente?", European University Institute, Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies, Middle East Directions.
Bianco, C., and Stansfield, G. (2018). "The intra-GCC crises: Mapping GCC fragmentation after 2011". International Affairs, 94(3), 613–635.
Miniaoui, Héla, ed. "Economic Development in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: From Rentier States to Diversified Economies". Vol. 1. Springer Nature, 2020.
Guzansky, Y., and Even, S. (1 June 2020). "The economic crisis in the Gulf States: A challenge to the "contract" between rulers and ruled". INSS Insight No. 1327.
Guzansky, Y., and Marshall, Z. A. (2020). "The Abraham accords: Immediate significance and long-term implications". Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, 1–11.
Guzansky, Y., and Segal, E. (30 August 2020). "All in the family: Leadership changes in the Gulf". INSS Insight No. 1378.
Guzansky, Y., and Winter, O. (8 June 2020). "Apolitical Normalization: A New Approach to Jews in Arab States". INSS Insight No. 1332.
Heard-Bey, Frauke (1996). From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates: A society in transition. London: Longman. ISBN 978-0-582-27728-1. OCLC 38355501.
Swan, M. (26 April 2012). "Arabic school aims to boost the popularity of the language". The National, p. 6.
Tausch, Arno; Heshmati, Almas; Karoui, Hichem (2015). The political algebra of global value change. General models and implications for the Muslim world (1st ed.). New York: Nova Science. ISBN 978-1-62948-899-8 – via ResearchGate.
Tausch, Arno (2021). The Future of the Gulf Region: Value Change and Global Cycles. Gulf Studies, Volume 2, edited by Prof. Mizanur Rahman, Qatar University (1st ed.). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. ISBN 978-3-030-78298-6.
"Towards A Foreign Language, Teaching Policy for the Arab World: U.A.E Perspective". United Arab Emirates University (1996).
Woertz, Eckart. "Wither the self-sufficiency illusion? Food security in Arab Gulf States and the impact of COVID-19". Food Security 12.4 (2020): 757–760.
Zweiri, Mahjoob, Md Mizanur Rahman, and Arwa Kamal, eds. "The 2017 Gulf Crisis: An Interdisciplinary Approach". Vol. 3. Springer Nature, 2020.
External links
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About Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
It was an amazing experience driving through the desert with a 4x4, having a great dinner in the camp with good entertainment. And our driver Mohammed was awesome: very friendly, always pointing out interesting things to see and thankfully very skilled when driving through the dunes.
Arabian Nights Tours Camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE, offers an immersive desert adventure experience. Located in the heart of the Arabian desert, the camp provides guests with a traditional Bedouin-style setting, complete with comfortable tents and authentic decor. Visitors can enjoy a range of activities, including dune bashing, camel rides, and sandboarding. The camp also features cultural entertainment such as belly dancing, henna painting, and traditional music. Guests are treated to a sumptuous buffet of Arabic cuisine under the stars, making for a memorable and picturesque desert experience. Arabian Nights Tours Camp combines adventure, culture, and relaxation in a stunning desert landscape.
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates
No prior experience is required for our Quad Biking Tours Dubai. Our professional instructors provide complete training before every tour covering steering braking and terrain handling.
How much do Quad Biking Tours Dubai cost?
Our Quad Biking Tours Dubai start from AED 200 for the COBRA Single Seater quad bike. Prices vary based on the quad bike model and tour duration ranging from 30 minutes to 120 minutes.
What is the minimum age for Quad Biking Tours Dubai?
All quad bike drivers must be at least 16 years old to participate in our Quad Biking Tours Dubai. Children below this age can ride as passengers with adult supervision on selected tours.