Dubai

Area: 3,885 sq. kms. Dubai is the second largest of the seven emirates in the UAE. The total area of the country is approximately 83,600 square kilometres, much of which lies in the Abu Dhabi Emirate. With an area of 3,885 square kilometres, Dubai is the second largest Emirate. Situated on the banks of the Dubai Creek, natural inlet from the Gulf which divides the city into the Deira district to its north and Bur Dubai to its south, the city ranks as the UAE's most important port and commercial centre.
The UAE has 700 kilometres of coastline, of which 100 kilometres are on the Gulf of Oman. The Arabian Gulf coast is littered with offshore islands, coral reefs and sabkha (salt-flats), with stretches of gravel plain and desert characterising much of the island region.
Geographical Location: North-Eastern part of UAE, stretching over 115 kms on the Gulf Coast. Inland, Dubai stretches as far as Hatta, an ancient village, some 120 kms to the east.
Latitude: 25 Deg 16 min North;
Longitude: 55 Deg 16 min East.
Status: Emirate. Dubai is the name given to both the city and the emirate.

International Relations: The UAE became a member of the United Nations and the Arab League in 1971. It is a member of the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the World Trade Organisation and other international and Arab organisations, including the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council (AGCC, but also known as the GCC), whose other members are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In its foreign relations the UAE's stance is one of non-alignment, but it is committed to the support of Arab unity.
Government Head: H. H. Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Ruler of Dubai, and the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE.

History: Dubai was originally a small fishing settlement, which in about 1830 was taken over by a branch of the Bani Yas tribe from the Liwa oasis to the south. The take over was led by the Maktoum family, who still rule the Emirate today. Traditional activities included sheep and goat herding, cultivating dates, fishing and pearl diving Sharjah, the Emirate adjacent to Dubai, had for a long time been the most populous and prosperous town in the region. However, in the early 1900's its influence declined as, first the Abu Dhabi Emirate, and then Dubai rose in power. The liberal attitudes of the rulers made Dubai attractive to traders from India and Persia. Foreign traders began to settle in the growing town, which soon developed a reputation as the leading commercial market for the region. The formation of the UAE came shortly after the discovery of huge oil reserves in Abu Dhabi in 1958. This discovery dramatically transformed the Emirate from one of the poorest states into the richest. In 1966 Dubai, which was already a relatively wealthy trading centre, also discovered oil. The oil revenue allowed the development of an economic and social infrastructure, which is the basis of today's modern society. Much of the credit for this development can be traced to the vision and dedication of the late Ruler, HH Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who ensured that Dubai's oil revenues were deployed to maximum effect. His work has been continued by the present Ruler, HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Population: 6,95,000 (1996 estimate). Majority live in Dubai city and its suburbs which has a cosmopolitan population. A small percentage live in villages and agrarian communities.A national census is taken every ten years and the following figures are from the last one in 1995. According to the Ministry of Planning, the population of the UAE expanded from 2,230,000 in 1994 to 2,377,453 in 1995. Dubai's population stood at 674,101 in 1995. Growth rate is estimated at 3.5% a year.

Local Time: Gulf Standard Time: +4 hours GMT.The UAE is four hours ahead of UCT (Universal Co-ordinated Time),formerly known as GMT. There is no summer time saving when clocks are altered. Hence, when it is 12:00 midday in Dubai, it is 08:00 in London, 13:30 in Delhi and 17:00 in Tokyo, (not allowing for any summer time saving in those countries).

Religion: Islam.

Languages: Arabic is the official language. English is widely used in business and trade sectors. Other commonly used languages are Hindi, Urdu, and Farsi.

Weather: With the sun shining for most of the year, Dubai experiences a sub-tropical arid climate with temperatures ranging from a high of 43 Deg C to a low of 10.5 Deg C. Humidity is high during summer. Monsoon spells are brief only the winter months of January and February amounting to some 130 mm annually, although high velocity winds breakout occasionally at other times. Early November to March experiences a very pleasant climate.Dubai has a sub-tropical, arid
climate and sunny blue skies and high temperatures can be expected most of the year. Rainfall is infrequent and irregular, falling mainly in winter - November to March (13cm per year). Temperatures range from a low of around 10¼ C (50¼ F), to a high of 48¼ C (118¼ F). The mean daily maximum is 24¼ C (75¼ F) in January, rising to 41¼ C (106¼ F) in July.
Humidity can be a killer in summer - prepare to sweat!

Currency: UAE Dirham.
Television: Dubai TV transmits its Arabic programmes on five channels with English programmes on Channel 33 UHF.

Radio: Dubai Radio transmits its Arabic programmes 18 1/2 hours a day (0630 hrs to 0100hrs) with English programmes for 24 hours continuously.
Working Hours: Banks: 8 am to 1 pm (Sat to Wed) and 8 am to 12 noon (Thu). Some banks also open from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm.
Government Offices: 7.30 am to 1.30 pm (Sat to Wed) and 7.30 am to 12 noon (Thu), in summer, 7 am to 1 pm (Sat to Thu), in winter; Private Offices: 8 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm (Sat to Wed), 7 am to 12 noon (Thu). All offices close every afternoon during the fasting month of Ramadan.

Major Industries: Petroleum; manufactured goods such as liquefied gas, aluminium ingots, cement, readymade garments, electric cables; and traditional commodities like dates, hides, frozen and dried fish, iron scrap and other metals.

Clothing: Lightweight clothes are ideal for the hotter months, with medium weights from November to March. Warmer clothes are recommended for the cooler evenings.
Shopping: One of Dubai's greatest attractions is indeed its superb shopping. Apart from the shopping areas and the traditional souks, there are a growing number of modern shopping malls and commercial complexes, besides the Dubai Duty Free at the airport, offering a wide range and selection for eager shoppers.

Air Transport: Getting from the airport to town and exploring the city Taxis are available to pick up passengers at the airport, charging a fixed price (30 AED) to any point in the city centre. Buses are also available every half-hour- these are the economy option at 1 AED. Serving more than a 100 destinations, the busy Dubai International Airport is located 3 kms east of the city. The national airline of UAE is Emirates, operating international flights to and from the airport. Gulf Air