Tag Archives: UAE

Dubai

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We took sea planes and flew over Dubai which was great to really give you the scope of the city and the incredible architecture. It is hard to imagine that just 50 years ago it was a very small port city and most of what is developed now was all desert. There are some fascinating man-made land formations such as “the world” which is many small islands created and for sale for 10 milion dollars each! The fronds were also interesting-the land created literally looks like a  large palm tree-each frond has about 130 houses on it-brilliant idea as everyone gets a water view.

Here are some other interesting facts:

1. Dubai is one of seven states that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country formed in 1971 from individual sheikdoms.

2. Foreigners make up most of Dubai’s population. The local people, called Emiratis, are just 15% of the total.

4. Dubai is apparently the fastest growing city in the world.In 1991, Dubai had just one tall building and it was at the edge of the desert. Now they have over 400 very tall buildings.

5. The tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, is in Dubai. It has 164 floors (pictured)

6.. Dubai asked Disneyland to consider building a resort here and Disney turned them down, saying Dubai was too small. So Dubai decided to construct its own theme park called Dubailand.When it opens, Dubailand will be twice the size of Disney World in Florida and is expected to be the largest tourist draw in the world, with 200,000 people daily.

7. Arabic is the official language, but most of the locals speak English (as their first choice). Our tour guide said that when he speaks to the Emiratis in Arabic, they answer in English.

8. There are actually outdoor air conditioners! (last picture)

Abu Dhabi

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Home to the Grand Mosque,many beaches and amazing water parks,race tracks,beautiful hotels…Abu Dhabi is in the process of change and significant development. 60 years ago, it was mostly desert. We were in a helicopter so were able to see it all from the air.

Abu Dhabi  is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast. The city proper had a population of 921,000 in 2013.

In the early 1960s, oil was discovered in Abu Dhabi, an event that led to quick unification calls made by UAE sheikdoms. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan became ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966 and the British started losing their oil investments and contracts to U.S. oil companies.

By 1966 it became clear the British government could no longer afford to govern what is now the United Arab Emirates.

The rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai decided to form a union between their two emirates independently, prepare a constitution, then call the rulers of the other five emirates to a meeting and offer them the opportunity to join. It was also agreed between the two that the constitution be written by December 2, 1971. On that date, at the Dubai Guesthouse Palace, four other emirates agreed to enter into a union called the United Arab Emirates. Ras al -Khaimah joined later, in early 1972.

In the beginning of the 1960s, the first oil company teams carried out preliminary surveys and the first cargo of crude was exported from Abu Dhabi in 1962. As oil revenues increased, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh 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 also able to use oil revenues to improve the quality of life of his people.

 

excerpts: Wikepedia