Dubai is the most populous and second largest emirate of the United Arab Emirates after Abu Dhabi. The city of Dubai dates back to 1095 AD, when it was first mentioned in a historic record. In 1833 the Al Maktoum dynasty took over the city, thereby creating a new indepent emirate. The dynasty has been ruling over the Dubai emirate since then. In 1971 Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after Britain left the Persian Gulf.
The population in Dubai consists by 85% of foreigners who work in the Emirate. The economy of Dubai depends on oil only for 6% of its GDP, the remainder being generated mainly by services (international trade) and tourism. Dubai is currently undergoing through a rapid development phase with a large number of ongoing construction projects, the most well known being the creation of artificial islands off Dubai's coast for residential purposes and the construction of the world's tallest skyscraper, the Al Burj. From a tourist perspective Dubai offers great beaches (best time for visiting is November to April, after it becomes too hot) and lots of shopping opportunities in Dubai's countless malls and shopping complexes.
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26 photos of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest man-made structure ever built
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31 photos in and around Dubai Creek, with the waterfront, skyscrapers, boats and water taxis
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9 photos of the Dubai skyline
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10 photos of the Dubai Heritage area around the Dubai museum with the mosque and the buildings in traditional style
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28 photos of The Dubai Mall, the world's largest mall located in Dubai next to the Burj Khalifa skyscraper
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21 photos of the beach in Jumeirah near the Burj al Arab hotel, with its soft sand and crystal clear sea water
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16 photos of the Burj al-Arab, 305m tall luxury hotel in Dubai, claimed to be the only seven stars hotel in the world
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15 photos and views of modern architecture in Dubai
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13 photos of the Dubai metro, a fully automated metro rail network which opened in 2009
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9 photos of the Atlantis The Palm hotel on the Palm Jumeirah island complex in Dubai
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30 photos of the hotel area on the Jumeirah beach to the southwest of the Palm Jumeirah complex in Dubai
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35 photos of shopping malls in Dubai
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18 miscellaneous photos of Dubai
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14 photos of the Dubai International Airport
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Related travelogues
- Dubai 2006: report of a brief three days stopover in Dubai, a high-end emirate on the Arabian peninsula with nice beaches and shopping complexes
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©Copyright Alfred Molon