55+ Amazing & Interesting Facts About Dubai

Dubai, a city located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), boasts a population of approximately 2 million people, making it the second-largest city in the country after Abu Dhabi. Dubai is unlike any other metropolis in the world. Imagine an oasis of luxury complete with air conditioning in the middle of the desert. What exactly is it that Dubai is famous for?

Dubai has gained global recognition for its remarkable landmarks and attractions. In this post, we present over 100 up-to-date and informative facts about Dubai.

Interesting Facts About Dubai

Read on to discover more fun facts about Dubai and why it is so famous and what makes it an incredible destination to explore.

• Dubai is the biggest city in the United Arab Emirates, a country on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula.
• Dubai is the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. The UAE comprises seven emirates, which are states ruled by an Arabic emir.
• The Persian Gulf is to the north of the Emirate of Dubai. To the east is the Emirate of Sharjah, and to the south and West are the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
• Dubai City is in the northeast corner of the Emirate of Dubai. It faces the Persian Gulf and is next to the city of Sharjah. The Arabian Desert is also located here.
• The Emirate of Dubai is the second largest in the country. It is 4114 km2 (1588 mi2), 16 times smaller than the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is 67,340 km2 (26,000 mi2).
• The original size of the Emirate of Dubai was 3885 km2, but it has grown by more than 200 km2 because the land has been taken from the ocean.
• The Emirate of Dubai is home to about 3.42 million people. More than 90% live in Dubai City, while the rest live in small villages all over the emirate.
• By the number of people, Dubai is about the same size as Lisbon (Portugal) or Chicago (USA).
• Dubai is thought to be the best place for business in the Middle East and Africa (or Western Asia) and is also a central transportation hub for the whole world.
• Dubai has one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, but the COVID pandemic hurt it significantly.
• People often refer to Dubai as “The shopping capital of the Middle East.” There are more than 70 malls and other places to shop there.
• Dubai is a popular place for tourists and ex-pats to live because it is more open-minded and has less strict rules than other cities in the area.
• About 1 million tourists or people who do not live there are in Dubai at any time.
• Only 15% of Dubai’s people are Arab (UAE citizens), while 85% are foreigners who live there.
• About 85% of these ex-pats are Asian, mainly from South Asia. About 5% are from the West, and around 100,000 are British.
• UAE’s official language is Arabic, but many people in Dubai speak English and several Asian languages.
• Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the person in charge of Dubai at the moment. He is the seventh wealthiest royal in the world, with a net worth of $4 billion. He is also the leader of the UAE as Prime Minister.
• Dubai sits at 25°N, a similar latitude to Miami, Florida.
• The government of Dubai paid to have Dubai font. It works with 23 languages and is available as a custom font for Windows 10 and Windows 365 from Microsoft.
• Dubai has 20 sister cities and twin cities around the world. Some of these cities are Busan (South Korea), Istanbul (Turkey), Detroit (USA), and Moscow (Russia).
• People think that Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world.
• According to Mastercard data, tourists spend more money in Dubai than in any other city.
• The Dubai Shopping Festival takes place annually for a month and brings in more than $2 billion. It has set several records, including the most extensive shopping cart, the longest gold chain, the longest line of Mercedes cards, the most giant pillow fight, the largest wallet, and the most enormous buffet.
• With 15.93 million visitors in 2019, Dubai was the fourth most visited city in the world, after Bangkok, Paris, and London.
• A small area called Hatta is also part of the Emirate of Dubai. Hatta is an exclave, which is part of a state that is surrounded by other states. It is 134 kilometres (83 miles) east of the rest of Dubai and covers 50 square kilometres).
• People say that the Dubai World Cup is “The richest horse race in the world.” It has a $12 million purse yearly, the total amount given to the winners.
• Shahrukh Khan from Bollywood, David and Victoria Beckham and Lindsay Lohan have villas in Palm Jumeirah. Lindsay Lohan has a villa on The World Islands.
• Oil helped Dubai overgrow, and it used to make up 50% of the GDP. But, now oil makes up less than 1% of the GDP and tourism and real estate are what drive the economy.
• The pink taxis in Dubai are only for women and families.
• A Bugatti At night, a police car from Dubai parked on the street.
• The Dubai Police Force patrols tourist areas in several high-end cars. These include the Rolls-Royce Wraith, the Lamborghini Aventador, the Porsche 918, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, and many more.
• Flydubai is a low-cost airline that the government of Dubai owns.
• Most of Dubai is about 16 m above sea level (52 ft).
• Dubai’s tallest point is about 1300 meters above sea level (4265 ft).
• Even though Dubai is mostly desert, few plants can be found there. These include date palms, Christ’s thorn, Athle Tree, desert squash, and a few shrubs.
• The Arabian oryx is the national animal of the UAE. Other animals in Dubai are:
  • The sand gazelle.
  • The Arabian wolf.
  • The Arabian leopard.
  • The sand cat.
  • The spiny-tailed lizard.
  • The Flamingo.
  • The desert eagle owl.
• In Dubai, people like to watch camel races. In the past, children were used in races because they were light. Now, robots are used instead.
• In Dubai, falcons can be sold for more than US$250,000. They are a cultural symbol and have been trained to do many different things. They also scare pigeons away from buildings and landmarks in Dubai, where they are building nests.
• The Burj Khalifa, located in Dubai, is the tallest building in the world, standing at an impressive height of 828 meters (2,716 feet) with over 160 stories.
• Dubai is one of the places where people use the most water per person. It gets 99% of its water from plants that take the salt out of seawater.
• In July 2019, at 49.0°C (120°F), Dubai reached its highest temperature.
• Dubai does not have a zip code or an official way to find an address. Everyone has a PO box, and people used to write out directions when sending letters or packages in the mail.
• Alcohol is legal in Dubai, but there are strict rules about it. The legal age to drink is 21.
• In Dubai, Friday brunch is a big deal. Many restaurants and 5-star hotels have lavish buffet brunches on Fridays.
• In Dubai, there is no tax on income, it’s like heaven for big companies.
• Criticizing Islam, the royal family or the local culture can get you into much trouble in Dubai. There are also rules about the Internet, and many sites about dating, LGBT issues, and adult movies are blocked.
• In Dubai, people who are not Muslims are free to follow their religions.
• In Dubai, wearing “indecent” clothes anywhere except at a water park, beach, or nightclub is illegal.
• From 2004 to 2009, Dubai held a rock festival every year in the desert. Megadeth, Iron Maider, Korn and Motorhead were some of the big names that played.
• In Dubai, more than 80 schools teach the British curriculum or a slightly different version.

Dubai is a city that never ceases to amaze with its stunning architecture, luxurious amenities and rich cultural heritage. The Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, is just one example of the city’s extraordinary landmarks that showcase its boundless ambition and ingenuity.

With over 55+ fascinating facts about Dubai, it is a destination that promises to surprise and delight visitors from around the globe

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