'Dubai' (in
Arabic: دبيّ, ''Dubayy'', in
English) can either refer to one of the seven
emirates that constitute
United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the eastern
Arabian Peninsula, or that emirate's main city, sometimes called "Dubai city" to distinguish it from the emirate.
The modern emirate of Dubai was created with the formation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971. However, written accounts documenting the existence of the city have existed at least 150 years prior to the formation of the UAE. Dubai shares
legal,
political,
military and
economic functions with the other emirates within a
federal framework, although each emirate has
jurisdiction over some functions such as civic
law enforcement and provision and upkeep of local facilities. Dubai has the largest population and is the second largest emirate by area, after
Abu Dhabi.
[United Arab Emirates: metropolitan areas] As of
2007, 800 new residents were setting up home in Dubai every day.
[800 new residents setting up home in Dubai everyday. gulfnews.com, Retrieved 7/21/2007]] With Abu Dhabi, it is one of only two emirates to possess
veto power over critical matters of national importance in the UAE.
[The Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa. D Long, B Reich. p.157] Dubai has been ruled by the
Al Maktoum dynasty since 1833. The city's current ruler,
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is also the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE.
Revenues from
petroleum and
natural gas contribute less than 3% of Dubai's
US$ 46 billion economy (
2006).
[Gross Domestic Product For Dubai Emirates] A majority of the emirate's revenues are from the
Jebel Ali free zone authority (JAFZA)[4] and, increasingly, from
tourism and other service businesses. Dubai has attracted world-wide attention through innovative real estate projects
[Dubai map with upcoming freehold developments] and sports events. However, this increased attention, coinciding with its emergence as a world business hub, has also highlighted
human rights issues concerning its largely
foreign workforce.
History
Simplified family tree showing the line of succession and dates in power
Very little is known about
pre-Islamic culture in the south-east Arabian peninsula, except that many ancient towns in the area were trading centres between the
Eastern and
Western worlds. The remnants of an ancient
mangrove swamp, dated at 7,000 years were discovered during the construction of the
Sheikh Zayed Road. The area had been covered with sand about 5,000 years ago as the coastline retreated inland, becoming a part of the city's present coastline.
[History and Traditions of the UAE] Prior to
Islam, the people in this region were
idol worshippers, who worshiped ''Bajar'' (or ''Bajir'').
[History and Background of the UAE] The
Byzantine and
Sassanian empires constituted the great powers of the period, with the Sassanians controlling much of the region. After the spread of Islam in the region, the
Umayyad Caliph, of the eastern Islamic world, invaded the south-east
Arabia and drove out the Sassanians. Excavations undertaken by the Dubai Museum in the region of ''Al-Jumayra'' (
Jumeirah) indicate the existence of several artifacts from the Umayyad period.
[The Coming of Islam and the Islamic Period in the UAE. King, Geoffrey R. ] The earliest recorded mention of Dubai is in 1095, in the "Book of Geography" by the
Spanish-Arab
geographer Abu Abdullah al-Bakri. The
Venetian pearl merchant Gaspero Balbi visited the area in 1580 and mentioned Dubai (''Dibei'') for its
pearling industry.
Documented records of the town of Dubai exist only after 1799.
[Economic and Environmental Impacts of tourism on Dubai and Hawaii. McEachern, Nadeau, et al]
In the early 18th century, the Al Abu Falasa clan of
Bani Yas clan established Dubai, which remained a dependent of Abu Dhabi until 1833.
[Country Profile: United Arab Emirates. United States Library of Congress] On
8 January 1820, the
sheikh of Dubai and other sheikhs in the region signed the "General Maritime Peace Treaty" with the British government.
However, in 1833, the Al Maktoum dynasty of the Bani Yas tribe left the settlement of Abu Dhabi and took over Dubai from the Abu Fasala clan without resistance.
Dubai came under the protection of the
United Kingdom by the "Exclusive Agreement" of 1892, with the latter agreeing to protect Dubai against any attacks from the
Ottoman empire.
Two catastrophes struck the town during the mid 1800s. First, in 1841, a
smallpox epidemic broke out in the
Bur Dubai locality, forcing residents to relocate east to
Deira. Then, in 1894, fire swept through Deira, burning down most homes.
[[http://www.alshindagah.com/september99/architecture.htm Modernity and tradition in Dubai architecture. Karim, Luiza] However, the town's geographical location continued to attract traders and merchants from around the region. The emir of Dubai was keen to attract foreign traders and lowered trade tax brackets, which lured traders away from Sharjah and
Bandar Lengeh, which were the region's main trade hubs at the time.
[THE EMIRATES OF ABU DHABI AND DUBAI:CONTRASTING ROLES IN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM. Davidson, Christopher. March 2007]
Dubai's geographical proximity to
India made it an important location. The town of Dubai was an important port of call for foreign tradesmen, chiefly those from India, many of whom eventually settled in the town. The town was known for its pearl exports until the 1930s. However, Dubai's pearling industry was damaged irreparably by the events of the
First World War, and later on by the
Great Depression in the late 1920s. Consequently, the city witnessed a mass migration of people to other parts of the Persian Gulf.
Since its inception, Dubai was constantly at odds with Abu Dhabi. In 1947, a border dispute between Dubai and Abu Dhabi on the northern sector of their mutual border, escalated into war between the two states.
[The UAE: Internal Boundaries And The Boundary With Oman. Archived Editions. Walker, J. ] Arbitration by the British and the creation of a buffer frontier running south eastwards from the coast at Ras Hasian resulted in a temporary cessation of hostilities.
[The Middle East and North Africa. Schofield, C. p 175] However, border disputes between the emirates continued even after the formation of the UAE; it was only in 1979 that a formal compromise was reached that ended hostilities and border disputes between the two states.
[Dubai. Carter, T and Dunston, L. Lonely Planet Publications] Electricity, telephone services and an airport were established in Dubai in the 1950s, when the British moved their local administrative offices from
Sharjah to Dubai.
[Dubai City. Melamid, Alexander. Jul 1989] The town joined the newly independent country of
Qatar to set up a new monetary unit, the
Qatar/Dubai Riyal, after the
deflation of the
Gulf rupee.
Oil was discovered in Dubai the same year, after which the town granted concessions to international oil companies. The discovery of oil led to a massive influx of foreign workers, mainly Indians and Pakistanis, into the city. As a result, the population of the city from 1968 to 1975 grew by over 300%, by some estimates.
On
2 December 1971 Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after former protector Britain left the
Persian Gulf in 1971.
["Six Persian Gulf Emirates Agree to a Federation". New York Times. Jul 19, 1971. pg. 4] In 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a single, uniform
currency: the UAE
dirham. In the 1970s, Dubai continued to grow from revenues generated from oil and trade even as the city saw an influx of
Lebanese immigrants fleeing the
civil war in
Lebanon.
["Beirut Showing Signs of Recovery From Wounds of War". New York Times. May 26, 1977. pg.2] The
Jebel Ali Free Zone, comprising the
Jebel Ali port (reputedly the world's largest man made port) was established in 1979, which provided foreign companies unrestricted import of labour and export capital.
[The United Arab Emirates: Economic Vibrancy and US Interests. Asian Affairs. Peterson, JE. July 2002, Vol 34, Issue 2.]
The
Persian Gulf War of 1990 had a huge impact on the city. Economically, Dubai banks experienced a massive withdrawal of funds due to uncertain political conditions in the region. During the course of the 1990s, however, many foreign trading communities — first from
Kuwait, during the Persian Gulf War, and later from
Bahrain, during the
Shia unrest, moved their businesses to Dubai.
Dubai provided refueling bases to
allied forces at the Jebel Ali free zone during the Persian Gulf war, and again, during the
2003 Invasion of Iraq. Exponential increases in oil prices after the Persian Gulf war encouraged Dubai to continue to focus on free trade and tourism.
[Dubai Focus] The success of the Jebel Ali free zone allowed the city to replicate its model to develop clusters of new free zones, including
Dubai Internet City,
Dubai Media City and Dubai Maritime City. The construction of
Burj Al Arab, the world's tallest freestanding hotel, as well as the creation of new residential developments, were used to market Dubai for purposes of tourism. Since 2002, the city has seen an increase in private real estate investment in recreating Dubai's skyline
with such projects as
The Palm Islands and
Burj Dubai. However, robust economic growth in recent years has been accompanied by rising
inflation rates (at 6.2%
as of 2006 when measured against
Consumer Price Index) which is attributed in part due to the near doubling of commercial and residential rental costs, resulting in a substantial increase in the
cost of living for residents.
[Robust growth poses threat of inflation to high-flying Dubai. Kuwait Times. Mar. 8, 2007]
Geography
| No | Month | Min | Max |
|---|
| 1 | January | 14.6 | 31.8 | | 2 | February | 15.3 | 36 | | 3 | March | 17.4 | 41.3 | | 4 | April | 20.5 | 43.5 | | 5 | May | 24.3 | 47 | | 6 | June | 27.1 | 46.7 | | 7 | July | 29.8 | 47.1 | | 8 | August | 30.2 | 47.5 | | 9 | September | 27.5 | 44.2 | | 10 | October | 23.8 | 41.6 | | 11 | November | 19.8 | 36.4 | | 12 | December | 16.4 | 32.5 |
|
|
Dubai is situated on the northeast coast of the United Arab Emirates and is roughly at
sea level (16
m above). The emirate of Dubai shares borders with Abu Dhabi in the south,
Sharjah in the northeast, and the
Sultanate of Oman in 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 and covers an area of 4,114
km² (1,588
mi²).
Dubai lies directly within the
Arabian Desert. However, the
topology of Dubai is significantly different from that of the southern portion of the UAE in that much of Dubai's landscape is highlighted by sandy desert patterns, while gravel deserts dominate much of the southern region of the country.
[Environmental Development and Protection in the UAE. Aspinall, Simon] The sand consists mostly of crushed shell and
coral and is fine, clean and white. East of the city, the salt-crusted coastal plans, known as ''sabkha'', give way to a north-south running line of dunes. Further east, the dunes grow larger and are tinged red with
iron oxide.
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 meters in some places. Dubai has no natural river bodies or
oases; however multiple
gorges and
waterholes dot the base of the Western Al Hajar mountains. A vast sea of sand dunes cover much of southern Dubai, which eventually lead into the desert known as
The Empty Quarter.
Seismically, Dubai is in a very stable zone — the nearest seismic fault line, the ''Zargos Fault'', is 120 km from the UAE and is unlikely to have any seismic impact on Dubai.
[Earthquake risk in Dubai 'lower than that of London']. UAEInteract.com] Experts also predict that the possibility of a
tsunami in the region is also minimal because the Persian Gulf waters are not deep enough to trigger a tsunami.
The sandy desert surrounding the city supports
wild grasses and occasional
date palm trees. Desert
hyacinths grow in the ''sabkha'' plans east of the city, while
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 like the
eucalypts grow in Dubai's natural parks. The houbara
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 birds pass through the emirate in spring and
autumn. The waters of Dubai are home to more than 300 species of fish, including the
hammour.
The Margham desert
sand dunes south of the city of Dubai
The Dubai
creek runs northeast-southwest through the city. The eastern section of the city forms the locality of
Deira and is flanked by the emirate of
Sharjah in the east and the town of
Al Aweer in the south. The
Dubai International Airport is located south of Deira, while the
Palm Deira is located north of Deira in the
Persian Gulf. The western section forms the locality of
Bur Dubai and is bordered almost entirely by the emirate of
Abu Dhabi. Much of Dubai's real estate boom has been concentrated to the west of this region, on the
Jumeirah coastal belt and along
Sheikh Zayed Road (E11).
Port Rashid,
Jebel Ali,
Burj Al Arab, the
Palm Jumeirah and theme based free zone clusters such as
Business Bay are all located in this section.
Sheikh Zayed Road and
Emirates Road (E311) are the main arteries of Dubai; and run roughly parallel to each other in the western section of the city, before eventually diverging sharply near
Jumeirah. The eastern and western sections of the city are connected by
Al Maktoum Bridge,
Al Garhoud Bridge,
Al Shindagha Tunnel,
Business Bay Crossing and
Al Maktoum Floating Bridge.
Dubai has a hot and humid climate with many months recording temperatures of over 40°
C (104°
F) (refer to accompanying table for recorded mean minimum and maximum temperatures during the year). Rainfall is generally light, with a mean of about 100
mm per year; precipitation is usually centered around January, February and March
[Average mean rainfall for Dubai. UAEInteract.com] The mean
humidity in Dubai is about 60%.
Demographics
Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai.
According to the
census conducted by the Statistics Center of Dubai, the population of the emirate was 1,422,000
as of 2006, which included 1,073,000 males and 349,000 females.
[Dubai in Figures 2006. Government of Dubai. Statistical Center] As of 1998, 17% of the population of the emirate was made up of
UAE nationals. Approximately 85% of the
expatriate population (and 71% of the emirate's total population) was
Asian, chiefly
Indian (51%),
Pakistani (16%),
Bangladeshi (9%) and
Filipino (3%).
["Country and Metropolitan Stats in Brief. MPI Data Hub] About 3% of the total population of Dubai was categorized as "
Western". A quarter of the population however reportedly traces their origins to neighboring
Iran.
[5] In addition, 16% of the population (or 288,000 persons) lived in collective labour accommodation were not identified by
ethnicity or
nationality, but were thought to be primarily Asian.
[The Changing Demographics of the UAE] The
median age in the emirate was about 27 years. The crude
birth rate, as of 2005, was 13.6%, while the crude death rate was about 1%.
[Basic Vital Statistical Indicators - Emirate of Dubai]
Although
Arabic is the official language of Dubai,
Tamil,
Malayalam,
English,
Hindi,
Urdu,
Bengali, and
Tagalog are widely spoken. Article 7 of the UAE's Provisional Constitution declares Islam the official
state religion of the UAE. The government subsidizes almost 95 percent of
Sunni mosques and employs all Sunni
imams; approximately 5 percent of Sunni mosques are entirely private, and several large mosques have large private endowments.
[Country Profile: United Arab Emirates (UAE). United States Library of Congress]
Dubai has large expatriate
Hindu,
Sikh, and
Christian communities. 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 must use the facilities of other religious organizations or worship in private homes. Non-Muslim religious groups are permitted to openly advertise group functions; however,
proselytizing or distributing religious literature is strictly prohibited under penalty of criminal prosecution, imprisonment, and
deportation for engaging in behaviour offensive to Islam.
There are no Buddhist temples or Jewish synagogues in Dubai. The U.A.E does not recognize Israeli passports and so Nationals of Israel may not enter Dubai.
Economy
Dubai Creek
Dubai's
gross domestic product as of 2006 was
US$46 billion. Although Dubai's economy was built on the back of the
oil industry,
["Dubai - Overview:", USAToday.com, retrieved 22 July, 2007] revenues from oil and
natural gas currently account for less than 3% of the emirate's revenues. It is estimated that Dubai produces 240,000
barrels of oil a day and substantial quantities of gas from
offshore fields. The emirate's share in UAE's gas revenues is about 2%. Dubai's oil reserves have diminished significantly and are expected to be exhausted in 20 years.
["UAE Oil and Gas"]
Historically, Dubai and its twin across the Dubai
creek, Deira (independent of Dubai City at that time), became important ports of call for Western
manufacturers. Most of the new city's banking and financial centres were headquartered in the port area. Dubai maintained its importance as a trade route through the 1970s and 1980s. The city of Dubai has a
free trade in
gold and until the 1990s was the hub of a "brisk
smuggling trade" of gold
ingots to India, where gold import was restricted.
Dubai is an important tourist destination and its port,
Jebel Ali, constructed in the 1970s, has the largest man-made harbour in the world. Dubai is also increasingly developing as a hub for service industries such as
IT and
finance, with the establishment of a new Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The government has set up industry-specific
free zones throughout the city.
Dubai Internet City, combined with
Dubai Media City as part of TECOM (Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority) is one such enclave whose members include IT firms such as
EMC Corporation,
Oracle Corporation,
Microsoft, and
IBM, and media organisations such as
MBC,
CNN,
Reuters and
AP.
The
Dubai Financial Market (DFM) was established in March 2000 as a
secondary market for trading
securities and
bonds, both local and foreign. As of
Q4 2006, its trading volume stood at about 400 billion shares worth US$ 95 billion. The DFM had a
market capitalization of about US$ 87 billion.
The government's decision to diversify from a trade-based but oil-reliant economy to one that is service and tourism-oriented has made
real estate more valuable, resulting in the property appreciation from 2004–2006. Large scale real estate development projects, undertaken by firms such as
Emaar Properties, have led to the construction of some of the tallest
skyscrapers in the world such as the
Emirates Towers, the
Pentominium and the world's tallest hotel, the
Burj Al Arab.
[World's Tallest Hotel Opens Its Doors. British Broadcasting Corporation] As of July 2007,
Burj Dubai -also being constructed by Emaar Properties- is already the world's tallest structure and is expected to be taller by several hundred feet, once construction is complete.
[[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4081885.stm Samsung to build tallest building. British Broadcasting Corporation.]
Recently, the Land Department set up the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) to regulate developers and safeguard consumers from errant parties. All developers are required to register with the RERA, provide documents and verifiable facts about their properties, and setup escrow accounts to protect consumers' money. KM Properties, a member of KM Holding, was the first company to register with the Land Department.
Organisations within Dubai have expressed an intention to invest in
medical tourism, including the Emaar group's plans in India
[1]. Within Dubai, there is considerable interest in developing this market, and the Dubai Healthcare City is scheduled to open by 2010.
[2]. There will be a corresponding increasing need for attention to quality and to quality control in healthcare within Dubai, including
international healthcare accreditation.
Human rights and labor
Living conditions of the over 250,000
expatriate laborers in Dubai who live in conditions described by
Human Rights Watch as being "less than human"
[UAE to Allow Construction Unions] have often been criticized.
[NPR reports that workers "typically live eight to a room, sending home a portion of their salary to their families, whom they don't see for years at a time." The BBC has reported that "local newspapers often carry stories of construction workers allegedly not being paid for months on end. They are not allowed to move jobs and if they leave the country to go home they will almost certainly lose the money they say they are owed.[6] In September 2005, the Minister of Labour ordered one company to pay unpaid salaries within 24 hours after workers protested, and published the name of the offending company (Al Hamed Company for Development and Projects).[7] In December 2005, the Indian consulate in Dubai submitted a report to the Government of India detailing labor problems faced by Indian expatriates in the emirate. The report highlighted delayed payment of wages, substitution of employment contracts, premature termination of services and excessive working hours as being some of the challenges faced by Indian workers in the city. On 21 March 2006, workers at the construction site of Burj Dubai, upset over bus timings and working conditions, rioted damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction tools.[8][9][10]]
Prostitution, though illegal by law, is conspicuously present in the emirate because of an economy that is largely based on tourism and trade. Research conducted by the American Center for International Policy Studies (AMCIPS) found that Russian and Ethiopian women are the most common prostitutes, some African countries as well, while Indian prostitutes are part of a well organized trans-Oceanic prostitution network.[11]
Transport
The main road that connects one side of Dubai with the other is Sheikh Zayed Road. In July 2007, Salik road toll collection points were installed on the Sheikh Zayed road and on Al Garhoud bridge, which emphasizes the system’s congestion management objectives as well as the choice of technology for the toll system. The new system utilizes the latest technology to achieve free flow operation with no toll booths, no toll collectors, and no impact to traffic flow, allowing vehicles to move freely through the tolling point at highway speeds. Each time one passes through a Salik tolling point, the toll of AED 4 will be deducted from her or his prepaid toll account using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.
Dubai International Airport (IATA: DXB), the hub for Emirates Airlines, services the city of Dubai and other emirates in the country. The airport served a total of over 28 million passengers and over 230,000 flights in 2006.[Government of Dubai Statistics Center] The Dubai International Airport ranks 17th among international airports for total cargo traffic in 2006.[World's Busiest Airports - Preliminary Rankings (PDF). Airports Council International] A third terminal is currently under construction and is due to open in 2007. The new terminal will be dedicated to Emirates Airline and will fully support the new Airbus A380. The development of the Dubai World Central International Airport, currently under construction, was announced in 2004. The first part is expected to be completed by 2008.
Water Transport (
Abra), Bur Dubai
Dubai has a large bus system that services 69 routes and transported over about 90 million people in 2006. The (RTA) announced in 2006 that an additional 620 new buses will be added to its fleet of 170 double decker buses.[12] Although the main mode of transportation in Dubai is by private vehicle, Dubai also has an extensive taxi system.
A $3.89 billion Dubai Metro project is under construction for the emirate. The Metro system is expected to be partially operational by 2009 and fully operational by 2012. The metro will comprise two lines: the Green Line from Rashidiya to the main city center and the Red Line from the airport to Jebel Ali. The Dubai Metro (Green and Blue Lines) will have 70 kilometers of track and 43 stations, 33 above ground and ten underground.[Dubai Municipality signs Dhs12.45 billion Metro contract. Dubai Metro. May 29, 2005] One of the more traditional methods of getting across Bur Dubai to Deira is through ''abras'', small boats that ferry passengers across the Dubai creek, between abra stations in Bastakiya and Bani Yas road.
Education
The school system in Dubai does not differ from that of the United Arab Emirates. As of 2006, there are 88 public schools run by the Ministry of Education that serve Emaratis and expatriate Arabs as well as 132 private schools.
The Ministry of Education of the United Arab Emirates is responsible for school's accreditation. The Dubai Education Council was established in July 2005 to develop the education sector in Dubai.[13] The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) was established in 2006 to develop education and human resource sectors in Dubai, and license educational institutes.[14]
Approximately 10% of the population has university or postgraduate degrees. Many expatriates tend to send their children back to their home country or to Western countries for university education. However, a sizable number of foreign accredited universities have been set up in the city over the last ten years. Some of these universities include the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani), American University in Dubai (AUD), The American College of Dubai, SP Jain Center Of Management,University of Wollongong in Dubai and Institute of Management Technology, Dubai. In 2004, the Dubai School of Government in collaboration with Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Medical School Dubai Center (HMSDC) were established in Dubai.
Media
Dubai Media City
Dubai has a well established network of print, radio, television and electronic media to cater to the needs of the city. Dubai has courted many media and technology companies which has allowed the city to become a major media hub. The city has over half a million telephone and facsimile subscribers. There are about 180,000 internet subscribers in the city.
Many international news agencies and network news channels operated out of the Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City.
Reuters, APTN, MBC, CNBC Arabiya, Bloomberg L.P., BMG, Showtime Arabia, BBC and CNN have all set up regional offices in the area. There are also a number of local publishing companies, including Explorer Publishing, ITP and Motivate. Etisalat currently is the leading internet provider in the emirate. Du (telco), a new telecommunication company, will also provide internet services in the emirate. Internet content is strongly regulated for pornography and for content that might be considered offensive in an Islamic state. Emirates Media and Internet (a division of Etisalat) notes that as of 2002, 76% of internet users are male. About 60% of internet users were Asian, while 25% of users were Arab.[Silenced - United Arab Emirates. Privacy International.]
References
1. Area of "Dubai emirate", includes artificial islands.
2. "Statistics Centre: Dubai emirate population is 1,422,000", ''UAE Interact: UAE Ministry Of Information and Culture'', 2006-08-30
3. Density of "Dubai emirate"
4. .:: Dubai Trade ::., ''Dubai Trade''
5. ''"Young Iranians Follow Dreams to Dubai"'' The New York Times, by HASSAN M. FATTAH. Published: December 4 2005
6. "Workers' safety queried in Dubai", by Julia Wheeler, ''BBC News'', September 27, 2004
7. Ministry cracks the whip Gulf News, 20 Sep 2005
8. Labour unrest hampers Burj Dubai work Khaleej Times (AP report), 22 March 2006
9. "Burj Dubai workers who protested may be sued" Khaleej Times, 24 March 2006
10. LABOUR IN THE UAE Gulf News articles on Labour Law in the UAE, protests, etc
11. Globalising Prostitution in the Middle East
12. Fleet of new buses for Dubai 7days 2007
13. HH Sheikh Mohammed issues decree establishing Dubai Education Council, ''DEC'', 14 July 2005
14. KHDA Q&A, ''KHDA'', 2006
65. Congressional Research Service Report to Congress http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RS21852.pdf
★ ProDUBAI.com - NEWS
See also
★ Dubai Festival City
★ Dubai Financial Market
★ Dubai Healthcare City
★ Tourism in Dubai
External links
★ dubai.ae - Official Website of Dubai Government
★ DTCM - Dubai Government Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing
★ Sheikh Mohammed - Official website of the ruler of Dubai
★ Dubai Municipality - Official website
★ "Dubayy", Encyclopædia Britannica, 2005 - Reference source for historical information
★ "Boom town" - ''The Guardian'', 13 February 2006
★ Urbanization of Dubai at NASA Earth Observatory
★
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