UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The United Arab Emirates sometimes simply called the Emirates or the UAE, is a country located in the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south, as well as sharing sea borders with Qatar, Iran and Pakistan.
The UAE is a federation of seven emirates (equivalent to principalities). Each emirate is governed by a hereditary emir who jointly form the Federal Supreme Council which is the highest legislative and executive body in the country. One of the emirs is selected as the President of the United Arab Emirates. Emirates are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain. The capital is Abu Dhabi, which is one of the two centers of commercial and cultural activities, together with Dubai. Islam is the official religion of the UAE, and Arabic is the official language.
Since 1962, when Abu Dhabi became the first of the emirates to begin exporting oil, the country's society and economy have been transformed. The late Sheikh Zayed, ruler of Abu Dhabi and the first president of the UAE, oversaw the development of the Emirates and steered oil revenues into healthcare, education and infrastructure. Today, Emirates oil reserves are ranked as the seventh-largest in the world, along with world's seventeenth largest natural gas reserves has contributed towards making the UAE one of the most-developed economies in Western Asia with the world's seventh-highest GDP per capita.Its most populous city of Dubai has emerged as a global city and a business gateway for the Middle East and Africa.
The climate of the U.A.E is subtropical-arid with hot summers and warm winters. The hottest months are July and August, when average maximum temperatures reach above 45 °C (113.0 °F) on the coastal plain. Average minimum temperatures in January and February are between 10 and 14 °C (50.0 and 57.2 °F). During the late summer months, a humid southeastern wind known as Sharqi (i.e. "Easterner") makes the coastal region especially unpleasant.
The Dubai Metro is the first urban train network in the Arabian Peninsula.
Arabic is the national language of the United Arab Emirates. English is the primary lingua franca and a such, a knowledge of the same, is a requirement when applying for most of the jobs in the UAE.
Alcohol is generally only served in hotel restaurants and bars (but not in Sharjah). All nightclubs and golf clubs are permitted to sell alcohol. Note that although alcohol may be consumed, it is illegal to be intoxicated in public or driver a motor vehicle with any trace of alcohol in the blood. Etihad Airways and Emirates airlines, both owned by the UAE, serve alcohol on their beverage menus too.
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 had a population of 921,000 in 2013.
Abu Dhabi houses offices of the federal government, and is the seat for the United Arab Emirates Government and the home for the Abu Dhabi Emiri Family and the President of the UAE from this family. Abu Dhabi has grown to be a cosmopolitan metropolis. Today the city is the country's center of political, industrial activities, and a major cultural, and commercial centre due to its position as the capital. Abu Dhabi alone generated 56.7% of the GDP of the United Arab Emirates in 2008.
Abu Dhabi is home to important financial institutions such as the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates and the corporate headquarters of many companies and numerous multinational corporations. One of the world's largest producers of oil, Abu Dhabi has actively attempted to diversify its economy in recent years through investments in financial services and tourism. Fortune magazine and CNN stated in 2007 that Abu Dhabi is the richest city in the world.
Abu Dhabi worked in the pearl business and traded with others. According to a source about pearling, the Persian Gulf was the best location for pearls.
Geography and climate
The city of Abu Dhabi is on the northeastern part of the Persian Gulf in the Arabian Peninsula. It is on an island less than 250 metres from the mainland and is joined to the mainland by the Maqta and Mussafah Bridges.
Abu Dhabi has a hot desert climate. Sunny blue skies can be expected throughout the year. The months of June through September are generally extremely hot and humid with maximum temperatures averaging above 38 °C (100 °F). During this time, sandstorms occur intermittently, in some cases reducing visibility to a few meters. The cooler season is from November to March, which ranges between moderately hot to warm. On average, January is the coolest month in the year, while July and August are the hottest.
Abu Dhabi has over 2,000 well-maintained parks and gardens and more than 400 kilometres (249 miles) of coastline, of which 10 kilometres (6 miles) are public beaches.
Abu Dhabi is a modern city with broad boulevards, tall office and apartment buildings, and busy shops. Abu Dhabi is known in the region for its greenery; the former desert strip today includes numerous parks and gardens.
Abu Dhabi has a diverse and multicultural society. Today in Abu Dhabi there is a group called the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation that works to preserve the art and culture of the city. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Abu Dhabi hosts F1 race every year during the time of November/December starting from 2009 onwards, at the Yas Marina Circuit, which is considered to be the richest F1 race track in the world.
Dubai is a city in the United Arab Emirates, located within the emirate of the same name. The emirate of Dubai is located on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf and is one of the seven emirates that make up the country.
It has the largest population in the UAE (2,106,177) and the second-largest land territory (4,114 km2) after the capital, Abu Dhabi.
Today, Dubai has emerged as a cosmopolitan metropolis. Dubai has recently attracted world attention through many innovative large construction projects and sports events. The city has become symbolic for its skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, such as the world's tallest Burj Khalifa, in addition to ambitious development projects including man-made islands, hotels, and some of the largest shopping malls in the region and the world.
Dubai has also been rated as one of the best places to live in the Middle East
Dubai is situated on the Persian Gulf 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. Dubai lies directly within the Arabian Desert.
The sand consists mostly of crushed shell and coral and is fine, clean and white.
Dubai has a hot desert climate. Summers in Dubai are hot, windy, and humid, with an average high around 42 °C and overnight lows around 29 °C . Most days are sunny throughout the year. Winters are warm with an average high of 23 °C and overnight lows of 14 °C .
Governance and politics
Dubai has been ruled by the Al Maktoum family since 1833; the emirate is a constitutional monarchy with no elections The current ruler, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is also the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and member of the Supreme Council of the Union (SCU).
Dubai has been called the "shopping capital of the Middle East". Dubai alone has more than 70 shopping malls, including the world's largest shopping mall, Dubai Mall.
Dubai won the right to host Expo 2020 . The event will bring huge economic benefits by generating activities worth billions of dirhams. According to a research from Oxford Economics, Dubai Expo 2020 may create over 270,000 jobs.
The city of Dubai is a highly cosmopolitan society with a diverse and vibrant culture.
Hollywood and Indian movies are popular in Dubai (UAE). Since 2004, the city has hosted the annual Dubai International Film Festival which serves as a showcase for Arab film making talent. Musicians like Aerosmith, Santana, Elton John, Pink, Shakira, Celine Dion, Coldplay, Keane, Phil Collins have performed in the city.
The largest Cinema Hall in UAE is Reel Cinemas located at Dubai Mall. It has 22 screens available with a total of 2800 seats.