Dubai

Dubai: Skyscrapers, Desert & Gulf Luxury

Dubai, the most populous emirate in the United Arab Emirates, went in just a few decades from a fishing and pearl-trading town on Dubai Creek to a global hub for business, aviation and tourism. Today, the futuristic skyline of Downtown and Dubai Marina coexists with traditional Dubai in Deira: gold and spice souks, abras crossing the Creek, and centuries-old mosques. Minutes from downtown, the Arabian desert's dunes offer a complete contrast.

💡 Fun Facts & History

• 💡The Burj Khalifa, opened in 2010, stands 828 meters tall and has been the world's tallest building ever since. Its "At the Top" observation deck reaches the 148th floor.
• 💡Before the oil boom of the 1960s, Dubai was a fishing and pearl-diving town on Dubai Creek. Today oil accounts for a tiny fraction of its economy, which has diversified into trade, finance, aviation and tourism.
• 💡Palm Jumeirah is a palm-shaped artificial island, one of the largest coastal engineering projects in the world, visible even from space.
• 💡The sail-shaped Burj Al Arab was built on its own artificial island and calls itself the world's only "7-star" hotel, although that category doesn't officially exist.
• 💡Traditional "abra" boats still cross Dubai Creek for just a few dirhams, connecting Deira's spice and gold souks with Bur Dubai.
• 💡Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, a federation founded in 1971. Arabic is the official language, though English is widely used in the tourism sector.