Dubai is a leading regional commercial hub with a state-of-art infrastructure amid a world class business environment. With its strategic location and consistently strong economic outlook, Dubai is the ideal base for multinationals targeting markets in Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Asian Subcontinent and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Dubai is one of the fastest developing cities in the world with one of the highest pace of construction activity. Renowned for its international sporting events, world-class shopping, sun-drenched beaches, luxury hotels and unique blend of traditional and modern architecture, Dubai is easily the hub of commerce and tourism in the Middle East. The city has an exotic flair that buzzes with activity day and night.
Today, Dubai is home to iconic projects such as The Palm islands, Burj Dubai (the worlds tallest building upon completion), and The Burj Al Arab (the worlds tallest and most luxurious hotel) to name a few. It is home to world class events such as the Dubai Desert Classic and the Dubai Open championship in addition to international conferences, meetings and concerts. Dubai is also the pioneer of the highly famed Dubai Shopping Festival. Its impressive and rapidly growing list of skyscrapers make its skyline one of the most impressive in the world.
Strategically located at the centre of the world, Dubai has become a leading business and travel hub, with 90 airlines providing direct flights to over 130 cities worldwide and its very own international airline, Emirates which flies to over 90 destinations worldwide in more than 50 countries.
Dubai, with an area of 3,885 square kilometres, is the second largest emirate in the UAE. Old Dubai is situated along the banks of the Dubai Creek, which divides the city into the Deira district to its north and Bur Dubai on its south, the city ranks as the UAE's most important port and commercial centre.
The people of the UAE are Arab, descended from the tribal confederations dominating the peninsula since before recorded history. Arabic is of course the official language but English is widely spoken and so are Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam and Tagalog from the Philippines. All these groups add to the diversity of the UAE's cosmopolitan society.
The population of Dubai is diverse and multicultural. This is evident from its demographics. According to the census conducted by the Statistics Center of Dubai, the population of the emirate was 1,422,000 as of 2006. 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, prdeominantly Indian (51%), Pakistani (16%), Bangladeshi (9%) and Filipino (3%). About 3% of the total population of Dubai was categorized as "Western".
Dubai Urban Transformation
The evolution of Dubai over the last 20 years is nothing less than phenomenal. What was once a small trading port is now teeming with highest rate of commercial activity and development in the entire region. Dubai now is a magnet for foreign investment and international business.
Modern Dubai is the product of the past 20 years of intensive development. Prior to that, Dubai was a small trading port, clustered around the mouth of the Creek.
The international trade which flowed from Dubai’s cosmopolitan contracts was the basis of rapidly increasing prosperity. This gave the city an early start in development before the beginning of oil production in the late 1960s.
The successful early development was due in large part to the foresight of Dubai's rulers. During the 20th century the city has benefited from the stabilizing influence of two exceptionally long rules: that of H. H. Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum from 1912 to 1958, followed by that of his son, H H Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed al-Maktoum. For many years prior to his father's death in 1958 Sheikh Rashid has played a leading role in directing the state. Since then he has guided Dubai in its expansion from a small, old-world town to a modern state with excellent communication, and industrial infrastructure, and all the comforts of contemporary life.
As of 1980 Sheikh Rashid played a background role due to ill health but his four sons have continued his policies in exactly the same mould. H.H. Sheik Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister and present Ruler of Dubai has continued the legacy and envisioned Dubai to be one of the most developed cities in the world. The recent developments taking place in Dubai are testimony to his vision.
Dubai Climate
Generally Dubai Climate characterize by a long season (6-7 months) of hot and humid climate, and shorter season ( 4-5 months) of pleasant outdoor climate. This has significant impact on building design and managing the spatial organization of buildings, open spaces, and pedestrian environments.
- Dubai Situated between 22 and 26 degrees north,
- lies within a sub-region of the northern desert belt,
- characterized by scanty and erratic rainfall, high levels for temperature, and humidity,
- Winter and Summer sunshine reaches eight to eleven hours a day.
- Winds: Prevailing light to moderate north-westerly winds, known by their Arabic name shamal, meaning 'north', are associated with mid-latitude disturbances. Along the western coastal plain, sea breezes tend to dominate with light south-south-easterlies at night being replaced by moderate north-westerlies during daytime. This pattern changes on the east coast where the proximity of the mountains results in gusty and less predictable wind shifts. (Wind had its own characteristics and was known by a different name; thus, the main period of storms is Al-Barih al-owd, while the minor storm period is called Al-Barih al-sagheer. The first major Shamal occurring before summer is the Al-Haffar, or the driller since it drills huge depressions in the desert dunes. The second, arriving early June coincides with the dawn star, Thorayya (Pleiades) and is therefore named Barih Thorayya. Near the end of June, the last shamal arrives, known as the Al-Dabaran. It is a violent wind, continuing for several days).