DUBAI PRACTICALITIES

Key Facts & Figures

Area: 3,885 sq km

Population: 1,200,000 

Passport/Visa requirements

Passport valid for a minimum of three months from date of arrival (six months for business travel) required by British citizens. Visa not required by UK nationals buy they must travel with a passport reading 'British Citizen' as national status.

Time

GMT +4

Money

Dubai’s local currency is the United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED or DHS). The rate of exchange is fixed to the US dollar at 3.67 for every US dollar. However, US dollars are commonly used and accepted at most hotels, restaurants, leisure centres, etc.

Geography

Dubai is part of the seven states that comprises the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the second largest.

The total area of the country is about 83,600 square kilometres, much of it in Abu Dhabi emirate. Dubai, with an area of 3,885 square kilometres. Situated on the banks of the Dubai Creek, a natural inlet from the Gulf 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 UAE has 700 kilometres of coastline, of which 100 kilometres are on the Gulf of Oman. Along the Arabian Gulf coast there are offshore islands, coral reefs and sabkha, or salt-marshes. Stretches of gravel, plain and barren desert characterise the inland region.

To the east, a range of mountains lies close to the Gulf of Oman and forms a backbone through the Mussandam Peninsula. The western interior of the country, most of it in Abu Dhabi, consists mainly of desert interspersed with oases.

Climate

Dubai enjoys an arid subtropical climate, with blue skies and sunshine all year round. The hottest months are between June and September, when temperatures can soar to 45°C and more during the day and humidity levels are very high. Even the sea temperature touches on 40°C during the summer months, and swimming pools at hotels are usually cooled to be refreshing. Temperatures are only slightly more moderate the rest of the year, the coolest time being between December and March. There is very little rainfall in Dubai, but when showers do fall it is mainly in the cooler months.

Brief History

Originally a small fishing settlement on a Khor or Creek, Dubai was taken over by a branch of the Bani Yas tribe in about 1830. They had come from the Liwa Oasis in the far south of the present day United Arab Emirates, and were led by the Maktoum family, who still rule the emirate today.

Traditional activities included herding sheep and goats, cultivating dates, fishing and pearling. Pearling in particular gave Dubai’s inhabitants a head start in building trade relations. By the turn of the century, the town was reputed to have the largest markets on the Gulf coast, with 350 shops in the Deira district alone.

Commercial success allied to the liberal attitudes of Dubai's rulers, made the emirate attractive to traders from India & Iran, who began to settle in the growing town. Dubai continued to take advantage of a regional maritime peace enforced by the British Navy in the area to forge strong sea-trading links with the states around it.

On the British withdrawal in 1971, Dubai came together with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and (in 1972) Ras Al Khaimah to create the federation of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi became the federal capital, while Dubai began to command the position of commercial centre.

This was shortly after the discovery of oil in 1966, which was soon to transform the emirate and its way of life. Dubai's first oil exports in 1969 were followed by a period of rapid development that laid the foundations for today's modern society.

Language

Arabic is the official language of the Emirates, but English is widely used.

Health

Visitors to Dubai are typically advised to make sure they are up to date with their Tetanus and Hepatitus A.

Food and Drink

Dubai is far more a melting pot of different cultures (and their recipes) than a place to try traditional cuisine. The Arabic food available in Dubai tends to be borrowed from other parts of the Middle East, particularly Lebanon and Iran.

When you're in Dubai, it's best to enjoy the wide choice of cuisines available, and the fact that so much of it is excellent value. You won't take long to find a reasonably-priced Indian restaurant, for example, and the food they serve will resemble the real subcontinent's cuisine more closely than anything you'll find at home.

Tipping

Tipping practices are similar to most parts of the world. Where no service charge is included, 10% is adequate.

Shopping

Dubai is as famed for its shops as Singapore. As the local tourist board boasts, shopping is to Dubai what skiing is to Switzerland. Minimal duty and the total absence of VAT make for low prices, even in some of the most lavish shopping complexes the world has to offer. You can expect further reductions during the annual Dubai Shopping Festival, which runs for four weeks from mid-March.

Communications

The International code for the United Arab Emirates is +971. The outgoing international code is 00. City codes must also be dialled (Abu Dhabi 2, Dubai 4). Calls made within each state are free of charge. Internet cafes are widely available.

Electricity

220 and 240 volts, 50Hz. The most frequently used plugs are the square three-pin type.