OUGD504 - Dubai Research

General Facts 

- Dubai's official language is Arabic however English is widely spoken, Restaurant menus, road signs and other information is written in both Arabic and English. Arabic uses the same punctuation as English however some of them  are reversed such as the comma and question mark. Modern Standard Arabic is used across the Arab World however there are different dialects depending on the area, meaning some Arabs may not understand others when speaking their local language.
- There is no standard address system because Dubai is constantly changing. Instead their is a box to draw or write directions.
- 50% of the population are workers, 17% Emiratis and 33% foreigners
- Dubai is one of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates.
- Dubai is also the name of the emirate not just the main city so it is also known as Dubai City 
- The emirates came together to form the UAE in 1971
- It has the largest population and is second largest in size
- It is on the coast of the UAE next to the Persian Gulf and sits at sea level
- The flag of Dubai is white and red
- Its landscape is primarily sandy planes that are fine, clean and white
- The currency in Dubai is the UAE Dirham 
- Dubai has been ruled by the Al Maktoum family since 1933
- Dubai is run by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, he is the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE 
- Dubai's climate is hot (frequently over 40 degrees) with little rainfall and the humidity is roughly 60%, however indoor facilities are often airconditioned.
- Dubai International Airport hosts the Emirates Airline fleet 
- Dhows and Abras are used to take people across Dubai Creek and Port Saeed has traders who use Dhows 
- The Sheikh Zayed Road connects both sides of Dubai with one another
- Football and Cricket are the most popular sports in Dubai 

Dubai as a place: Quotes

'Dubai is a stirring alchemy of profound traditions and ambitious futuristic vision wrapped into starkly evocative desert splendour.'
Lonely Planet 

'indefatigable verve, ambition and ability to dream up and realise projects'
'...a city that is firmly in charge of writing its own narrative'
'...easy for newcomers and visitors to connect with myraid experiences' 
Lonely Planet

'known as the most modern and progressive emirate in the UAE'
New World Encyclopedia

'...Dubai has created a deeply influential strategy in its rich march of development and modernisation'
Government of Dubai website

Dubai as a place 

Party scene has something for all tastes, budgets and ages
Has some of the best shopping malls in the world with two annual shopping festivals
The country is mainly made up of foreigner workers and foreigners creating a mix of world cultures
It is an Islamic society with their own laws so having cultural and religious sensitivity is important.
There have been human rights issues in regards to foreign workers e.g. long working hours, delayed wages etc.
It is the fastest growing city in the world with 20% of cranes in the world working in the city. The metro system was built in 18 months. 

Culture and Traditions

- Bedouin Society - Bedu Tribes are semi nomadic who spend summers in inland in oases. Winters are spent at the sea fishing  - pride for emiratis - The Camel - The camel allowed tribes to travel, milk as a drink and fur for bags and tents etc 
- The Date Palm - Dates are used to make tamr (originally used for sustenance across long journeys) which is a preserve and there are over 50 varieties in the UAE.  
- Fishing and the Dhow - Fishing, dhow building and pearl diving were common jobs on coastal settlements. Protection of water transportation methods such as abra water taxis and dhows has been important for Dubai. 
- Traditional Dress - Women wear a black cloak called a shayla which covers the hair. Men wear a dishdasha and a white or checked head scarf called a gutra with a black agal to hold it in place. 
- Henna - Originally painted on pottery, now painted on womens hands and feet for weddings
- The Arabian Horse - Worlds oldest and purest breeds which is elegant and valued for their strength and sturdyness 
- Falconry - Emirati train their falcons daily. It is one of the oldest traditions in the UAE linking modern and ancient practices. 

Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) and Down Town Dubai

Described as the main artery within Dubai and directly goes to Abu Dhabi. It is the longest road in Dubai. Sometimes known as 'The Strip' because of its innovative and contemporary architecture. Symbolises the path to the citys future plans.Over 80 towers have been built along the highway.

Places along this route:

Dubai International Financial Centre (The Gate)

Burj Khalifa

Renamed fromt he Burj Dubai to the Burg Khalifa to honour the UAE president. It is the tallest structure in the world at 818m (2700ft) and has a viewing platform allowing visitors to see miles around. The Dubai Fountain shoots water 150m (500ft or equivalent to a fifty storey building) into the air and is record breaking.

The Dubai Mall 

Is a premier shopping and entertainment centre. Contains mid to high end fashoin, cinemas, game arcades, restaurants and aquarium. The promenade overlooks the Burj Khalifa.

Emirates Towers and Boulevard 

Jumeirah and New Dubai 

Jumeirah Beach 

Jumeirah Beach is a district of golden coastline stretching southwest of the ports and 'is the most glamourous and hedonistic'. Residential property is expensive and includes luxury villas and resort hotels. All the hotels have private beaches however their are also public beaches aswell.  

Burj Al Arab 

Visable all over the district it is a luxury hotel it mimics the shape of a dhow sail.

Wild Wadi Water Park

Has 31 rides and attractions with the Jemeirah Sceirah which is the tallest and fastest freefall waterslide outside the US.

Records in Dubai 

- Has the Worlds Tallest Building the Burj Khalifa at 818m (2700ft)

- Records within the Burj:

has the worlds highest electrical substation on the 155th floor 

highest number of stories in a building at 160

an elevator with the longest travel distance  

- Jemeirah Sceirah which is the tallest and fastest freefall waterslide outside the US.

- Worlds biggest shopping mall with five million people visiting every month. It is 1,124,00 square meters

- 'The Tower' will be 'a notch' higher than the Burj Khalifa in 2020

- Jeddah Tower / Kingdom Tower will be 1001m high and completed in 2020 for the World Expo

Where did Dubai's money come from?

- Oil
When oil was discovered their was an influx in foreign workers and the population of the city grew by 300% between 1968 to 1975. After the Persian Gulf War in 1990 oil prices increased allowing them to focus on free trade and tourism. Their oil reserves are now declining and are expected to run out in 20 years.

Dubai's Crude Oil
- Dubai's crude is a medium to light oil
- It has a gravity of 31o API (API 31)
- Dubai's Crude Oil is also known as Fateh 
- It is a light sour crude 
- Colour variation in crude oil can be dramatic with higher quality oils being golden and amber and heavy ones being black. They can also be almost colourless, greenish yellow to reddish black. 

Light	API 38 or above
Medium	API between 22 and 38
Heavy	API 22 or less
Extra Heavy (bitumen)	API 10 or less (sinks)

- Pearl Diving 
In the early 20th Century there were 300 pearl diving dhows with 7000 sailors. The Divers would dive down 10 metres to the seabed using only a noseclip and weight to collect the pearls.The pearl industry was heavily impacted after WWI and the depression in the 1920 and 30s. The Japanese invented the cultured pearl leading to the demise of the industry after WWII. Pearls can be yellow/ white / pink or grey. Green ones have less of a market.

- Tourism
  
- Fishing

- Farming
  
- Finance and Services 
Service Industries such as IT and Finance in the Dubai International Centre have become new sources of income. Industry specific zones have been set up for IT and Media sectors. 
The Dubai Financial Market was developed in 2000. By changing to a more service and tourism based economy real estate prices have increased, which has led to some of the largest buildings being built in the world.

References

http://www.encyclopedia.com/places/asia/arabian-peninsula-political-geography/united-arab-emirates
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/united-arab-emirates/dubai
http://www.shortlistdubai.com/around-town/article/10048-8-worlds-biggest-records-held-by-dubai
http://www.dubai.ae/en/Lists/Articles/DispForm.aspx?ID=133&category=Visitors
https://www.therichest.com/rich-list/the-biggest/top-10-unbelievable-facts-about-dubai/
http://www.uaeinteract.com/culture/history.asp
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Dubai
https://www.dubaiqa.com/t/what-are-the-present-denominations-of-banknotes-in-the-united-arab-emirates/124/2
http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/Energy/oil.html
http://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Crude_oil
https://courseware.e-education.psu.edu/courses/egee101/L05_petroleum/L05_quality.html
http://www.encyclopedia.com/literature-and-arts/language-linguistics-and-literary-terms/language-and-linguistics/arabic
http://flashydubai.com/sheikh-zayed-road-a-road-to-dubai-future/ 
Top 10 Dubai and Abu Dhabi - Eyewitness Travel Guide by Lara Dunston and Sarah Monaghan