The Key Facts About Dubai You Might Not Know

Dubai Is a Very Safe City

Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world. Numbeo experts rank Dubai 7th on the 2021 security indicator. The crimes and law violations are very rare. The city is highly surveilled — both on the streets and online. 35 thousand cameras in Dubai are watching almost 3 million people. Because people know the government is watching their every move and they could go to jail, get a banned from the country, or die (‘cause Dubai does have a death penalty), they don’t do crimes.   

Weekend in Dubai - Friday and Saturday

The UAE, being a Muslim country, doesn’t work on Friday. Friday is Al-Jumah, a special, sacred day that’s dedicated to worship — like Sunday for Christians. All government agencies work according to this schedule — the weekends are Friday and Saturday — but the entertainment centers are ready to receive guests on any day of the week.

The Tallest Building in The World is in Dubai

The first association that comes to people's minds when they hear about Dubai is the Burj Khalifa — the highest skyscraper in the world. Climbing 828 meters up, after the elevator ride in this building you can appear above the blanket of clouds. This skyscraper represents a hemerocallis lily flower as a symbol of life in the desert — its structure resembles the structure of the plant, resilient and able to withstand incredible heat.  

Robots Replaced Jockeys in Camel Races

Dubai is also famous for its camel racing. And in the past, only children could compete as they are light in weight and do not burden the animals — which was one of the roots of quite significant child labor exploitation in the country. Now, child jockeys are replaced with robots, and racing is slightly less unethical than it has been. 

Museum Dedicated to Coffee

There is a huge museum with thousands of exhibits connected to coffee. There you can see a wide range of coffee types, their history, and serving traditions. Those who enjoy coffee — and love to try different types, seasonings, and methods of making coffee — will appreciate coming here.  

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Not everyone knows that not far from Dubai there is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the oasis Al-Ain. 
This natural phenomenon has existed for 4000 years giving travelers a chance to drink water and hide from the sun. Its name means “spring” which is associated with balance and blossoming in nature. 

By the structure of irrigation in here — falaj system takes water from deep wells across the oasis and distributes them through underground tunnels to crops, threes, and households — that has been preserved for thousands of years this place has existed — one could understand agricultural knowledge people of those times used to maintain the land. 

Apart from being a great oasis, as National Geographic experts report, it is also the 4th largest city in the UAE. Al-Ain is the only city that is situated near the shoreside. 

Metro Without a Driver

And even the metro in Dubai goes beyond all world records. As stated by the Guinness Book of Records, the Dubai Metro Red Line is the largest line in the world that stretches for 52.1 km. And imagine yourself, it is driverless! It also isn’t actually an underground system: most of the routes are located on the surface — and only four are below. 

Subway Fines for Food and Drinks

And now you probably imagine yourself as a traveler in Dubai, riding the longest metro, with a cup of coffee, and looking at all the beauty of the technologies. 

But it’s not that simple! For drinking a coffee or eating a sandwich you can be fined 100 dirhams. And if you decide to chew gum, be ready to pay a fine of 120 dirhams. The good news is that you are allowed to eat and drink at the stations waiting for the trains. Such regulation is needed to keep trains clean. 

Almost 7 Times More Foreigners Than Locals in Dubai

Dubai is also a city of tourism. And because it is a very popular destination and a frankly beautiful city, lots of people wonder if they should relocate here. But getting citizenship in UAE is supercomplex. 

To become a legal resident of Dubai, you should live there for 30 years, show your excellent knowledge of the Arabic language, and have a big income — and there’s still no guarantee to get accepted. Preference is given to investors who are willing to give up millions of dollars. 

But there are very few Emirati natives here and not that many people with citizenship — in comparison to people without. 90% of Dubai’s population are expats — architects, builders, bankers, IT workers, people in every profession you can imagine. They are the people that have been behind these 20 years of lightning progress for the city. 

Plan a Vacation to Learn More about Dubai

Dubai is a capital of high technologies, a record-breaking city, the city of opportunities. There are lots of things to be discovered, learned, and looked at here — and if you’re planning a vacation — study where to rent an apartment in Dubai beforehand; especially if you want to be there at Christmas holidays or New Year.