Dubai itself is not a country but an emirate. It is one of the seven emirates that are part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In addition to Dubai, there is also the famous Abu Dhabi. This emirate is just 100 kilometers away from Dubai and is also the capital of the UAE.
The five remaining emirates are less known: Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qaywayn, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah.
The UAE borders two other countries: Oman in the south and Saudi Arabia on the westside of the country.
You can also find Qatar in the west that borders only Saudi Arabia. In the north on the other side of the Persian Gulf you will find Iran.
The land area of the UAE is a total of 83,600 km² of which 4,114 km² is occupied by Dubai.
Who rules Dubai?
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Oil vs economy, tourism and green energy
Dubai is located in the Middle East and is an oil country like many other countries. But in the UAE they understand very well that, with global warming in mind, there’s no future in oil anymore. Due to the increasing climate warming, we start thinking green and that evolution is already happening in large parts of the world. Solar and wind energy are examples of this. Electric cars, homes that produce their own energy with solar panels, …
With this in mind, Dubai has been investing for some time in the economy, tourism and green energy. For example, they are constantly building new skyscrapers to put Dubai on the map as the futuristic place to be of the Middle East and perhaps of the world.
World famous projects
When you think of Dubai, usually the first words are Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, Palm Islands,… These are the most famous projects that have been realized in Dubai, but it doesn’t stop there. In the meantime, there are several new mega projects in the pipeline and more are being added every year.
Thus, the Burj Khalifa will soon loose its pride of being the world’s tallest building. The most important project developer in Dubai, Emaar Properties, is working on a tower of more than 1 km, the Dubai Creek Tower.
New upcoming projects in Dubai
Building projects at light speed, that’s an understatement when you see what is still on the to-do list in Dubai. The Dubai skyline is constantly being renewed by new skyscrapers. The United Arab Emirates also want to put Dubai on the map as “the city of all cities” at the world exhibition, Expo 2020.
Let’s take a look at the most important projects that you can expect in Dubai in the upcoming years.
Burj Jumeirah
Another new tower near the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel is the Burj Jumeirah. This new skyscraper will further complement the Dubai skyline.
With a height of approximately 550 meters, 360-degree observation decks and restaurants at 450 meters, this must be the Burj Khalifa of Jumeirah.
If everything goes according to plan you can visit this new skyscraper from 2023, close to the Burj Al Arab.
Dubai Creek Tower
Saudi Arabia is almost finished with their Jeddah Tower, a building of no less than 1,008 meters, 179 meters higher than the Burj Khalifa.
But Dubai would not be Dubai to break this immediately.
A futuristic building of perhaps 1,300 meters is under construction, the Dubai Creek Tower. The height of this new skyscraper hasn’t been revealed yet, so stay tuned for more information!
Dubai World Central
Within a few years you can land in Dubai at the largest airport in the world, Dubai World Central. This project, which costs more than 36 billion, will be expanded in various phases.
With 5 runways, 6 terminals and more than 260 million passengers expected, this will become the world’s largest airport in the future.
Meydan One Mall
Meydan One is a brand new shopping center under construction with more than 550 stores and almost 200 restaurants.
However, it does not stop there… There will be an indoor ski slope of 1 km, a lagoon of 8 km and an indoor karting with fully electric karts.
Why vacation to Dubai?
The destination that has everything to offer
Dubai’s greatest asset is the enormous diversity in entertainment and relaxation. Whether you are going for a beach holiday, city trip or shopping with friends or family for a few days, it’s all possible in Dubai.
The only thing you have to take into account is the climate in Dubai. In the summer the temperature can sometimes rise to almost 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit)! Read more about the climate and the best period to travel to Dubai here.
Beach holiday
A beach vacation in Dubai has a lot to offer. You can choose to stay in one of the luxurious resorts on the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah.
You may think this is only for the rich and famous, but no: for just over 100 dollar per night you can already stay with 2 people in a five-star hotel on the palm. On this page you can find more about booking a hotel in Dubai.
City trip Dubai
Dubai is also extremely suitable for a city trip. The only drawback will be that you have a shortage of time. The city has so much to offer in sights and attractions that you will not get around in 3 or 4 days. A visit to the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa or the only 7-star hotel in the world, Burj Al Arab are just some of the dozens of things you can see in Dubai. The price of a city trip is extremely cheap if you compare this with London or Paris, for example.
Shopping trip Dubai
A short trip of 2 or 3 days to Dubai and having a good time in one of the many shopping centers, that is also possible. Dubai is known for its shopping malls. So you can shop at The Dubai Mall, the largest shopping center in the world, literally until you drop! Completely viewing this shopping center in one day is virtually impossible: there are more than 1,300 shops!
Besides the Dubai Mall you have several other shopping centers. This is heaven on earth for the shopping fanatic!