40 interesting facts about the United Arab Emirates

In fact, the United Arab Emirates is about the same as the United States – a number of separate emirates, united into a common state. This is a rich and quite prosperous country, with luxurious resorts and the best hotels in the world. However, it is interesting primarily because it is one of the most developed in the Arab world, and it is fully characterized by oriental flavor.

Facts about the United Arab Emirates

1. The UAE has a population of 9.9 million.
2. Until the middle of the last century, the territory of the UAE was a rather poor country under the British protectorate, whose inhabitants earned money mainly by fishing for pearls.
3. In Dubai, there is the tallest building on Earth – the Burj Khalifa skyscraper with a height of 828 meters.
4. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi covers 85% of the UAE.
5. In the Emirates, large predators live in the wild, in particular, leopards (interesting facts about leopards).
6. Magnificent cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi grew up right in the desert in just 50-60 years, since oil was discovered in the UAE.
7. Part of the country’s territory is occupied by the Rub al-Khali desert, in which the temperature regularly exceeds +50 degrees. This is the largest piece of the earth’s surface, completely covered with sand (interesting facts about deserts).
8. For the birth of a son, citizens of the United Arab Emirates receive a bonus of 50 thousand dollars from the state.
9. In case of entry into marriage for the holiday, the state gives a young family 20 thousand dollars and a house.
10. In the UAE, it is forbidden to hitchhike, take pictures of women and government facilities, as well as transport and consume alcohol.
11. Strict Internet censorship in the United Arab Emirates blocks social networks and a number of popular video hosting sites, such as YouTube.
12. Crime in the UAE is practically non-existent.
13. Fines for speeding and other traffic violations are huge here. So, overtaking through a solid line will entail a fine of up to $ 800.
14. In the public transport of the United Arab Emirates for men and women, there are separate cars on trains and compartments on buses.
15. In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, many bus stops are completely closed and equipped with air conditioning.
16. Due to the lack of fresh water, the UAE authorities have to desalinate salty sea water.
17. One of the most popular entertainments for local sheikhs – camel racing.
18. In the United Arab Emirates, men are forbidden to wear shorts and sleeveless T-shirts. But you can wear short-sleeved T-shirts.
19. You can and should bargain in local markets and bazaars – this is a tradition.
20. Trains in the UAE metro are controlled by a computer, without the help of drivers.
21. The only ski resort in the Middle East is located in the Arabian Desert. Artificial, of course, but no less luxurious for that. It’s also the world’s largest indoor park.
22. Local drivers usually don’t even lock their cars. Here you can easily see «Lamborghini» or «Ferrari». What to do – they don’t steal here.
23. Indigenous people make up a little over 10% of the population of the UAE.
24. All the benefits of civilization apply only to citizens. The conditions for foreigners working in the country are completely different.
25. Local citizens either do not work, or run a business, or work in the civil service. The rest of the work in the United Arab Emirates is done by immigrants, often earning $300-400 a month. For comparison, the salary of a civil servant is on average $10,000, but only citizens are hired for civil service.
26. You can buy alcohol in hotels in the United Arab Emirates, but after drinking it, it’s better not to go out, otherwise you can get into trouble with the police.
27. Despite the hot climate, fur coats are sold with might and main in the fashion boutiques of the United Arab Emirates. Tourists willingly buy them.
28. Due to the proximity of the desert, the air is constantly filled with the finest dust. It seeps everywhere, even into houses with modern double-glazed windows, and covers all surfaces with a thin layer. Wet cleaning in the home has to be done often.
29. On average, a citizen of the UAE annually buys about 15 kg of gold. For obvious reasons, millionaire sheikhs make up about 1% of the population here.
30. Local fashionistas often wear the most modern designer clothes under traditional black attire. However, apart from them, no one sees it anyway.
31. While women in the United Arab Emirates wear black clothes, men usually dress in all white.
32. There is no road in the United Arab Emirates police. All offenses committed on the road are recorded by cameras.
33. In all crowded places in the UAE, there are many policemen in civilian clothes.
34. For women in the Emirates there is a special female taxi with female drivers.
35. An experiment was successfully conducted in this country to artificially call rain. True, they did not put the technology on stream, because it is very expensive.
36. UAE laws allow men to have up to 4 wives, but this tradition is gradually bypassing the past, since even many can not afford the maintenance of such a harem rich Arabs.
37. A citizen of the Arab Emirates can marry a foreigner, but a local woman has no right to marry a foreigner.
38. The UAE government pays citizens of the country to study at any university in the world of their choice, and even pays them a substantial stipend. And he also pays for the flight to the place of study.
39. Emirates Airlines has been recognized as the most valuable brand among all air carriers in the world.
40. The world’s largest flower park is located in Dubai.