3. Introducing The United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates situated in the southeast of the
Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. The
seven states, termed emirates, are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-
Khaimah and Fujairah. The UAE's population is around 4.3 million of which approximately 21.9%
are nationals and the rest are foreigners. As a consequence of the large number of expatriate
workers attracted to the Emirates, UAE nationals form a minority of those who reside in the country.
The UAE has one of the most diverse populations in the Middle East. 19% of the country's
population is Emirati, 23% are other Arabs or Persians while the majority of the population, about
50%, is from South Asia.
ّ د
4. Introducing Dubai
Dubai is one of the seven emirates and is the most populous city of the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai's government operates within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, and has been ruled
by the Al Maktoum family since 1833. The current ruler, HH Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, is also the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and member of the Supreme Council
of the Union (SCU). Dubai is a cosmopolitan and multicultural city and is home to approximately 1.5
million people from all over the globe. Around 80% of the population in Dubai is made up of
expatriates and the city caters to the diverse population by offering a broad range of services and
facilities. Dubai has much to offer. The sun shines almost every day, the shopping and leisure
facilities are impressive, and the salaries are tax-free.
Introducing Dubai
5. 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 113°F (45°C) and above
during the day and humidity levels are very high. Even the sea temperature touches on 104°F
(40°C) during the summer months. 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 and
when showers do fall it is mainly in the cooler months.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
24°C 25°C 28°C 32°C 37°C 39°C 40°C 45°C 39°C 35°C 31°C 26°C
ّ د
6. Food Supermarkets
The diversity of cuisine in Dubai is a reflection Dubai has a good range of supermarkets and
of the cosmopolitan nature of the society. Arab grocery stores that cater to the multinational
food is very popular and is available population’s culinary needs. Supermarkets include:
everywhere in the city, from the small Spinneys http://www.spinneys-dubai.com/
shawarma diners in Deira and Al Karama to Waitrose www.waitrose.com/
the upscale restaurants in Dubai's many Carrefour www.carrefouruae.com/
Choithram www.choithram.com/
hotels. The sale and consumption of pork, is
Geant www.geant-dubai.com/
regulated and is sold only to non-Muslims, in
Lulu www.luluhypermarket.com/
designated areas. Similarly, the sale of
Union Co-Op www.ucs.ae/
alcoholic beverages is regulated and a liquor
permit is required to purchase alcohol. Alcohol Organic Foods & café
www.organicfoodsandcafe.com/
is available in bars and restaurants within four
or five star hotels. HyperPanda
Park n Shop
Introducing Dubai
7. Language Start practicing!
Dubai has a diverse and multicultural society and Peace be upon you – Al Salam Alaikom
although Arabic is the official language, Welcome/Hello – Marhaba
Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Urdu, Persian, Sindhi,
What? - Matha
Tagalog, Bengali and many other languages are
Goodbye - Ma Salama
spoken in Dubai. English is widely spoken and is
Who? - Man
standard within the business community.
Thank You - Shukran
Where? - Ayina
Please - Min Fadlak
How many? - Kam
How much does it cost? - Bekam
How are you? - Ke fa ha’allaq
Why? - Lematha
Yes - Na’am / Aiwa
Excuse me - Affwan
No - La
I don’t know - Lusto Adree
Good Morning - Sabah Al Khair
ّ د
8. Religion
Islam is the official religion of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates with the vast majority of Emiratis
being Sunni Muslims. Dubai is one of the most liberal places in the Middle East and although all
visitors are expected to respect Islam, followers of other religions are tolerated. Dubai is a diverse
and multicultural city and Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Christians have been living harmoniously
in Dubai for many decades. Dubai is the only emirate housing Hindu temples, churches and a Sikh
gurudwara. The local government follows a policy of tolerance towards non-Muslims and people
are free to practice their religion. The religious communities of Dubai have their own schools and
social and cultural institutions.
Introducing Dubai
9. Clothing
Both local men and local women are easily distinguished by their traditional dress, which is a
common sight in the United Arab Emirates. Men wear the long white Dishdasha and headdress,
while women wear the black Abaya. The dress code is liberal in Dubai compared to other Middle
Eastern cities, however it is expected that residents and visitors alike show respect for the local
culture and dress accordingly. In the presence of UAE nationals it is wise to cover the shoulders,
especially so during business meetings. Lightweight summer clothing is suitable for most of the year,
although it can get cool during winter evenings. Offices and shopping malls can be are heavily air
conditioned during the summer months and it can become rather chilly indoors.
ّ د
10. Working
The weekend in Dubai falls on Friday and Saturday and the following opening hours prevail
throughout the Emirate:
Banks 8am to 1pm and 4pm to 7pm Sunday to Thursday are typical hours
Government offices 7.30am to 3pm Sunday to Thursday and Saturday mornings
Post offices 8am to 2pm is typical for most post offices, others operate 8am to 8pm
Restaurants 11am to 3pm and 7pm to 11pm are the typical hours for restaurants
Shopping Centre's 10am to 10pm Sunday to Wednesday, 10 am to 12 am Friday & Saturday
Shops & Souqs 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 10pm Saturday to Thursday, 4pm to 9pm Friday
Introducing Dubai
11. Money Banks
The Dirham is the UAE's currency and is Banks in Dubai include:
subdivided into 100 fils. Banknotes are
National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah National Bank of Abu Dhabi
available in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 First Gulf Bank Standard Chartered Bank
and 1000 dirham denominations and coins Emirates Islamic Bank HSBC Bank
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank National Bank of Sharjah
are available in 1, 25 and 50 fils. The Dubai Islamic Bank Union National Bank
Dirham (AED) is pegged to the US Dollar National Bank of Dubai Dubai Bank
Mashreq Bank Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)
at approximately US$=Dh 3.67. Banks Lloyds TSB Bank (formerly ABN Amro)
operate from 8 am to 3.30pm, Saturday Commercial Bank of Dubai Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
Al Hilal Bank Al Masraf
through Wednesday and 8 am - noon on Noor Islamic Bank Doha Bank
Thursday. Currency exchange houses Barclays National Bank of Umm Al Quwain
Commercial Bank International SAMBA
open until late in the evening and Citibank Bank of Sharjah
International credit cards are widely Emirates Bank International / meBank United Bank Limited
accepted.
ّ د
12. Healthcare Useful numbers
Dubai’s health services are internationally
Emergencies
recognized to be of good quality and
Fire / Ambulance / Police Ph: 999
comparable to other developed countries.
Currently being developed is the Dubai Health
Care City (DHCC) which is the worlds first Government Hospitals
health care free zone. DHCC provides modern
Al Baraha Hospital Ph: 04 2710000
medical services and aims to become an
Al Maktoum Hospital Ph: 04 2221211
internationally recognized location of choice
Al Wasl Hospital Ph: 04 3241111
for quality healthcare. For further information
Iranian Hospital Ph: 04 3440250
you may like to visit the website at
Dubai Hospital Ph: 04 2714444
www.dhcc.ae/
Rashid Hospital Ph: 04 3374000
Private Hospitals & Clinics include:
American Hospital Ph: 04 3367777
Emirates Hospital Ph: 04 3446678
Welcare Hospital Ph: 04 2827788
International Modern Hospital Ph: 04 3988888
Manchester Clinic Dubai Ph: 04 3440300
Introducing Dubai
13. Shopping
Dubai is known as the shopping capital of the
Middle East and has a wide variety of malls and
souqs to cater to all tastes and budgets. Each
year, Dubai holds an annual shopping festival
that includes huge sales and is a shopping and
entertainment extravaganza that attracts visitors
from all over the word.
Shopping centers and souqs in Dubai include:
Dubai Mall - www.thedubaimall.com/
Mall of the Emirates - www.malloftheemirates.com/
Diera City Centre - www.deiracitycentre.com/
Dubai Festival City - www.dubaifestivalcity.com/
Wafi City Mall - www.wafi.com/
BurJuman - www.burjuman.com/
Mercato Mall - www.mercatoshoppingmall.com/
Madinat Jumeirah - www.jumeirah.com/
Ibn Battuta - www.ibnbattutamall.com/
Deira Gold Souq
ّ د
14. Getting around
The majority of people in Dubai travel around in private vehicles or in taxis. Dubai has a large fleet
of taxis that are clearly market and the rates are metered. Car prices are generally lower than in
other countries, so you may have the opportunity to drive in style. There are bus services operating
in Dubai that are affordable and reliable, however the routes are fairly limited. Another popular
mode of transport is by Abra or water taxi and these are featured at the Dubai Creek. There is
currently no train system operating in Dubai, however the Dubai Metro is set to begin operating in
September 2009 and will be the longest fully automated rail system in the world.
Introducing Dubai
15. Travel
Dubai International Airport (DXB) serves Dubai - www.dubaiairport.com/
Dubai’s airline is Emirates - website: http://www.emirates.com/ae
Flight times from Dubai:
Kuwait - 1 hour 40 mins Muscat - 55 mins Bangkok – 5 hours 50 mins
Riyadh – 1 hour 50 mins London - 7 hours 50 mins Doha – 1 hour
Cairo – 4 hours 20 mins New York - 14 hours Paris – 7 hours 45 mins
ّ د
16. Education
The education system is varied, with many international schools to choose from, and more opening
every year. As there is no government-funded education for expat children, all of these schools charge
fees. Parents can choose between US, international or UK systems and the standard of education is
improving every year. After-school activities are common in Dubai and include gymnastics, swimming,
ballet, Arabic classes, horse-riding, rugby, golf, football and tennis. The school terms are similar to
education systems in the UK and USA, with autumn (mid September to mid December), spring (early
January to early April) and summer (mid April to early July) terms.
Introducing Dubai
17. Child Care
There are many good nurseries in Dubai which cater to a variety of needs. The Dubai Women
Establishment (DWE) have recently launched National Child Care (NCC) Standards which
benchmarks the best policy and practice standards for corporate child care centers. The intention of
the Standards is to benchmark Dubai, both regionally and internationally, as offering the best policy
and practice standards for corporate child care centers and to support Dubai’s commitment to be a
child-friendly city. For further information in respect to activities for children and child care in Dubai
you may like to visit this website - www.dubaikidz.biz/
-
ّ د
18. Housing
Dubai apartments come in various sizes, from studio
to four bedroom, with widely varying rents to match.
Recently the rental market in Dubai has seen a
significant reduction in rental prices. Some
apartments come semi-furnished (with a cooker,
fridge and washing machine), and have 24 hour
security, covered parking, private gym and
swimming pool. Like apartments villas differ greatly
in quality and facilities. Independent villas often have
larger gardens, while compound villas are usually
newer and typically feature shared facilities such as
a pool and even a gym. For further information in Internet domain: .ae
respect to renting and purchasing property in Dubai International dialing code: +971
you may like to visit www.dubizzle.com Maid Services
Electricity The majority of expats tend to have domestic
Voltage: 240 Volts, 50Hz help whether it is full-time, live in housemaid
Outlets in Dubai generally accept or a part time cleaner. You can either use
domestic help agencies or through social
2 type of plugs:
networks.
Introducing Dubai
19. Pets
If you don’t want to leave your furry friends behind, any potential problems can be minimized if you
plan ahead of time for your pet’s relocation. Pets are allowed into the UAE, however, it is important
to bear in mind that summer temperatures are often too high for pets to spend much time outdoors.
If you are on a Term Contract, you might not be able to bring pets with you as you may be housed
in furnished accommodation which may not allow pets. For further information you may like to take
a look at the website of The Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association International
Inc. for a list of pet shippers worldwide - www.ipata.com and at the Pet Dubai website for
information in respect to rules and regulations regarding pets in Dubai - www.petdubai.com/
ّ د
20. Media
Dubai has a well established network of print, radio, television and electronic media which service
the city. The majority of local television stations are government run and broadcast in Arabic,
however there are options to subscribe to pay TV providers. Showtime Arabia is a leading pay TV
network in the Middle East North Africa region and it offers a broad variety of shows ranging from
local programs to shows from around the world. Dubai is the headquarters for several print media
outlets. Al Khaleej, Al Bayan and Al Ittihad are the city's largest circulating Arabic language
newspapers while Gulf News and Khaleej Times are the largest circulating English newspapers.
Emirates News Agency (WAM) is the official news agency of the UAE and provides daily news
coverage of official and other events throughout the country.
Introducing Dubai
21. Holidays
Muslim festivals are timed according to local
sightings of various phases of the moon and
the dates given are approximations.
2009
1 Jan New Year's Day
7 Jan Ashoura
9 Mar Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet)
20 Jul Leilat al-Meiraj (Ascension of the Prophet)
21 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
28 Nov Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
2 Dec National Day
18 Dec Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year )
27 Dec Ashoura
2010
1 Jan New Year's Day
26 Feb Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet)
9 Jul Leilat al-Meiraj (Ascension of the Prophet)
11 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
17 Nov Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
2 Dec National Day
7 Dec Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year)
16 Dec Ashoura
ّ د
22. Sports & Leisure
Dubai offers a wide variety of sport and leisure facilities including health clubs, gyms, sports clubs
and beach clubs. There are also a number of world class golf courses in Dubai including challenging
PGA championship golf courses. Popular sports in Dubai include horse riding, archery, tennis, rugby,
squash and a variety of water sports. Dubai boasts a number of parks which are popular with
families, including safa park and the Jumeirah Beach park. Other popular activities in Dubai include
going to the movies and the theatre, attending live music concerts, dining out and one of the many
restaurants and dancing the night away at one of the popular nightclubs. Many residents like to
explore the desert during the cooler months and weekend camping trips are very popular.
Introducing Dubai
23. Visas and Identity Card
To work in Dubai, you need an employment visa which will be organized by your employer and
sponsor. After you arrive in Dubai, it is mandatory to get a health card, followed by a residence
permit on your passport and a labour card. Instead of having multiple identity cards like driving
licences, work permits, employee cards, passports, e-cards, the UAE Federal Government has
created a single national identity card which is currently being introduced. To be eligible for an ID
Card you must be either a UAE national, a GCC citizen working or residing in the UAE, or be a UAE
resident over 15 years of age. For further information in respect to visas and Identity Cards in
Dubai you may like to visit the following websites: http://www.dubai.ae/en.portal &
www.dubaifaqs.com/visa-dubai
ّ د
