It has spectacular beaches but is not Australia; it is one of the world’s most secure destinations but is not Singapore; it has opulent city hotels and superb beachside resorts but is neither Jakarta nor Bali. It has world class shopping but is not Hong Kong. Welcome to Dubai, the City of Merchants
Dubai, a city where the dust of the desert is clearing to reveal the potential for one of the most significant international cities of the 21st century. Dubai is the centre of commerce, trade and tourism in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), with Abu Dhabi (UAE’s capital) being primarily Oil and Government based. Dubai’s economy is largely based on trading, manufacturing and tourism with only 20% being contributed from oil sales.
To many people in the West, Dubai – surrounded by the emirate of the same name – is synonymous with the UAE. It is the largest city in the country with a population of well over 2 million, comprised in the main of expatriates from across the globe.
Historically, the oil industry drove Dubai’s phenomenal development, but now diversification is the name of the game. Today, the big earners for the city are finance, real estate and tourism. Although considered one of the most expensive cities in the region, Dubai is also regarded as one of the best places to live in the Middle East.
Dubai Facts
• In 1991 there was only 1 skyscraper in the city now there are 400
• Less than 20% of the population are natives the rest are immigrants
• There are no personal or income taxes in Dubai
• The world’s largest horses can be found in Dubai
• There are no street addresses in Dubai
How to Get a Job in Dubai
These are some of the most in-demand jobs for foreigners in Dubai:
• IT
• Engineering
• Travel and tourism
• Hotels and hospitality
Guide to Working in Dubai
Location
Dubai is the second largest of the seven United Arab Emirates (Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah). The other six emirtates are Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah. Situated on the banks of a creek, Dubai actually comprises two towns – Deira to the north-east, and Dubai to the south-west. The Creek (al-khor) that separates them is an inlet of the Arabian Gulf.
Population
Dubai’s population stood at 689,420 in 1995 when the last census was taken. The mid year figures for 2004 put the population at almost 1,500,000 and the estimates for 2005 exceed 1,700,000.
The population exists on 15% of locals, 65% of Indian and Pakistani, 10% of Arabs from outside the UAE and 10% of European (most English), Chinese, Australians and Filipinos.
Language
The official language of the country is Arabic, although English, Urdu and Hindi are spoken and, with some perseverance, understood! All road and shop signs, restaurant menus etc, are in Arabic and English.
Religion
Islam is the official religion of the UAE, but other religions are respected and followers are allowed to practice their beliefs here. There is a Hindu Temple, two Catholic churches, an Anglican and a Protestant church in Dubai.
Climate
The UAE has a sub-tropical, arid climate with Dubai being sunny most of the year round with clear blue skies and a temperature ranging from 24oC in January and rising to as high as 48oC in July. Rainfall is infrequent (just a few days per year, amounting to some 13 cm in total) and usually falls in March, so you can be assured of getting a tan all year round.
Good for Businesses
Wedged between Europe and Asia, buttressed by Africa, Dubai’s encouraging tax regimes, state-of-the-art telecommunications and sympathetic business environment have produced a country that is building energetically on the advantages which location, centuries-old trading savvy and oil wealth have given it.
Banking and Finance
It’s never easy moving home, even just a few miles down the road. It is even more difficult when your new home is thousands of miles away in a brand new country. There are lots of problems to contend with initially, especially if relocation involves the whole family. There’s the language barrier to think about, schools for the children, finding your way about for shopping and other domestic chores, making new friends – and worries over money, of course.
If finance in all its various guises is not your strong point then you need to take some time out to gather your thoughts. Talk to a bank like HSBC, for example, a multinational banking institution well respected in the UAE and wider Gulf region. The right bank will be able to help with good advice and will probably suggest you set up some sort of offshore or international account in which to pay your monthly salary. Having the account up and running before you arrive in the UAE will certainly make life a little easier from day one, giving you one less problem to worry about.
Dubai is a Great Place to Live
As many as 30 different nationalities co-exist amicably in this tolerant cosmopolitan society which manages, at the same time, to maintain Islamic values and culture. Dubai is a very pleasant city not only to visit, but also to live in. It has all the mod-cons of an affluent western metropolis – adequate water, reliable electricity, state-of-the-art communications, well-stocked supermarkets, modern hospitals and more. Assets including cheap petrol, superb sporting facilities and clubs, give Dubai enormous appeal as a place to call home. Dubai’s credits rise even further because of the absence of most modern city problems – no air pollution, no traffic jams, no poverty and very little crime.