20 Fun Facts about Dubai

1. Arabic is the official language, but everyone speaks English.
2. Locals (Emiratis) only make up about 20% of the population, the rest are foreigners. 
3. Dubai is one of seven emirates (city-states) that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country formed in 1971 from individual shiekdoms.
4. The population has doubled since 1995.
5. Originally income came from oil but oil has since run out and the major sources of income are finance, trade, real estate and tourism.
6. Before it struck it rich with oil, Dubai was a small pearl diving village (although on a tour we took when the guide said "pearl diving" it sounded like "pole dancing", a small village based on pole dancing...I had to explain to Felipe why I was giggling like a school girl).
7. It has broken a ridiculous amount of world records (tallest building: Burj Khalifa - 164 floors!, biggest mall, world's biggest aquarium, etc, not to mention the indoor ski resort!)
8. Dubai is apparently the fastest growing city in the world. In 1991 Dubai had just one tall building and it was at the edge of the desert. Now there are over 400 high rises!
9. Between 15 and 25% of the world's construction cranes were in Dubai while the Marina was being built.
10. The culture and dress code in Dubai is much more diverse and liberal than the other emirates of the UAE. Traditionally, men wear a kandura, a long white robe, that reaches down to the ankles, and is either woolen or made from cotton. Women can be seen wearing the abaya, a black garment worn over the clothes. 
11. Although you’re supposed to dress conservatively it would appear many people didn’t get the memo (or just don’t care) and a lot is tolerated here! We were in a supermarket shortly after arriving and I had been cautious about what I was wearing. We saw a woman in a revealing bikini with just a sheer cover-up, Felipe looked at me and said, “and you were worried about showing your shoulders” haha. It’s very strange to see the contrast, you are walking in the mall and see women fully covered in abayas next to foreign women in short shorts and tank tops. You never know when people won’t be so tolerant though. I was getting my fingerprints done for my Emirates ID and a woman walked in wearing a relatively short skirt and the woman working there took one look at her and said, “Don’t come back here dressed like that”, in front of everyone! In general I try to be respectful in what I wear and cognizant of where I’m going before I choose what to wear.
12.  Dubai has strict behavioral laws in place, and kissing in public is considered illegal. Also Muslim religious restrictions must be obeyed by non-Muslims as well (ie no eating or drinking in public in daylight hours during the month of Ramadan!)
13. There are no street address in Dubai (you have to get a PO Box to receive mail and people use landmarks to give directions ie go past the Marina Mall then make a left before the Yacht Club, etc. – very bizarre!) For those of us who are directionally challenged, this proves to be a bit of an obstacle sometimes... 
14. There are no personal or income taxes in Dubai (but as an American I still have to pay US taxes on any income I earn abroad, luckily Felipe does not!)
15. Crime rate is virtually zero across the city. Dubai is one of the safest places on earth, and is considered the fifth safest city in the world. 
16. Dubai has the world’s first artificial island, the Palm, which is shaped like a palm tree (my friend, Bea, lives there and it’s a really cool place.)
17. Calls to prayer can be heard all the time, it does not matter the side of Dubai you are. These calls, referred to as Azan, can even be heard from shopping malls reminding all Muslims to offer prayers.
18. It’s unbearably hot during the day in the summer, it gets up to 120 degrees with really bad humidity. You don't see many people outside at all during summer months. And during that time we can only walk the dogs early in the morning or at night because their paws will burn!
19. Speaking of the pups, Dubai is NOT dog friendly unfortunately. It's illegal for dogs to ride in taxis, and they aren't allowed in parks or on beaches. Luckily where we live, in the Marina, we're able to walk them around a nice area (which they love!) and we see a number of other dogs in the morning. Many people here seem genuinely afraid of dogs and will move away when they see them approaching, even our little 10 lb min pins!
20. You have to get a liquor license to buy alcohol and to drink legally in your home and there are only certain stores you can buy booze in. It's worth every penny:)