Why are social networks banned in the Arab Emirates? UAE: interesting facts about the country and life in the Emirates. Purebred Arabian horses

The United Arab Emirates is a very unusual state. In the middle of the endless desert and soils practically unsuitable for agriculture lie luxurious oases and flourishing cities. The UAE includes 7 separate emirates, which are separate state entities. The capital is Dubai. It is also one of the seven emirates.

Read our guide to learn how to plan an independent trip to Dubai.

In our small review collected the most interesting and unusual facts about this eastern country, which was able to reach considerable heights in its development and technology thanks to only one natural wealth– huge oil deposits.

History and geography

Anyone who comes to these parts for the first time will find it hard to believe that just a few decades ago the UAE was an endless desert, in which it was incredibly difficult to survive. Today the country is included in the list of the richest states. Just imagine, out of a population of 5 million, 59 thousand millionaires live here!

Local punishments have long been famous for their severity. For certain crimes you can even expect the death penalty. As before, this type of punishment is carried out by cutting off the head or stoning to death. This is why the UAE is included in the list of countries with the least number of crimes.

Public life

Every native resident of the UAE receives impressive support from the state. Almost every solemn event in the country entails financial assistance. For example, when a son is born into a family of citizens, they receive 50 thousand dollars. Each marriage brings the newlyweds 19 thousand dollars and a personal villa. The size of the salaries of government officials is also impressive. They receive up to 10 thousand dollars monthly.

Since the country belongs to the Muslim world, there are a lot of prohibitions here. For example, drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited, as is its transportation. There is also a taboo on taking photographs government agencies and even women.

You will never see people hitchhiking on the streets of the UAE. This is also strictly prohibited.

In addition, the ban on the “yellow press” should be considered a local quirk, since the personal life of citizens, especially sheikhs, is taboo. And exits are also prohibited social media, since in the UAE it is generally accepted that such Internet resources contain a lot of negative information.

The fines in the country are also amazing. Just imagine, for violating the rules on the road you will face a fine of up to $800.

Entertainment and Features

Since the UAE is a desert country, camel racing is a very popular activity here. But the riders are not people at all, but real robots. The locals also love to go on desert safaris and use fancy jeeps for this.

Each bus stop is equipped with air conditioning. And this is not surprising, because in the summer average temperature The air does not drop below 50 degrees during the day. And winter here is perhaps the warmest. The air temperature ranges from 18 to 28 degrees in different time days.

Gold is one of the most popular commodities in the UAE. According to statistics, every citizen annually buys at least 38 grams of this metal. According to local tradition, during a marriage proposal, the groom is obliged to give the bride 5 kg of gold at once.

By the way, the future of the newlyweds is determined by the parents. From early childhood, every boy and girl pairs up, and with the onset of a certain age, they get married. But for affairs outside of marriage you can even get a real prison sentence.

There is also the right to polygamy. But this is an expensive whim, even for citizens of such a rich country. Therefore, recently the vast majority of marriages are monogamous.

The UAE is considered one of the most expensive countries in terms of payment for public utilities and purchase of fresh water.

There is a clear distribution of the roles of men and women in the country. Representatives of different sexes even move separately on public transport in separate carriages. Even the taxi interior is fenced off with a special partition.

It will take a lot of time to tell about such a country in colors. What is worth knowing is that the most luxurious hotels were built in the UAE, for example, famous all over the world

What comes to your mind when you first mention UAE? Surely, oil, sheikhs and fantastic skyscrapers, right? It's right. But we want to expand your knowledge, and we invite you to learn something more interesting about the state, which just a few decades ago was just a desert. So, some interesting facts about the UAE.

About people

The UAE is a very rich country. A little more than 5 million people live in it, including 59 thousand dollar millionaires. The sheikh rules the state, and power is inherited. The country takes care of its newborns and at birth each child receives a huge social package. Boys are especially lucky: at birth, the family receives 50 thousand dollars. Until they reach adulthood, each child receives $150 per month. The state also takes care of young families. The government allocates from 18 to 30 thousand dollars for a wedding, and the young family receives a comfortable villa as a gift. In general, the local population receives free education, free medicine and has the right to free housing. The indigenous population in the UAE is small, less than 13%. The rest of the country's inhabitants are from South Asia and the Philippines. They mostly work (the cheapest labor). The average Arab earns about $15,000 a year in the UAE and has a $2,000 benefit. And a government employee earns about $10,000 a month. By the way, women can serve in the UAE army and police.

About oil, money and gold

Thanks to oil revenues and the skillful investment of capital in the development of industry and Agriculture, the country has become one of the most successful in the world. Tourism has begun to develop rapidly in the UAE, which is an integral part of the country's economy. And oil in the UAE is much cleaner than in Russia. The country has the highest number of ATMs per capita in the world. There is even an ATM that dispenses gold bars (at the Emirates Palace Hotel). In the UAE, everyone loves gold. Can you imagine that every resident of the Emirates buys 38 grams of gold annually. If an Arab wants to marry an Arab woman, then on the day of matchmaking he is obliged to give at least 5 kg of gold jewelry. Dubai is the center of jewelry trade in the Middle East. The country's jewelers constantly surprise with their products. So, in 1999, a gold chain was made, 4 kilometers long and 22 carats. Confectioners are not far behind. In the UAE, cupcakes sell for $1,000 each. This is the Golden Phoenix. All the decorations on it are made of edible gold and chocolate, and the cupcake is sprinkled with gold dust on top. The confection itself is served on a 24-karat gold cake stand.

About buildings

The most phantasmagoric buildings in the world were first built in Dubai. For example, the World Trade Center skyscraper in 1979, which remained the tallest in the world until 1991. What can we say about the Burj Khalifa tower, which soars 828 meters into the air. And the fountain, which is located near the tower, shoots jets of water at 130 meters, and the illumination of the fountain is visible at 35 meters in height. It also has its own “leaning tower” - Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi, with the largest slope in the world. The tallest residential building in the world was also built in Dubai - the Princes Tower residence (height 414 meters). To the list of the most large mosques The Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, which can accommodate up to 41 thousand believers, has the largest chandelier in the world (15 m high, 10 m in diameter and weighs more than 9 tons) and a carpet included in the Book of Records has also entered the world Guinness (its length is 133 m, width 48 m, weight 48 tons). And the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah is even visible from space. In the near future, it is planned to open its own Disneyland - Dubailand, which will be twice the size of its brother.

About prohibitions and laws

Since the UAE is a Muslim country, prohibitions are strictly observed here and people live according to the laws of the Koran. The sale and consumption of alcohol is prohibited in three emirates. The country does not allow photography of government institutions, military installations, private buildings or women. If you decide to hitchhike around the country, this may be fraught with an administrative violation. Freedom of speech is difficult in the UAE. You will not find anything about the personal lives of sheikhs in any publication. Also, many social networks are blocked on the Internet, including Facebook. From the Qur'anic point of view, the Internet may contain harmful information. If you are not a Muslim, you are prohibited from entering mosques (except those that are public places). When entering the mosque, you must take off your shoes. In the UAE you will pay fines for any reason - for throwing garbage on the street the fine is almost $136, for running a red light - $800, etc. But punishment is not limited to fines. Punishment in the form of public beatings or stoning is quite possible. For adultery, you can generally lose your head.

About entertainment

Since the United Arab Emirates is located in the desert, one of the most popular entertainments here is the racing of “ships of the desert” - camels. In the past, the races involved riders. Now the camels are controlled by robots. As an alternative to camel racing, desert jeep safaris are offered. A popular entertainment in the UAE is falconry - an elite entertainment and a privilege of the nobility. This is because the cost of birds is affordable only for rich people in the UAE. Arabs love cinema. So, for example, on the island of Sir Bani Yas, you can watch films simply under open air, sitting comfortably in a sun lounger. If you want to plunge into winter, go to Ski Dubai Park. All conditions have been created here for ski holiday: slopes, lifts, areas for snowboarders, for playing snowballs, snow slides and equipment rental points for winter species sports The Emirati authorities are trying to turn any deserted piece of land into an oasis. But besides bushes, little grows in the desert. That's why palm trees are planted. Pleasure is not cheap. One palm tree costs about 10 thousand dollars. Since the climate in the country is hot all year round, the state made sure that bus stops in the country are closed and equipped with air conditioning.

And this is just part interesting facts about the United Arab Emirates. Going on vacation to a country of green oases and majestic dunes, you will get the most indelible impressions and an unforgettable adventure. The state took care of this. We wish you good luck!

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The United Arab Emirates is an oasis that has arisen in the middle of the desert, associated with the words “luxury” and “wealth”. Here, the tallest hotels in the world were built above the sands, and artificial islands were created in the ocean.

This amazing country- the dream of every tourist. Well, for those who are just looking at the UAE, we offer Interesting Facts about the Emirates, which will allow you to learn a lot of unusual and educational things.

Fact 1. Attention, prohibitions!

The UAE has strict Muslim laws that apply to a number of areas familiar to the unwary tourist. For example, it is prohibited to drink alcohol here, much less transport it in public places.

Tourists are allowed to drink only at the hotel, and it is advisable not to leave its territory so as not to become the object of police attention. You are also prohibited from photographing certain landmarks, government buildings, military installations, and women. The exception is accidentally getting into the frame, but it’s still better not to take risks.

Here we also recommend not to break the rules traffic, since a tourist will have to say goodbye to an amount equal to $800 for driving through a red light. Well, if you accidentally miss the trash can, you will have to pay $136.

Fact 2. Two different worlds

Nowadays, the United Arab Emirates is a modern state, in which, nevertheless, the laws of past centuries apply.

It's about the division between men and women. For example, public transport, in which men travel separately from women, or the metro, which has two types of cars (for representatives of the fair half of humanity and their opponents - men).

Also, revealing clothing, which European tourists are accustomed to, is not encouraged here. Moreover, if a girl in provocative clothes walks down the street without a companion (male), then she may even be fined.

Fact 3. Impressive assistance to the indigenous population

UAE - unique country, which managed to become one of the richest states over several decades. Moreover, the country’s prosperity is so great that the indigenous people do not need anything.

For example, for the birth of a child in the Emirates they pay a one-time payment of $50,000. And newlyweds who decide to tie the knot receive almost $20,000 and living space in the form of a villa on their wedding day.

Moreover, for a population of 5 million there are 59 thousand dollar millionaires. Size wages of an ordinary civil servant is $10,000, so this interesting fact about the Emirates once again emphasizes that rich country rich people should live.

Fact 4. Down with social networks!

It is noteworthy that in the UAE the authorities control and regulate the use of social networks. According to the committee responsible for overseeing compliance with telecommunications laws, social networks are a source of information harmful to the country's residents.

For example, in Dubai, tagging people in photos on Facebook can land you in jail. Also, you cannot publish posts related to the topic of alcohol, dating, or adult content without appropriate restrictions.

And in the Emirates there is a ban on the “yellow press” and the dissemination in newspapers and magazines of facts from the life of Arab sheikhs and other wealthy citizens.

Fact 5. Lowest crime rate in the world!

In the Emirates, a tourist can move around absolutely calmly, without fear of pickpocketing, since there are simply no thieves here. And all because this country has very harsh laws that cool even the most violent impulses of attackers.

Moreover, it is not customary here to lock cars, since car theft is impossible due to huge amount external surveillance cameras and lightning-fast police response.

It is also interesting that in the Emirates not only do they not drink alcohol, which contributes to reckless actions, but there is practically no drug addiction. A person who uses drugs faces a prison sentence of 10 years. But if a drug addict decides to get rid of his addiction on his own, the state will fully pay for the course of treatment.

Fact 6. Comfort comes first!

The climate of the UAE cannot be called comfortable: unbearable heat and high humidity cause a lot of problems and discomfort. But the emirate authorities still care about their citizens, so air conditioners can be found everywhere: in shops, on the streets and even at bus stops!

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Fact 7. A fact that can be seen from space!

Arab sheikhs are some of the richest people on the planet. They love to show off their financial capabilities as well as their originality. For example, a sheikh named Hamad became famous for creating a unique drainage system that supplied the desert area with water.

The very idea of a drainage system does not cause any surprise, but its form is worthy of admiration! The thing is that it represents kilometer-sized letters that are visible from space - this is nothing more than the name of the sheikh “HAMAD”.

Fact 8. Some records

In the Emirates, everything is created to attract tourists, and hotels regularly try to surprise their visitors with new achievements and records. For example, in one of New Year's Eve At the Emirates Palace hotel, a 13-meter high Christmas tree was installed, but it was not the height that impressed tourists, but its decoration.

The fact is that instead of the usual toys, jewelry with a total value of $11,000,000 was hung on the branches of the New Year’s symbol! The next record was a cake prepared by the chefs of the most luxurious hotels.

Confectioners baked a cake for the country's Independence Day, the length of which was 2500 meters! Well, concluding the topic of records set in hotels, I would like to note that it is in the UAE that the tallest hotel in the world was built, the height of which is 828 meters - this is a truly grandiose structure of human hands.

Fact 9. The largest indoor ski park!

Yes, this is not a joke! It turns out that this hot country has its own ski resort! We are talking about a shopping center, under the roof of which are built ski slopes with lifts and snow. The park's area is 22,500 square meters - this is the most amazing structure in the middle of the desert. The contrast is especially noticeable when entering the center, when the sun is still burning your back, and you already feel coolness on your face.

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Fact 10. Dubai's answer to American Disneyland!

This fact is the best thing for children as it concerns the largest amusement park in Dubai. Several years ago, representatives of Disneyland refused a proposal to build an amusement park on the territory of Dubai, and the city authorities decided to build their own “Dubailand”, which would be twice as large as its Western counterpart!

And believe me, the Arabs know a lot about grandiose buildings. A visit to this park will leave indelible impression. The Dubailand project is planned to be fully implemented by 2020.

As you can see, the UAE is exactly the country where the spirit of the fairy tales of “1000 and One Nights” hovers and the most modern sports cars drive around. Here are the most luxurious hotels and the highest level of infrastructure. A lot of amazing discoveries await every traveler in this country.

What is it worth, once again demonstrating how in the middle of the desert the caring hands of the inhabitants of this country were able to create a unique oasis.

In fact, the United Arab Emirates is approximately the same as the United States - a number of individual emirates united into a common state. It's rich and quite prosperous country, With luxury 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 an oriental flavor.

Facts about the United Arab Emirates

There are approximately the same number of people living throughout the country as in St. Petersburg.
Until the middle of the last century, the territory of the UAE was a rather poor country under British protectorate, whose residents made money mainly from pearl fishing.
Dubai is home to the tallest building on Earth - the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, 828 meters high.
The Emirate of Abu Dhabi occupies 85% of the UAE.
Large predators live in the wild in the Emirates, in particular leopards ().
Magnificent cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi grew out of the desert in just 50-60 years, since oil deposits were discovered in the UAE.
Part of the country's territory is occupied by the Rub al-Khali desert, where temperatures regularly exceed +50 degrees. This is the largest piece of the earth's surface completely covered with sand ().
For the birth of a son, citizens of the United Arab Emirates receive a bonus of 50 thousand dollars from the state.
In case of marriage, the state gives the young family 20 thousand dollars and a house for the holiday.
In the UAE, it is prohibited to hitchhike, photograph women and government objects, as well as transport and consume alcohol.
Strict Internet censorship in the United Arab Emirates blocks social networks and a number of popular video hosting sites, such as YouTube.
There is virtually no crime in the UAE.
Fines for speeding and other traffic violations are huge here. Thus, overtaking across a solid line will result in a fine of up to $800.
In public transport in the United Arab Emirates, there are separate carriages for men and women on trains and sections on buses.
In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, many bus stops are completely enclosed and air-conditioned.
Due to a lack of fresh water, the UAE authorities have to desalinate the salty sea water.
One of the most popular entertainments among local sheikhs is camel racing.
In the United Arab Emirates, men are prohibited from wearing shorts and sleeveless T-shirts. But you can wear short-sleeve T-shirts.
You can and should bargain at local markets and bazaars - this is a tradition.
Trains in the UAE metro are controlled by computer, without the help of drivers.
The only ski resort in the Middle East is located in the Arabian Desert. Artificial, of course, but no less luxurious for that. It is also the largest indoor park in the world.
Local drivers usually don't even lock their cars. Here you can easily see a Lamborghini or Ferrari standing with the door unlocked. What can you do - they don't steal here.
Indigenous people make up just over 10% of the UAE's population.
All the benefits of civilization apply only to citizens. For foreigners working in the country, conditions are completely different.
Local citizens either do not work, run a business, or work in the government service. All other work in the United Arab Emirates is done by immigrants, often receiving $300-400 per month. For comparison, the average salary of a civil servant is $10,000, but only citizens are hired for civil service.
You can buy alcohol in hotels in the UAE, but after drinking it it is better not to go outside, otherwise you may get into trouble with the police.
Despite the hot climate, fur coats are on sale in fashion boutiques in the United Arab Emirates. Tourists readily buy them.
Due to the proximity of the desert, the air is constantly filled with fine dust. It seeps everywhere, even into houses with modern double-glazed windows, and covers all surfaces with a thin layer. Wet cleaning of the home has to be done frequently.
On average, a UAE citizen buys about 15 kg of gold annually. For obvious reasons, the main share falls on millionaire sheikhs, who make up about 1% of the population here.
Local fashionistas often wear the latest designer clothes with a traditional black outfit. True, besides them, no one sees this anyway.
While women in the United Arab Emirates wear black clothes, men usually dress in all white.
There are no traffic police in the United Arab Emirates. All offenses committed on the road are recorded by cameras.
In all crowded places in the UAE there are many police officers in civilian clothes.
For women in the Emirates there is a special women's taxi with female drivers.
In this country, an experiment was successfully conducted to artificially induce rain. True, they did not put the technology into production because it is very expensive.
UAE laws allow men to have up to 4 wives, but this tradition is gradually becoming a thing of the past, since even many rich Arabs cannot afford the maintenance of such a harem.
A citizen of the United Arab Emirates can marry a foreigner, but a local woman has no right to marry a foreigner.
The UAE government pays for citizens of the country to study at any university in the world of their choice, and even pays them a substantial scholarship. And he also pays for the flight to the place of study.
Airline Emirates Airlines was recognized as the most valuable brand among all air carriers in the world.
Dubai is home to the world's largest flower park.

Graduate of the Faculty of International Relations of the Far Eastern Federal University in 2011

Dubai is located in the southern part Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula, is both a city and an emirate in the UAE (United Arab Emirates). Due to its advantageous strategic position, it was important shopping center since ancient times. The intricate architecture and multiculture make the UAE one of the most beautiful tourist hotspots in the world. Below is a list of interesting facts about Dubai and the UAE that you may not know.

Fact No. 1. The Persian Gulf was formerly known as the "Pirate Coast". Until 1853, tribes attacked merchant ships from India. The Al Maktoum dynasty has ruled Dubai since 1833.

Fact No. 2. Mohamed Bin Majid, considered the first Arab cartographer and navigator, was born in Julfar (present-day emirates of Ras al-Kheim and Sharjah) in 1421. He became famous in the West after he guided Vasco da Gama from Africa to India using Arabic maps, which were previously unknown to Europeans.

Fact No. 3. The United Arab Emirates, despite its name, has an Arab minority (13%), while South Asians (primarily from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) form the largest group.

Fact No. 4. Dubai has an area of 4114 square kilometers. This is larger in area than Singapore (687 km2), Hong Kong (1104 km2) and the Maldives (300 km2) combined.

Fact No. 5. The word Dubai may have come from Daba, which means crawl, denoting the process by which the Dubai Creek sea flows slowly into the interior of the emirate. Another interesting version, expressed by the poet Ahmad Mohammad Obaid, says that Dubai got its name from the word Daba, which is also called locust.

Fact No. 6. buildings

Dubai built its first skyscraper, the World Trade Center, in 1979. It remained the only skyscraper until 1991. There are currently around 450 single skyscrapers in Dubai.

The Capital Gate Tower in Abu Dhabi is 160 meters high and is recognized as the building with the highest slope in the world. Its slope is four times greater than that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The 35-storey building is the main building for the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition.

Dubai holds the record - the tallest residential building in the world is the Princess Tower residence, whose construction was completed in early 2012. It rises to 414 meters.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is the largest in the country, located on 22,412 square meters and can accommodate approximately 41,000 worshipers. The mosque has the largest chandelier in the world - 15 meters high, 10 meters in diameter and weighing more than nine tons.

The Palm Jumeirah is the largest in the world artificial island, which is visible from space. Palm Islands are built using land reclamation methods. If the builders used all the sand that was spent on the construction of Palma to build a wall five meters high, it would be able to reach the Moon. Palma Island adds 520 kilometers coastline UAE. Moreover, you can get there not only by car, but also by monorail (the only one now in the entire region). However, one of Dubai's most famous creations, World of Islands, is sinking back into the ocean.

Dubai asked Disneyland to consider an application to build a resort, but was refused because Dubai was too small. So Dubai decided to build its own theme park called Dubailand. When it opens, it will be twice the size of Disneyland Florida and is expected to be the largest tourist place in the world with 200,000 visitors per day. The park has already signed contracts with Marvel Comics, Universal Studios, and others.

The success of the UAE as a nation can be illustrated most tall building in the world. Burj Khalifa soars to a height of 828 meters. Designed by Adam Smith, the building, which took 6 years to construct, was officially opened on January 4, 2010. Not many people know that in 1956 Frank Lloyd Wright wanted to build a similar building 1600 m high (528 floors) in Chicago. The Burj Khalifa is only half the height of Wright's design.

The fountain at the Burj Khalifa is capable of shooting jets of water 130 meters (that's higher than a 50-story building), making it the most powerful and largest automated fountain in the world. The lights shining from the fountain are visible at an altitude of 35 km.

Fact No. 7. Business and Economics

When the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) officially opened in early 2012, it covered a retail area larger than the entire island of Singapore. When fully operational, the zone will become the largest container port in the region and account for almost 15 percent of the UAE's GDP.

Dubai Mall has 3.9 million square meters retail space, making it the largest shopping center in the world. More steel was used in the construction of the building than in Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Dubai has approximately 30,000 working cranes. There are a total of 150,000 of them in the world - this means that Dubai uses about 20% of the world's cranes.

Dubai Duty Free is the world's busiest travel retail destination, with sales of $1.46 billion (AED 5.36 billion) at the end of 2012. Branded perfumes accounted for 15 percent of total sales. Over the 10 months of 2012, travelers took with them 1,702 tons of sweets, 421 tons of dates and 347 kilograms of caviar.

Oil was discovered in Dubai in 1963, but today oil accounts for only about 11% of Dubai's revenue. Tourism and trade constitute higher percentage economy. Since July 2012, about 70 percent of the UAE's daily oil output has been sent through the Fujairah pipeline, avoiding a potential bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline can transport 1,800,000 barrels of oil per day to a storage facility in the Gulf of Oman.

Fact No. 8. Money

The UAE has one of the highest per capita numbers of ATMs in urban areas in the world. In 2012, there were 5,000 ATMs located throughout the UAE, up from 2,400 in 2008. For comparison Marshall Islands V Pacific Ocean still waiting for the first ATM.

The Emirates Palace Hotel is home to the first ATM in the UAE - and the world - that sells gold bars. Since May 2010, the machine has dispensed precious metal an average of 150 times a day.

The Golden Phoenix is the world's most expensive cupcake, priced at $1,000. It is decorated with edible 23k gold and chocolate leaves, sprinkled with edible gold dust and served on a 24k gold cake stand.

Dubai is the center of the jewelry trade in the Middle East. To live up to its reputation, the longest gold chain was made in the emirate during the 1999 Dubai Shopping Festival. The 22-carat chain was four kilometers long.

Fact No. 9. Water-earth-air

Meydan Hippodrome has the longest grandstand in the world. It was opened in March 2009. The hippodrome cannot be unnoticed, as it is 1.6 kilometers long. The Dubai World Cup is the most prestigious equestrian competition that takes place at night. The world's best come to race at Meydan Racecourse. At the 2012 meeting prize fund amounted to $27.25 million.

A surprising fact is that in 1968 there were only 13 registered license plates. As of 2012, there are more than 1,130 thousand registered cars in Dubai. Despite the fact that the global auto industry is still experiencing better times Due to the crisis, companies such as Ford, Volvo, Porsche, Hyundai, BMW and Toyota increased their sales in 2012 from 7% to 40% in the region. By the way, Dubai Police have added Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bentleys to their patrol fleet. This allows them to catch riders who disturb public peace.

Dubai Metro was opened on the ninth day of the ninth month of the ninth year at 9 pm by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Dubai Metro system is the longest automated network in the world. The 75-kilometre network that criss-crosses the city has 87 autonomous trains on the route - and not a single driver. Passenger trains are climate controlled at 20 degrees Celsius. The trains are certified to be carbon neutral in operation.

The world's largest ship (Dhow) is under development at Al Jaddaf in Dubai. The vessel will be capable of carrying more cargo over long distances and will be more environmentally friendly than any other vessel of its type. This will be the world's first mixed-use vessel with innovative technologies.

The UAE not only buys planes, but also helps build them. Spare parts and components for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner are produced by the aerospace concern Strata in Al Ain. Airline Fly Emirates operates the most big park from largest aircraft in the world - Airbus A380. The company was the first airline in the world to provide on-board showers for its passengers. Emirates and Etihad have ordered 100 of the new generation superjumbo Airbus A380. This means the UAE will be home to the largest number of double-decker aircraft than anywhere else in the world. This is one of the reasons why Dubai Airport opened a dedicated and world's first terminal for its A380 aircraft on January 2, 2013. As of January 2014 Emirates company already had 44 such aircraft in its fleet.

On April 23, 2011, the UAE joined the space race. The country's first satellite was launched into orbit on a European Space Agency Arianne rocket launched from French Guiana. The satellite now orbits 36,000 km above the Earth and provides enhanced communications services. By 2020, the UAE plans to launch the first 4 satellites created in the Emirates.

Fact No. 10. Ecology

Probably the middle of the desert - last place, where you expect to see fresh fish. However, at the extreme southern tip of the Liwa oasis crescent is a fish farm that, thanks to desalination, produces several types of fish for Abu Dhabi supermarkets.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the UAE is home to the largest number of date palms on the planet. The count was carried out in 2009, when there were 42 million date palms, this moment there are many more of them.

Dugongs remain critically endangered, but the UAE is leading the fight to save sea cows. The UAE has strict laws to protect dugongs, including banning drift net fishing. Sir Bani Yas Island is a protected area for this species.

When fully completed, Masdar City will be home to 60,000 people living and working in the greenest place on earth. More than 80 percent of the water will be recycled water, and the city's electricity will come entirely from renewable sources.

Fact No. 11. Society

Although the UAE is one of the most safe places in a land where racial tension between different citizens is considered unheard of, crime does occur and can be just as violent as in more dangerous parts of the world. The main difference is the small number of crimes. There are two main reasons why the crime rate in Dubai and the rest of the UAE is minimal: firstly, the well-coordinated work of law enforcement agencies, and secondly, because the majority of Dubai residents are representatives of the middle class.

The Emirates has a social security program for the local population: free education, free health care and the right to free housing. However, subsidies have recently been reduced, but local people are encouraged to take up public sector jobs. Those who want to set up their own business in the UAE must seek support local resident, who will be the guarantor and own 51% of the shares - regardless of whether he takes part in the business or not, unless you open a company in the free zone. It is constantly mentioned on the Internet that in the UAE they give $50,000 for the birth of a child. However, this is completely unreliable information. Each family receives from $150 (depending on the emirate) per month for each child until he reaches adulthood. However, if an Emirati marries an Emirati, the state can provide from $18 to $30 thousand for wedding expenses, as well as provide a hall for the wedding and celebration.

These are just some of the facts about the UAE, which can be listed endlessly. However, you can immediately notice that the Emirates are trying to be the best of the best in any projects. Coherence of work, an integrated business approach, a structured system of legislation - everything that makes the country different from other Arab countries of our time. Often this is due to just one fear, which can be expressed in the words of the great Founding Father of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid, when asked about the future of Dubai: “My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son drives a Land.” Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover, but his son will ride a camel."

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