The United Arab Emirates is one of the most curious countries in the world. The discovery of oil changed the history of this nation located on the Arabian Peninsula. It is a relatively new country for tourism and there are many curiosities that will surprise you.
Here is a complete travel guide to the United Arab Emirates.
In this post I will tell you about the 25 most surprising curiosities and interesting facts about the United Arab Emirates.
25 CURIOSITIES OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
1. There are 7 Arab Emirates, with different presidents and laws
The United Arab Emirates is made up of seven emirates, Furaira, Ras al-Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sarjah, Umm al-Qayway, and Dubai.
Each of the emirates has different presidents, so each one has and applies its own laws without taking the rest into account. This could be confusing for someone who is not clear about the division of the emirates and how far each of them goes.
2. The United Arab Emirates is one of the richest countries in the world
The United Arab Emirates is the second richest country in the Middle East, behind only Qatar. In addition, it is also the eighth richest country in the world if we take into account GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP). Oil changed their lives, although currently it is not only the most important source of income.
3. Why is it called the United Arab Emirates?
The country is made up of seven different emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain and Fujairah.
Although each of these emirates has its own "president" royal family, its traditions and its laws, since 1971 what we call today "The United Arab Emirates" was formed and the country ruled by an absolute monarchy, look out for the 7 emirates, propelling their evolution together.
4. The metro has no driver
The United Arab Emirates has the longest driverless metro line in the world. This is the red line of the Dubai metro, which with a length of 52.1 km holds the record.
5. It is one of the safest countries in the world
United Arab Emirates is a very safe country. Much of this fact is that jail terms are severe. For example, the emirate of Abu Dhabi has a crime rate close to zero. For this reason, it is considered the safest city in the world.
6. The literacy rate in the United Arab Emirates is very high
The United Arab Emirates has one of the best literacy rates on the planet. About 93% of its population is literate. In addition, that figure is even higher in women. It is estimated that about 96% of Emirati women are literate and 77% of them enroll in higher education. About 70% of all college graduates in the country are women!
7. And before oil?
Oil was discovered in the 1970s and this changed the life of the country and the region. Its economy is mainly based on black gold. Before this "black mine" was discovered, the main industry for the country's economy was pearl fishing. That put the country on the map for international trade with India, Persia, East Africa, and even Britain.
8. You can get gold from ATMs, one of the most surprising curiosities in the United Arab Emirates
Did you know that in the United Arab Emirates you can withdraw gold from ATMs? You can get it in grams, coins or ingots. It is something incredible and without a doubt, one of the most surprising curiosities of the country.
It was the first country in the world to implement this system, which updates prices every ten minutes to also reflect market fluctuations in real time.
9. The flag of the United Arab Emirates
The flag of the United Arab Emirates has green, white, and black horizontal stripes and a vertical red stripe. The flag is composed of the four pan-Arab colors. Green represents fertility, white neutrality, black its oil resources, while red represents unity.
10. The United Arab Emirates is one of the most polluting countries in the world
If we measure it in metric tons per capita, the United Arab Emirates ranks fifth globally with 22.94 metric tons of CO2 emissions per capita.
Their biggest problem is that cities are not prepared for pedestrians and for walking. To move around the cities it is necessary to always go by car, not only due to its infrastructure, but also because of the heat.
In addition, the country does not have a very good public transport infrastructure either. You will only find it for some routes and mainly to connect one emirate to another.
11. The most expensive artificial island in the world is located in the United Arab Emirates
The most expensive artificial island in the world is located in Abu Dhabi. Its construction cost 40 billion dollars, being this island the place where the Ferrari Park is located.
12. “Weekend” in the United Arab Emirates
The weekend in the United Arab Emirates is Thursday and Friday.
13. It is a country with more than 200 nationalities
Multiculturalism is one of the characteristics that best defines the United Arab Emirates. In a population of almost 10 million, only 11% are native Emirati. The other 89% is made up of expatriates living and working in the country without obtaining Emirati citizenship. Some of the most common foreign nationalities found among UAE residents are Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Filipino, Iranian, and Egyptian.
14. Six of the tallest hotels in the world are in the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates has become a world tourism power. Especially dedicated to luxury tourism, although there are accommodations of all kinds and for all budgets. The 6 tallest hotels in the world are located in Dubai, the tallest being the Genova Hotel. It measures 356 meters.
15. It is also the tallest building in the world
United Arab Emirates also has the tallest building in the world. In Dubai you will find the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world at 828 meters high. It is an essential visit to do in Dubai and the best viewpoint in the city.
16. In Dubai is the most inclined building in the world
One of the best curiosities of the United Arab Emirates is that there is a building even more inclined than the Tower of Pisa. This is the Capital Gate. It is located in Abu Dhabi and has an inclination of 18 degrees, 14 degrees more than the famous Tower of Pisa.
17. In Dubai is the first 7-star hotel
The Burj Al Arab is the first 7-star hotel in the world. It is an impressive building in the shape of a sailboat, considered one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. It is spectacular both inside and out. The interiors of the hotel are adorned with 24-carat gold leaf covering about 1,790 square meters.
18. In the United Arab Emirates there are no rivers
Rain is scarce in the desert and in the United Arab Emirates there are no rivers, nor natural lakes. Although it is true that there are many wadis that fill with water during the rainiest months. So, to a large extent, the country depends on the water that falls from the Hajar Mountains and which is stored in wadis and underwater gorges.
19. It is the country with the most artificial islands
In the United Arab Emirates you can visit several artificial islands. It is the country with the most artificial islands. The most famous is Palm Jumeirah, an artificial archipelago in the shape of a palm tree that is home to luxury hotels and quite beautiful beaches. Although it is not the only one, you will also find the Island of Yas where the Yas Marina circuit is located, among others.
20. The falcon is the national bird of the United Arab Emirates
The Falcon is the most important animal in the country. These birds have been intertwined with Emirati culture for thousands of years. The Bedouins used falcons for hunting for many millennia, although there is no evidence as to when the Arabs actually began to domesticate these birds in the desert.
Today, hunting is no longer a part of daily life for Emiratis, although falcons still hold a very important place in their culture.
Falcons are a symbol of pride and honor among the Arabs. a well trained falcon can cost up to €100,000. There's even a hawk hospital in Abu Dhabi!
21. The Burj Khalifa is a very expensive building to maintain
The tallest building in the world is spectacular, but have you ever stopped to think how long it takes to clean its windows and how many people are needed? It takes 3 months to clean all the windows and once finished, the process starts again. There are currently 36 people in charge of this task, although extra personnel are hired during sandstorms.
In addition, the Burj Khalifa is the building with the fastest elevators in the world and that makes the cost of electricity very high. Besides, the air conditioning is always working at 100%.
The water bill is nothing economically either. Some 946,352 liters of water are spent per day.
22. Camels are part of the traditional culture of the United Arab Emirates
Despite the fact that the falcon is the national bird, camels are very important to the Emiratis. They are part of the traditional culture of the country. In the United Arab Emirates you will see camel farms, camel races and even people who drink camel milk.
23. Car license plates in the United Arab Emirates
Car license plates can cost more than the cars themselves, this is because some people have enough money to pay absurd amounts of money for a license plate. They can even be customized. Just to demonstrate the purchasing power it has, costing the most expensive license plate sold in history for 15 million dollars.
24. Cops drive fancy cars
Considering that the country wants to declare its abundance and wealth to the world, it is not surprising that the police force drives this type of car.
Cars that cost a real fortune; Bugatti, Ferrari, Bentley or Lamborghini are some of the luxury brands that the police of the United Arab Emirates drive.
25. Alcohol in the United Arab Emirates
Although the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in the country, this does not prevent the part of the population that is foreign from buying licensed alcoholic beverages. To apply for this license you need to be 21 years old and have a good amount of income per year. It is a license that is renewed annually.
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I hope you enjoy your trip to the United Arab Emirates and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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