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 and gave rise to a lot of curious facts. Did you know that it is one of the richest countries on the planet? In this post we tell you 20 curiosities of the United Arab Emirates so that you can get to know the country from another perspective.
Places to Visit in United Arab Emirates
One of the richest countries on the planet
The United Arab Emirates is the second richest country in the Middle East, behind only Qatar. Oil changed the history of the region! In addition, it is also the eighth richest country in the world if we take into account the GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP).
Also Read: 12 Best Tours and Excursions in Abu Dhabi
What does the flag of the United Arab Emirates mean?
The flag of the United Arab Emirates has green, white, and black horizontal stripes and a vertical red stripe. The flag is made up of the four pan- Arab colours. Green represents fertility, white neutrality, black oil resources, while red unity.
A country with more than 200 nationalities, one of the best curiosities of the United Arab Emirates
Multiculturalism is one of the characteristics that best defines the country. In a population of almost 10 million, only 11% are native Emiratis. The other 89% is made up of expatriates who live and work in the country without obtaining Emirati citizenship. Some of the most common foreign nationalities found among UAE residents are Indians (27%), Pakistanis (12%), Bangladeshis (7%), Filipinos (5%), Iranians (5%) and Egyptians (4 %).
Why is it called the United Arab Emirates?
It is easy to understand. The country is made up of seven different emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, and Fujairah. The most curious thing is that each emirate has different cultures and traditions.
Although the country’s form of government is an absolute monarchy, each emirate is ruled by a separate royal family. However, the Emir of Abu Dhabi is the country’s president and head of state, while the Emir of Dubai is the nation’s prime minister. In the end they are the two most important emirates!
Abu Dhabi is the largest emirate, although Dubai is the most populous. ‘Both are very worth it!
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A country without rivers, one of the best curiosities of the United Arab Emirates
Rain is scarce in the desert. One of the best curiosities of the United Arab Emirates is that 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 in the Hajar mountains and is stored in wadis and underwater gorges.
Six of the tallest hotels in the world are in the United Arab Emirates
There are no rivers, but they are not short of luxurious buildings. Especially hotels! In recent years, the United Arab Emirates has become a tourist powerhouse. Especially for its incredible hotels, malls and also for its culture. But speaking of hotels, the six tallest in the world are in Dubai. The tallest is the Gevora Hotel, one of the best in the city. It measures 356 meters!
Burj Khalifa
United Arab Emirates also has the tallest building in the world. They are the kings of world records! In Dubai there is also the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. At 828 meters high, it is the main icon of the Dubai skyline and one of the emblems of the United Arab Emirates. Will there be any building that can overcome it?
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Capital Gate, Skyscraper in Abu Dhab
The tallest hotels in the world, the tallest building in the world… and also the most inclined ! If you thought that record was for the Tower of Pisa, in Italy, you were wrong.
One of the best curiosities of the United Arab Emirates is that there is an even more inclined building in its territory. It is the Capital Gate. It is located in Abu Dhabi and has an 18 degree incline, 14 degrees more than the famous Tower of Pisa.
A very expensive building to maintain
This is one of the best curiosities in the United Arab Emirates. The tallest building in the world is spectacular, but do you have any idea how many employees it takes to clean its windows? More than 36! And the cleaning takes more than three months. Is incredible! It is also a somewhat risky job, would you dare to be at that height hung? It is certainly not suitable for those who suffer from vertigo.
In addition, the Burj Khalifa contains the fastest elevators in the world and about 946,352 liters of water are needed per day.
Burj Al Arab
United Arab Emirates is synonymous with luxury. Did you know that the first 7-star hotel in the world was opened in the country? This is the Burj Al Arab, 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. For example , the hotel’s interiors are adorned with 24-karat gold leaf covering some 1,790 square meters.
But if that’s not enough for you, did you know there’s a pillow menu? So if you don’t sleep comfortably, it’s because you haven’t chosen well!
Prices range from $1,200 to $6,000 per night. Would you pay that amount to sleep in a 7-star hotel?
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The paradise of artificial islands, one of the best curiosities in the United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates you can visit several artificial islands. They create their own paradise! The most famous is Palm Jumeirah, an artificial palm-shaped archipelago that is home to luxury hotels and quite beautiful beaches.
Nevertheless, is not the only one. Yas Island, in Abu Dhabi, is also another very interesting artificial island. It even houses the Yas Marina Circuit, where F1 cars compete, as well as several malls and amusement parks. Without a doubt, one of the most eccentric curiosities of the United Arab Emirates.
One of the safest countries in the world
United Arab Emirates is a very safe country. In part, because the penalties are very serious. For example, the emirate of Abu Dhabi has a near-zero crime rate. That is why it is considered one of the safest cities in the world. Of course, wherever you go, you always have to be careful.
But one of the most polluting too! One of the most worrying United Arab Emirates curiosities
But not everything is positive data. Despite being one of the safest countries in the world, it is also one of the most polluting. If we measure it in metric tons per capita, the United Arab Emirates ranks fifth in the world with 22.94 metric tons of CO2 emissions per capita.
That’s because their cities aren’t built for pedestrians, they’re built for vehicles. Also, public transport only connects certain parts and is not very efficient.
Its literacy rate 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. In fact, about 70% of all college graduates in the country are women!
Also Read: How much does it cost to travel to Dubai
You will find the most impressive police cars in the world
This never ceases to amaze tourists visiting the country. Some of the vehicles in the Dubai Police fleet include Bugatti, Ferrari, Bentley or Lamborghini, among others. So sure that no criminal escapes!
What did they do before oil? One of the best curiosities of the United Arab Emirates
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. But what was it like before? The main industry for the economy was pearl fishing. That put the country on the international trade map with India, Persia, East Africa and even Britain. Would you have imagined it?
You can withdraw gold from ATMs
If none of the above curiosities have seemed surprising to you, did you know that in the United Arab Emirates you can withdraw gold from ATMs? You can get it in grams, coins or ingots. One last! It was the first country in the world to implement this system, which updates prices every ten minutes to also reflect real-time market fluctuations.
The falcon is the national bird
There is no animal as important in the United Arab Emirates as the falcon. These birds have been intertwined with Emirati culture for thousands of years. Falcons were used for hunting by the Bedouin for many millennia, although there is no evidence of when the Arabs actually began to domesticate these birds in the desert.
However, times have changed. Hunting is no longer a part of daily life for the Emiratis, although falcons still hold a very important place in their culture. Today, they are used for sports more than anything else, although they are also admired for their beauty and speed. Falcons are a symbol of pride and honor among the Arabs. And if you don’t believe it, a well-trained falcon can cost up to €100,000. There is even a falcon hospital in Abu Dhabi!
But camels are also very important!
Although the falcon is the national bird, camels are very important to the Emiratis. They are part of the traditional culture of the country. Apart from meeting these friendly animals in the desert, in the United Arab Emirates you will see camel farms, camel races and even people who drink camel milk.
They don’t need anyone to drive the Metro
And finally, to finish this post about the best curiosities of the United Arab Emirates, we could not forget to mention this fact. 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. Incredible technology!