Dubai2 English Edition

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Dubai again?

• HRVATSKI
  
  This is new chapter in story about magnificent multinational metropolis in Middle East. Story started last autumn, but it was suddenly stopped when author of blog dubai.blog.hr decided to leave this interesting city. As we stay here, we will try to make Dubai closer to you.
  If you have to ask something that is not appropriate for post comments please mail it to blogdubai2@gmail.com
  

Links

• Blog.hr
  Forum.hr
  Monitor.hr
  Dubai Blog - The first story
  Borut - Blog from Palestine
  Wolf76 - Blog from Iraq
  More Middle East - Slobs
  Downunder - Australia
  

What is in fact Dubai?

• If you look at the encyclopedia of Croatian Lexicographic Section, you will have totally wrong picture of Dubai: even the frequently published maps of local publisher can not follow the incredible fast city development. Almost one skyscraper per day beat all the records and tributes we paid to Croatian high-way builders.
  Dubai doubles number of living units within 5 years, and in year 2010 10 out of 20 higher world buildings will be in one street only in Dubai.
  So, Dubai was small town that can thank for it establishing to long narrow bay called Khor (Creek) due to its river-shape that goes 15 km in the desert (or sometimes desert as area around creek is now inhabited). Owner of this part of the desert, sheik from family Maktoum of Bani Yas near to Abu Dhabi, built house on entrance to this strategic important bay in order to collect money for ship entrance. Soon the trade post and market place were developed, and discovery of oil, that participate in Dubai budget with just 8%, just accelerate the idea of sheikh successor, Rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum, of turning a small trade town into regional center. Six out of ten independent emirates made union that we call UAE in December 1972, later followed by 7th emirate of Ras al Khaimah, while Bahrain and Qatar decided to become sovereign states. More than 7/8 of UAE area belongs to emirate of Abu Dhabi, formal capital of federation. Although it is consisted of emirates, small monarchies, UAE are federation lead by chosen President, so they are not monarchy. However, members of the Union are independent monarchies having common defense, foreign and monetary affairs, while all other aspects such as education, health system, police and social affairs are separated.
  As Abu Dhabi emirate is the biggest and it have more than 90% of oil reserves, president of Federation was Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, noble and generous man with vision. From his ancestors he get small oasis of Al Ain, in 1940’s, having just few camels and Bedouins. Al Ain is today big and developed quarter-million people city.
  Vice president of UAE and prime minister was Sheikh Rashid Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, and other sheiks shared ministry functions, leading the country toward fulfillment of right to decent life for local population, social and health protection, high education and global prosperity of the nation.
  Today their ideal in continued in work of their successor, mostly in great achievements of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 3rd son of Sheikh Rashid, that have a vision of turning Dubai into city of future. Besides first seven-star hotel, Burj-Al-Arab, and incredible conventional development Dubai builds several project that can be compared with world biggest building achievements. Miles of islands in shape of palms, islad archipelago in shape of world map, underwater hotels, new Disneyland and residential compounds with highest constructions on the world makes Dubai one of the most interested and exciting world destinations.
  Although the visitor can not see this in his first look to the city, because it is just a little bit larger than Munich, longitudinally stretched through the coast of the Gulf, with the same traffic jams like Munich due to disproportion in city growth and infrastructure reshaping.
  Dubai has approx. 1.4 million of inhabitants, of which just 16% are “locals”. Others are immigrated “working power” mostly from India and Pakistan what decrease the level of services provided in Dubai. Details will be (or were) published in posts on blog. From the other side, Dubai has other interesting characteristics: It is one of the safest cities on the world. It is not point of interest of two sides involved in conflict between Islamic fundamentalists and some western countries. Crime rate is extraordinary low, and the city is open only to rich tourists and immigrant with secured job, both after comprehensive checking and documenting.
  Dubai is tax free zone.
  Dubai is shopping center for both rich local and western tourists (including extremely rich Russians) and low class societies from southern Asia.
  Dubai is in the desert, but it has thousands of square meters under grass that is regularly watered. Dubai consumes large quantities of water, artificially produced in desalinization process. Although each water drop must be produced, in Dubai the water bill is not accompanied with additional taxes and additional costs like in Europe, and there is not VAT, so the water bill is comparable to European.
  In Dubai one liter of petrol is approx. 0.30 euro. The difference between this low price and normal European petrol portion in family budget is covered with high consimprion: distances are huge, and everyone drives 4x4 cars…
  In any case, it is all very interesting, but also very unnatural and artificial (except the surrounding environment), and the opinion about Dubai is left to your personal impression.
  

• 
  users visited english version of this blog since November 12th 2005.
  
  
  users visited croatian version of this blog since May 1st 2005.