10 Interesting Facts About Dubai You Didn’t Know

What first associations come to your mind when you hear Dubai? Of course, this is luxury, the city of the future, unforgettable impressions, and rest to the fullest. Visiting Dubai means plunging into a world of wealth, comfort, and brilliance. Now it is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, but back in the 60s, it was a wasteland with a couple of buildings in the center.

We have collected the most interesting facts about Dubai for you, and after reading them, you will be truly surprised.

Dubai Was a Desert Two Decades Ago

Did you know these Dubai facts? About 7,000 years ago there was a large mangrove swamp. The first settlements on the territory of modern Dubai appeared in 2500 BC, but before the oil boom, Dubai was an arid desert with a small population of 800,000 without infrastructure. However, in 1958, the British found oil there (the Emirates were under British rule at the time), and after 1970, the black gold was at the disposal of the Arabs.

Now it is a city of clean streets and shiny skyscrapers. In just a few years, Dubai has turned from an unknown city into a center where people from all over the world come for work, business development, and tourism.

Strict Customs and Laws

Here are some interesting facts about Dubai tough regulations concerning alcohol, public behavior, forbidden products, etc. The laws in the United Arab Emirates are very strict for violators, that’s why the crime rate in Dubai is close to zero.

Despite the fact that Dubai is considered the most tolerant and modern city, it is still worth following the laws and customs. Fun fact: you can buy alcohol in Dubai, but you can't drink it in public places.

You can't take pictures of people without their consent, and you can be arrested for taking pictures of strategic state objects. Locals may seem extremely correct and polite, partly because insults or obscene gestures in public can easily land you in jail.

While there is no strict dress code, it is advisable to avoid wearing revealing clothes in the city and to cover your shoulders and knees.

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Public displays of affection such as hugging or "holding hands" in Dubai can easily land you behind bars. And this also applies to tourists.

Certain sedatives and over-the-counter drugs, narcotics, pornography, and, beware, pork are prohibited from being imported into the Emirates. You can find this information about Dubai on the official web-site of Dubai Government.

Foreign vs Local Residents in Dubai

One of the widely known noteworthy details about Dubai is that only 23-25% of its population are Emiratis. Most of the workers involved in the construction of new buildings are immigrants from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

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By 2023, Dubai has a population of 3,655,000, with a population density of 762.6 people per square kilometer. Approximately 75% of Dubai's population are expatriates, totaling around 2.72 million individuals.

Dubai as an Unusual Mix of Surroundings

These are probably the most interesting Dubai facts - they combine things, places, and climates that are difficult to imagine in one city together. This city is permeated with the aroma of sandalwood and thousand-year-old sands, and at the same time, it looks like a futuristic fairy tale.

This is one of the hottest places on the planet, and the comfort of people comes first, so even the bus stops are equipped with air conditioners. In summer, the temperature in the shade often rises to +50 degrees. Did you know that Dubai has an entire climate-controlled neighborhood and even a ski resort in the middle of the hot desert?

What is Dubai known for? Everything is here: deserts, seas, creeks, a paradise of birds, exotic creatures, museums, holders of world records, shopping, restaurants, nightlife, and even artificial snow and rain! Literally everything the soul desires.

Burj Khalifa - the World’s Tallest Building

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The Burj Khalifa skyscraper, whose height is an incredible 828 meters with 163 floors, is currently the world’s tallest building! This incredible site is the only one skyscraper to be the tallest free-standing structure. It has the highest observation deck under the open sky, the highest service elevator, and the highest (504 m) high-speed elevator for passengers.

The Burj Khalifa's area is immense, equivalent to the size of 17 football fields. This is the first skyscraper in the world, in which there are not only office centers, restaurants, gyms, and boutiques, but also luxury residential apartments. One of the features of this architectural wonder is the air cooling and aroma system. Fun fact: through special grates on the floor, the aroma, developed by perfumers, especially for the Burj Khalifa, constantly circulates here!

Dubai Weekend is 2.5 days

Other intriguing insights about Dubai - from the 1st day of 2022, the UAE switched to a fixed work schedule and a 4.5-day working week. Now the weekend days will be Saturday, Sunday, and half of Friday, and not Friday and Saturday, as before. It is worth allowing Dubai to coincide with working hours from its leading economic partners.

Thus, the United Arab Emirates became the first edge of the Persian inlet, as it moved the weekend to Saturday and Sunday. However, half of Friday will also be without work. During the day, the day will end at noon for the sovereign companies so that the believers can perform midday prayers.

UAE Has One of the Fastest Population Growth Rates in the World

Dubai's population increased by 300% from 1968 to 1975. According to the Dubai Statistics Center the average increase is 6,900 new residents per month.

During the first quarter of 2024, the population of Dubai grew by more than 25 thousand people. The male-female ratio in Dubai is approximately 70% to 30% due to labor migration.

Dubai is home to the world's longest driverless metro line

Dubai Metro is another landmark featured in the Guinness Book of Records. Here are some fun facts about Dubai metro:

• This is the longest subway line in the world that does not require a driver: the train is controlled automatically.
• The total length of the tracks is 52 km, and the stations are 29.
• There are only 4 stations underground, the others are located on the ground or on bridges.
• Food and drinks are strictly prohibited in the Dubai Metro. If caught with a sandwich and coffee on the train, they will be fined 100 dirhams. You can't even chew gum, the fine is even more - 120 dirhams. However, the ban only applies to trains; eating and drinking are permitted at stations and platforms.

Dubai Boasts the World’s Largest Mall

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The commercial area of ​​Dubai Mall exceeds 350,000 square meters, and the total area is more than 1.2 million square meters. The total sales area is equal to the area of ​​50 football fields. Adjacent to the shopping center is the five-star hotel The Address with 250 rooms and 450 serviced apartments. There are more than 120 restaurants on the territory of Dubai Mall.

The Dubai Aquarium tank is one of the largest in the world, its glass panels weigh 2.4 million kilograms. On the territory of the complex, there is the world's largest candy store - Candylicious. Reel Cinemas has some of the largest screens in the world.

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About 75 million people come to this Emirates Mall every year. Fun fact about Dubai Mall: in 2013, it became the world leader in terms of attendance, surpassing the cities of New York and London, as well as Niagara Falls.

Dubai is a Driving Paradise

The transport system in Dubai is state-of-the-art and as comfortable as possible. Roads in Dubai are smooth, interchanges are convenient, parking is varied, and traffic rules are monitored by Dubai police officers on Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Mercedes.

One of the best ways to make your stay in this incredible place comfortable and active is to rent a car that will serve as your reliable partner. It does not matter whether it is your first visit to Dubai or you are a seasoned traveler or traveling on business, you only have to depend on your own wishes, which is what our car rental service is designed to satisfy.

Trinity rental offers:

1. More than 80 vehicles with low mileage, which includes the newest 2024 models (for example Ferrari 296 GTS and Mclaren 750S Spider);
2. No deposit for the rental period;
3. Additional 300 km per day, full insurance, toll roads, and VAT;
4. A complimentary full tank of fuel;
5. Different payment ways: Visa and Mastercard, and even cryptocurrency;
6. A committed manager is available to assist you with any inquiries at all times;
7. A vehicle delivery to any location, whether it's Dubai International Airport, office, hotel, or anywhere else you need it.

Rent a car without a deposit with Trinity Rental in Dubai to make your drive fabulous.

Short Fun Facts about Dubai

These details about Dubai may come as a surprise to you:

• Have you ever seen vending machines that sell gold bars like drinks and chocolates? Dubai those.
• In 1968, there were only 13 registered cars in all of Dubai.
• There is a special taxi for women, with female drivers. And separate women's sections on buses and trains.
• The coastline of Dubai is the longest among all cities in the world, as the city is stretched along the coast.
• Dubai became the first emirate to launch the Ministry of Happiness. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid of the United Arab Emirates believes that people's happiness should be a goal, not just a wish.
• Wild animals are often used as pets in Dubai. Of all felines, the most popular is the cheetah, which can often be seen in the front seat of its owner's luxury car.
• Instead of traditional horse races, robot camel races are held in Dubai, which has already become a multi-million dollar industry.
• Dubai pays you to slim down, the Dubai Government rewards its citizens with 2 grams of gold for every 2 kilograms they lose.

And which of these fascinating insights about Dubai did you know?