Crazy & Interesting Facts About Dubai

Dubai has many names, such as the city of Luxury, the tourist capital of UAE, and one of the busiest tourist and business centre of the world. Earning such prestigious nick names is no mean feat, especially for a city that was just a small village with basic amenities not so long ago.

Dubai is preferred and loved by both tourists and business executives alike. Travelers come to this city from all over the world and are amazed by the creativity, hospitality and massive growth of this beautiful city.

Fun Facts about Dubai We Bet You Didn’t Know

Here are some facts about the city of Dubai that will startle and intrigue you about this enchanting city.

• • UAE has 7 emirates and Dubai is one of the most populous of all the emirates. It is interesting to know that out of the total population of approximately 2.2 million, around half of it belongs to the Indian nationals. Also, out of the total population of Dubai only 15% are the local –‘Emiratis‘of Dubai.
  • The name ‘Dubai’ is believed to have originated from the Arabic ward ‘Daba’ which means ‘to creep’ referring to the slow flow of the creek inland in Dubai.
  • The crime rate in Dubai is as low as 0%. No wonder it is considered as one of the safest places to reside on the planet.

• The building Burj Khalifa situated in the heart of Dubai holds the record of being the tallest building in the world wit6h a total of 164 floors. This tallest building houses many hotels, houses, and offices. The building also owns a record of having the world’s highest restaurant at its 122nd floor, the world’s highest nightclub at 144th floor and the world’s longest elevator travel distance record of 504 meters. Burj Khalifa also has the biggest and the most powerful fountain in the world with 130 meter height (almost equivalent to the height of a 50 storey building).
• Visible from space, the Palm Jumeriah of Dubai is the world’s largest man-made island in the world and adds 520 kms to the Dubai shoreline.
• Built on a man-made island just off the Dubai coast, Burj- Al- Arab is the most luxurious 7 star hotel in the entire world.
• The fleet of cars for the Dubai Police includes Bentley, Mercedes, Ferrari and Lamborghini. And they have a Bagpipe police band.

• World’s largest shopping mall in terms of area is located in Dubai and is known as the ‘Dubai Mall‘. It has 1200 shops, an underwater zoo, and an indoor ski- resort along with 22 movie screens and muc6h more.
• While everywhere in the world an ATM machine dispenses cash, in Dubai some exclusive ATM machines dispense Gold bars.
• The tallest residential building in the world is located in Dubai and the name is- Princess Tower.
• Dubai has the longest metro rail network in the globe. Yes, the Dubai metro system has 87 trains that run without drivers. The date of its inaugural is unique too- it was opened at 9pm on 9/9/09.
• 20% of the world cranes i.e. 1 out of every 4 crane present on earth is busy helping the construction in the city of Dubai.
• Dubai boasts of one of the highest per capita income in the world. In spite of being known as the oil provider to the world, oil comprises of only 10% of its %GDP, the other 90% comes through tourism and investments.
• Dubai locals are known to have a fancy for wild animals as pets such as Cheetah, tiger and more.
• You know that Mona Lisa is one of the costliest paintings in the world, but did you know the amount of gold used in the décor of the Burj Al Arab hotel is enough to buy 42,265 Mona Lisa paintings.
• One night stay in Burj Al Arab is billed somewhere around $20000 (enough to visit many countries). It is interesting to know that 39% of the hotel structure is a waste and cannot be inhabited.
• After being turned down by Disneyland to make a theme park in Dubai due to its small space, Dubai is now making its own –‘Dubai land-‘. Due to completion in 2020, it is projected to be twice as big as Disneyland.
• In the year 2013, of the total gold traded in the world, 40% of that gold was traded in Dubai.
• Burj Khalifa is so tall that it can be seen from a distance of 90kilometers.
• With total prize money of $27 dollars, the annual Dubai world cup of thoroughbred horses is the richest horse race in the world.
• The people of Dubai do not have to pay any income tax. Yes! They are not charged anything on their personal earnings and hence can save a lot more.
• Dubai is the largest and the most visited city of the UAE.

If we go with the colossal development that the city is undergoing every year, this list is going to be ever expanding and never ending. Dubai is way more than just a city on the world map; it is a gem with an everlasting shine.

Images Source: Burj Khalifa Tower, Dubai Mall