The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates situated in
the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf,
bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. The seven states of the Emirates are Abu
Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah. The
capital and second largest city of the United Arab Emirates is Abu Dhabi. It is
also the country's center of political, industrial, and cultural activities
while Dubai has attracted world attention through many innovative large
construction projects as well as entertainment programs, sports, cultural
events and tourism destinations.
Established in 2004, the Dubai International Finance Centre was intended as a
landmark project to turn Dubai into a major international hub for banks and
finance, rivaling New York, London, and Hong Kong.
The UAE contains a number of significant airports. Dubai International Airport
(DXB) is the main airport of the country. In 2008, the airport was the 20th
busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic and 11th busiest by cargo
traffic. The airport also was the 6th busiest airport in the world by
international passenger traffic. Other important airports include Abu Dhabi
International Airport, Sharjah International Airport, and Al-Ain International
Airport. There are also airports in smaller towns, as well as small domestic
airstrips in the rural Western region. The UAE is home to the largest airline
in the Middle East, Emirates Airline. It has Dubai as its hub, and flies to
over 100 destinations across six continents. The airline was the eighth-largest
airline in the world in terms of international passengers carried, and
fifth-largest in the world in terms of scheduled international
passenger-kilometers flown in 2008. Etihad Airways, from Abu Dhabi, is also
growing, with over 100 aircraft on order.
The
United Arab Emirates is a part of the Khaliji tradition, and is also known for
Bedouin folk music. Liwa is a type of music and dance performed mainly in
communities which contain descendants of East Africans. During celebrations
singing and dancing also took place and many of the songs and dances, handed
down from generation to generation, have survived to the present time. Young
girls would dance by swinging their long black hair and swaying their bodies to
the strong beat of the music. Men would re-enact battles fought or successful
hunting expeditions, often symbolically using sticks, swords or rifles.
Many emirates have established museums of regional repute, most famously
Sharjah with its Heritage District containing 17 museums which in 1998 was the
Cultural Capital of the Arab World. Abu Dhabi's cultural foundation is also an
important place for the presentation of indigenous and foreign art. In Dubai,
the area of Al Quoz has attracted a number of art galleries.
The traditional food of the Emirates has always been rice, fish, and meat.
Seafood has been the mainstay of the Emirati diet for centuries. Meat and rice
are other staple foods; lamb and mutton are the more favored meats, then goat
and finally beef. Popular beverages are coffee and tea, which can be
supplemented with cardamom, saffron, or mint to give them a distinct flavor.
The UAE has been spending billions of dollars on infrastructure and is the
biggest projects market in the region, accounting for 37 percent of total
project value within the construction, oil and gas, petrochemicals, power and
water and waste sectors. Many huge investments have been poured into real
estate, tourism and leisure. These developments are particularly evident in the
larger emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
If you are interested to know more about real estate investment opportunities
in the UAE, we invite you to visit www.MabnaHabitats.com