United Arab Emirates
In the kilometres of undulating sand dunes, the smooth surface of the fine-grained sand is broken only rarely by the tracks of camels and Bedouins on their way to the market in an oasis town. By the coast, skyscrapers and luxury hotels in imaginative designs rise up and are reflected in the gleaming waters of the Persian Gulf. If anyone has managed to successfully combine the traditional Bedouin lifestyle with Western consumerism and city culture, The United Arab Emirates has. Instead of clashing bitterly, lifestyles shaped by conservative Islam and Western liberalism are joined together in genuine harmony.
The fauna and climate of the United Arab Emirates
By far the greatest part of the seven United Arab Emirates is covered with barren desert, where only animals with two fat-storing humps can thrive. Farthest to the northeast, the sand dunes (up to 200 metres high) give way to mountains, some of which prove that the scenery in the Emirates can even be green. But the small mountainous area cannot prevent the hot and dry climate of this region from prevailing. 40°C is not uncommon in the summer months, from May until October. Not surprisingly, camels and goats are some of the only animals that can live in these harsh conditions, although there are also ibex and leopards in the region.
Sources of income in the United Arab Emirates
The seven small united sheikdoms can thank the discovery of oil in the 1960s for the fact that they are now among the wealthiest countries in the world. Formerly the inhabitants made their living from the pearls which divers collected from the Persian Gulf, extensive trade with China in particular and from the infamous piracy which led Britain to force the Emirates to a truce in the 19th century. Today, tourism is the largest source of income, and great efforts are being made to attract the wealthiest tourists. Thus, the city of Dubai is home to what is said to be the world’s best hotel in the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab building. The hotel’s smallest room is a 170 m2 suite. Other ways of attracting spare dollars and euros are to sell whole islands in the construction projects known as “The World” and “Palm Islands”. Here, the many artificial islands represent a map of the world and three perfectly formed palm trees respectively in the warm water off the coast of Dubai.
Population
Besides the many tourists who visit the seven sheikdoms each year – more and more of whom are investing in apartments, houses or artificial islands – the United Arab Emirates has many permanent foreign residents. No less than three-quarters of the population are guest workers, especially from India and Pakistan. This has resulted in extreme imbalances in gender and age distribution, as by far the majority of guest workers are men aged between 20 and 60. Women in the Emirates can be quite choosy when they approach marriageable age, as there are more than twice as many men as there are women.
The tourist sights of Dubai
Dubai, which is one of the top scorers as a travel destination in the United Arab Emirates, is the place where Manhattan meets The 1001 Nights: exotic markets flourish alongside sumptuous shopping centres awash with international brands. Dubai also offers spectacular golf courses, superb bathing beaches and sailing tours in traditional dhows, which were formerly used for trading voyages to China. On a visit to Dubai, it would also be a good idea to include an excursion to the sandy oceans and fertile oases of the desert – maybe even riding on a camel. Other cities which can add an enchanting touch to a holiday in the United Arab Emirates include beautiful Fujairah and Abu Dhabi, a modern city with remnants from earlier times in the form of mosques and the old Al-Hosn palace.