Crazy & Interesting Facts About Dubai

Looking for interesting facts about Dubai? Then continue reading!

Last month I spent a few days in Dubai. It was my third trip to this Emirate and I have to say, the more I get to know it, the more enjoyable I find this place.

Yes, it’s artificial, over-the-top and a bit strange to see such a modern, air-conditioned city in the middle of the desert.

But, spending some time in the city with a friend who lives in Dubai made me see much more of it than just the tourist attractions and I have to admit, it is a city where you could lead a very comfortable life!

Dubai, a small desert town only 50 years ago, has developed into a vibrant city that is a business and cultural focal point in the Middle East and a popular tourist destination.

Also Read: Things to Do in Dubai – A Travel Guide With Insider Tips

What is Dubai Known For?

Dubai is known for luxury shopping, modern architecture, and a lively nightlife scene.

Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline.

Real Estate and tourism drive the economy, and there seems to be a never-ending development of innovative and over-the-top projects.

Dubai is unique and therefore I wanted to share some Dubai facts and information with you.

Let’s start with some interesting and crazy facts about Dubai to show you just how different this place is.

Facts About Dubai – From Funny to Crazy & Shocking!

1. the Burj Al Arab Hotel Uses Enough Gold to Cover the Mona Lisa Painting 46,265 Times

The interior of the Burj Al Arab is decorated with around 1,790 square meters of 24-carat gold leaf.

With that, you could cover 46,265 Mona Lisa paintings!

2. Dubai’s Artificial Palm Islands Use Enough Sand to Fill 2.5 Empire State Buildings

Constructing Dubai’s Palm Islands required 94 million cubic meters of sand. The Empire State Building is only 37 million cubic meters.

In fact, the amount of rock and sand used here could form a 2 meter wide (6.5 feet) wall that would circle the globe three times!

Here you can find more information about the construction of these unique islands.

3. The Police Force in Dubai Spends More on Each of Their Super Cars Than It Costs to Send a Child to College in the USA

An interesting fact about Dubai: Dubai’s police force uses supercars to impress tourists and show how “classy” the city is.

This includes cars such as the Ferrari FF (US$ 500,000), Lamborghini Aventador (US$ 397,000) and an Aston Martin One-77 (US$ 1.79 million).

And they hold a world record for the fastest police car; a Bugatti Veyron which they purchased for US$ 1.6 million!

In comparison, attending New York University, one of the most expensive colleges in the USA, costs about $300,000 for four years!

4. The Tallest Building in the World is Located in Dubai

The Burj Khalifa, which can be seen from 95 km away and is 163 stories high, is the tallest building in the world.

With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft) and a roof height (excluding antenna but including a 244 m spire) of 828 m (2,717 ft), the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world since its topping out in 2009.

It also has one of the fastest elevators in the world which you can take up to the observation deck to enjoy an incredible view of Dubai.

5. 25% of All Cranes in the World Were Once Located in Dubai

During the height of the property boom, Dubai’s skyline was filled with cranes.

Some say the city was home to almost 25 percent of the world’s cranes! But, this might be a bit of an urban legend as other sources only state 2 or 3%.

Nevertheless, the number of cranes in Dubai was and still is, crazy, and the city keeps developing.

6. More Than 85 Percent of Dubai’s Population Is Foreign

It is estimated that less than 15 percent of Dubai’s population are Emiratis, while over 85 percent are expatriates.

Most of the workers building Dubai’s hundreds of skyscrapers immigrated to the United Arab Emirates from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. As a result, they now comprise over 50% of the city’s population.

The class divide is big, with many of the immigrant workers living and working in horrible conditions while Emiratis have their rent, education and medical bills paid for, and upper-class foreigners earn very attractive salaries.

7. In Dubai Robots Are Replacing Illegal Child Labor in Camel Racing

Camel racing is a very popular sport in Dubai, similar to what football is to the USA and hockey to Canada.

To keep the weight of the jockeys down, children were used to ride the camels. Instead of allowing Dubai residents’ children to participate, there has been a problem in the past with having children illegally trafficked into the country to race camels.

The rest of the world eventually caught on to the issue and has since put a stop to it for the most part.

Leave it to Dubai to come up with a solution. Now, child-sized robots are being built and are racing the camels. They cost anywhere from $300 to $10,000.

The robots have built-in walkie-talkies which allow the owners to deliver commands to the camels during the two-mile race, and a small automated whip operated via remote control.

8. Until Recently Dubai Had No Addresses, No Zip Codes, No Area Codes, and No Postal System

Due to the rate at which Dubai has been growing, it never developed a standard address system.

Instead of an address line on a mailing label, there was a space where residents could draw a map or write out specific instructions such as: “After you pass the white mosque, it’s the first street to the left, blue door.”

It wasn’t until 2015 that Dubai started assigning so-called Makani numbers (a unique 10 digit code) to all buildings to help identify them.

9. You Pay No Income Tax in Dubai

Apart from an often very attractive salary you also won’t have to pay any income taxes when you make your money in Dubai.

This attracts a lot of people who come to Dubai with the idea of saving a good amount of money in a short amount of time.

Too bad it is also very easy to spend a lot of money in Dubai.

10. Dubai Loves Gold

Do you want to buy some gold? There are ATMs in Dubai that dispense gold bars! Or visit Dubai’s popular Gold Souk, a traditional market with over 380 retailers.

More than 25% of the world’s physical gold passed through Dubai.

But the funniest Dubai fact when it comes to their love of gold is that they hold a world record for making the longest gold chain. The chain measures 5,522 meters (18,116 ft 9.14 in)!

11. Dubai Has the Longest Automated Metro

Another Guinness World Record held by Dubai.

The longest driverless metro line, with a length of 52.1 km (32.37 mi) is the Dubai Metro Red Line. Dubai Metro’s second line, the Green line, is 22.5 km (13.98 mi) long.

Combining these two lines makes it longer than the Vancouver Skytrain.

Another interesting fact about Dubai related to public transport: the bus stops are airconditioned. And if you ever visit Dubai in summer, you’ll immediately understand why!

12. The Miracle Garden Is the Largest Flower Garden in the World

Do you like flowers? Then a visit to the Miracle Gardens is a must.

The Miracle Garden is huge, covering an area of 72,000 square meters (780,000 sq ft) and featuring more than 50 million flowers and 250 million plants.

One of the most fascinating facts about Dubai for flower lovers!

13. There’s a Dinosaur Inside a Shopping Mall

Nicknamed the Dubai Dino, A 155-million-year-old fossil of a Diplodocus Longus is on display inside the Dubai Mall.

It’s quite unique because very few fossils anywhere in the world are in this great condition!

More Useful and Interesting Facts About Dubai

1. The total population of Dubai is 3.6 million.
2. Arabic is the official language.
3. The currency is UAE dirham (AED).
4. The time zone is UTC+4 (GST).
5. The country code / prefix is +971.
6. Islam is the official religion.
7. Only non-Muslims are allowed to buy and consume alcohol and pork.
8. Kissing or holding hands in public is illegal and can result in fines or deportation.
9. It hardly ever rains in Dubai. On average, it only rains about 25 days a year.

Is Dubai a City or a Country?

Dubai is a city and not a country.

But, and this is where the confusion comes from, Dubai is also the name of the Emirate that the city of Dubai is the capital of.

The emirate of Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The emirate of Dubai is made up of several other municipalities and villages besides Dubai but Dubai is by far the largest and most important municipality in the emirate.

Generally, when you read about Dubai people are referring to the city.

The UAE is a country with Abu Dhabi being the capital but Dubai is the largest city.

Is Dubai a State?

Yes, the emirate of Dubai is one of the 7 states that make up the UAE. So if you are referring to the emirate and not just the city then Dubai is a state.

I hope this clarifies things and I hope you enjoyed all these facts about Dubai!

Dubai is Larger Than Life

Dubai’s goal seems to be to constantly have the biggest and best of everything. Its hotels try to be the most luxurious on earth, including what’s said to be the best hotel in the world: The Burj Al-Arab.

And on top of that, the city has one of the largest indoor malls in the world, one of the biggest aquariums, the biggest automated fountain, the tallest hotel, and one of the largest indoor ski slopes.

And, since 2021 Dubai is also home to the world’s tallest observation wheel.

If you ever get the chance to visit this truly unique city, go! Whether you end up liking it or not, it will leave a unique impression.

For More Information & Facts About Dubai:

• Things to Do in Dubai & Day Trips From Dubai – A Travel Guide With Insider Tips
• What It’s Like to Move to and Live in Dubai
• GulfNews
• Dubai.com
• 10 Reasons to Visit Dubai Now

Also read: In Pictures: Where to Travel to Next – The Perfect Travel Inspiration

 
Like this article with crazy facts about Dubai? Pin it!