DUBAI – WORLD’S
FASTEST GROWING CITY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
• A FEDERATION  SOUTHEAST OF ARABIAN
PENISULA (SW ASIA)
• ON PERISAN GULF
• BORDERS OMAN AND SAUDI ARABIA
• SHARES SEA BORDERS WITH IRAQ, KUWAIT,
BAHRAIN, QATAR & IRAN
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
• CALLED EMIRATE  RULED BY EMIRES
• 7 EMIRATES  ABU DHABI, AJMAN, DUBAI,
FUJAIRAH, RAS AL-SKAIMAH, SHARJAH &
UMM AL-QUWAIN
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
• BEFORE 1971, THE UAE WAS KNOWN AS THE
TRUCIAL STATES OR TRUCIAL OMAN
(REFERENCE TO A 19TH CENTURY TRUCE
BETWEEN UK AND SEVERAL ARAB SHEIKHS
• UAE HAS CONSTITUTION & PRESIDENT
• CURRENT PRESIDENT KHALIFA BIN ZAYED AL
NAHYAN
•
• UAE IS NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCH
NOR A REPUBLIC
• FEDERATION OF 7 MONARCHIES – RULERS
HAVE ABSOLUTE POWER WITHIN THEIR
EMIRATES
• HEAD OF GOVERNMENT (PRIME MINISTER_ 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SECURITY & DEFENCE
NATIONALITY AND IMMIGRATION ISSUES,
EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEATH, CURRENCY,
POSTAL, TELEPHONE AND OTHER
COMMUNICATON SERVICES, AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROL, LABOUR RELATIONS, BANKING,
EXTRADTION OF CRIMINALS
• ALL OTHER RESPONSBILITIES NOT GRANTED
TO NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ARE RESERVED
TO THE EMIRATES
DUBAI – SITE & SITUATION
• LOCATED AT 25.2697° N & 55.3095°E
• 16 M ABOVE SEA LEVEL
• AREA – 4,110 KM2 ( FROM 3,900 KM2
THROUGH LAND RECLAMATION PROJECTS
• WITHIN ARABIAN DESERT
DUBAI – SITE & SITUATION
• SAND – CRUSHED SHELL AND CORAL (FINE,
CLEAN AND WITE)
• ALONG BORDER WITH OMAN  WESTERN
HAJAR MOUNTAINS
DUBAI – SITE & SITUATION
• NO NATURAL RIVER BODIES
• DOES HAVE A NATURAL INLET (DUBAI
CREEK) WHICH HAS BEEN DREDGED TO
MAKE IT DEEP ENOUGH FOR LARGE
VESSELS TO PASS THROUGH
DUBAI – SITE & SITUATION
• MUCH OF SOUTH  SAND DUNES AND
EVENTUALLY LEADS TO DESERT (THE
EMPLY QUARTER)
• VERY STABLE ZONE  NEAREST FAULT
LINE IS 200KM AWAY (ZAGROS)
• POSSIBILITY OF TSUNAMIS IN REGION IS
MINIMAL BECAUSE PERISIAN GULT
WATERS ARE NOT DEEP ENOUGH
DUBAI – SITE & SITUATION
• VEGETATION  WILD GRASSES, DATE
PLAMS, HYACINTHS, ACACIA AND GHAF
TREES
• CLIMATE – HOT, ARID
• SUMMERS – EXTREMELY HOT, WINDY &
DRY (~40°C)
• WINTERS – COOL AND SHORT (~23°C)
• TOTAL PRECIPITAITON ~150mm
DUBAI – GOVERNANCE
• RULED BY AL MAKTOUM FAMILY SINCE
1833
• MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM
(VICE PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER OF
UAE AND MEMBER OF SUPREME COUNCIL
OF THE UNION)
DUBAI – GOVERNANCE
• DUBAI MUNICIPALITY
(DM) EST. IN 1965
(RASHID bin SAEED
AL MAKTOUM)
• PURPOSE – CITY
PLANNING,
CITIZENSHIP
SERVICES AND
UPKEEP OF LOCAL
FACILITIES
DUBAI – GOVERNANCE
• DM CHAIRED BY HAMDAN
BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM
• DEPUTY RULER OF DUBAI
• IN CHARGE OF ROADS,
PLANNING, SURVEY,
ENVIORNMENT, PUBLIC
HEALTH, FINANCIAL
AFFAIRS & SANITAITON
AND SEWAGE
DUBAI – FUNCTION
• LARGEST POPULATION OF 7 EMIRATES
• 2ND LARGEST LAND MASS (ABU DHABI – 1ST)
• ABU DHABI & DUBAI HAVE VETO POWER OVER
CRITICAL NATIONAL IMPORTANCE OVER
OTHER EMIRATES
AREA
4,114 KM2
POPUALTION 2,262,000
(2008)
DENISTY
408.18/KM2
METRO
3,410,737
62%
7.5%
DUBAI – FUNCTION
• EARLIEST TOWN – 1799 DUBAI
• DUBAI FORMALLY EST. IN
EARLY 19TH CENTRUL BY AL
ABU FALASA CLAN OF BANI
• 1892 UK ASSUMED
PROTECTION OF DUBAI
(REMAINED UNDER CLAN
CONTROL)
DUBAI – FUNCTION
• GEO. LOCATION  IMPORTANT TRADING
HUB (PEARL DIVERS)
• PEARL INDUSTRY STRONG UNTIL 1930s
• WWI & GREAT DEPRESSION DESTROYED
INDUSTRY  JAPAN PRODUCED
CULTURED PEARL
• DUBAI  DEPRESSION MANY STARVED &
MIGRATED OUT
DUBAI – FUNCTION
DUBAI – FUNCTION
• BEGINNING OF 20TH CENTURY 
IMPORTANT PORT
DUBAI – FUNCTION
DUBAI – FUNCTION
DUBAI – FUNCTION
• 1966 – OIL DISCOVERED
• RESULT  MASSIVE INFLUX OF FOREIGN
WORKERS (POP. OF DUBAI BY 300%)
• MODERN DUBAI  1971 AFTER UK LEFT
UAE
• 1979 FREE TRADE ZONE BUILT AROUND
THE JEBEL ALI PORT (FOREIGN
COMPANIES UNRESTRICTED IMPORT OF
LABOUR AND EXPORT CAPITAL)
DUBAI – FUNCTION
• TODAY  GLOBAL CITY
• BUSINESS HUB
• ECONOMY WAS DRIVEN BY OIL  MODEL
OF BUSINESS (LIKE THE WEST) & WHAT
DRIVES THE ECONOMY
• MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME  TOURISM,
REAL ESTAE & FINANCIAL SERVICES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRPdIZ3dexU&N
R=1&feature=fvwp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iWdugoBnE&feature=relmfu