Dubai at a glance... A City Beyond Compare

Dubai is a thriving metropolis, a premier tourist destination, a world business centre and a haven for sport and leisure enthusiasts. A city of unique flavor and personality, Dubai is a melting pot for people from all over the world who come to work and live, leading cosmopolitan and international lifestyles.

The city has a welcoming culture, a virtually crime-free environment, a booming economy, world-class infrastructure, a multicultural environment, and exceptionally high standards of living. Blessed with 365 days of sunshine and golden beaches, Dubai offers a vibrant nightlife, restaurants, bars and clubs, and a host of year round entertainment and sporting events that cater to all nationalities and income groups.

This is Dubai, a city unlike any other which attracts the world's top business companies from all sectors, investors big and small, professionals of all categories, tourists and holiday-makers of all nationalities, and the rich and famous from the fields of entertainment, media and sports to name but a few.

Dubai Time is +4 Hours GMT or 4 hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight saving time is not applicable in this region.

Other time zone differences with Dubai
Los Angeles	- 11 hrs
Chicago	- 10 hrs
Washington DC/ New York	- 8 hrs
GMT/ London	- 4 hrs
Paris	- 3 hrs
Moscow/ Doha/ Manama/ Riyadh	- 1 hrs
Karachi/ Islamabad	+ 1 hrs
Mumbai/ New Delhi	+ 1.5 hrs
Bangkok	+ 3 hrs
Hong Kong	+ 4 hrs
Tokyo	+ 5 hrs
Sydney	+ 6 hrs

Geography
Dubai is a part of the United Arab Emirates, a country comprising 7 states/cities. It is second major city next to the capital Abu Dhabi. Dubai lies between 55°16 East and 25°16 North.

Government
Dubai is led by a progressive, stable, benign and visionary constitutional monarchy.

Language
While Arabic is the official language, the second language is English which is spoken by most of the people. Many other foreign languages are spoken as well.

Population
Dubai has a multicultural population of about 1 million people, 80% of whom are expatriate. The UAE has a population of about 4 million people.

Business Hours
Government offices 7.30am to 2.30pm Sat to Wed
Private sector 8.00am to 6.00/7.00pm Sat to Thu
Shops 9.00am to 10.00pm Everyday
Malls 10.00am to 10.00pm Everyday
Friday is the weekly public holiday.

Clothing
Dubai is cosmopolitan and there is no restriction on what people can wear.

Shopping
Dubai is a shopper's paradise with world-class malls, a thriving retail environment and excellent bargains and value for money since it's a tax free economy. All of the world's leading brands have a presence in Dubai.

The Opportunity... Factors driving the Real Estate Demand in Dubai

	Liberalization of real estate sector - expatriates can now own property.
	Mortgages & home finance at APRs of 6% have made property purchases affordable.
	Purchasers of freehold are granted a permanent resident visa.
	Great value - land and building values are cheaper when compared to international prices.
	Conducive lifestyle - a safe & virtually crime-free environment, a cosmopolitan and international lifestyle, a tax haven, and a tertiary home for international property buyers.
	Robust economic growth: Dubai's GDP grew 12% from 2003 to 2004.
	Robust population growth - 8% p.a.
	High mid-income population bracket with disposable income.
	Dubai is the Middle East entrepot and hub for all trade, finance, land-sea-air logistics, property, leisure, entertainment, retail, IT, media, education, and medical activities.
	An open, welcoming & tolerant state with investor friendly business policies.

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