UAE: interesting facts about the country and life in the Emirates. The best attractions of the Arab Emirates - overview, features and interesting facts Interesting facts related to UAE coins

If we consider this indicator as a percentage, it turns out that 11% of the total global production of desalinated sea ​​water falls in the UAE.

You probably don’t know that back in 2003, a huge amount of goods were imported to the United Arab Emirates from China, totaling over $5 billion.

Do you know how fat the residents of the United Arab Emirates are? No, jokes aside - over 45% of the fair sex are obese, as are 15% of children. Moreover, if you compare the Gulf countries, it turns out that the UAE is a leader in obesity rates. This is such a sad statistic.

The scorching, but not always gentle sun in the Emirates delights tourists all year round. However, doctors have a different opinion - the sun, of course, is very beneficial, but to protect your eyes, it is better to wear safety glasses.

Many people in the Emirates do not live in poverty, but the number of millionaires here is growing right before our eyes. The statistics for 2007 are indicative, when the number of millionaires increased by 15% and reached 68,100 people. We're sure you probably didn't know about it.

In addition, you definitely didn’t know that in May 2001, the United Arab Emirates team became the Asian ice hockey champion. The honorary president of this team is... whoever you think... Sheikh Falah Al Nahyan, the son of the President of the UAE. With such support for the national team, you can be calm.

As is reliably known, the United States of America ranks first in the world in terms of water consumption per capita. But you hardly know which country comes in second place. That's right - it's the UAE! Every day 1 person in this country consumes 550 liters of water.

How did you know about this? Then the following fact will definitely be a discovery for you. For example, do you know how much a wealthy businessman paid for the number “10” at the second auction of the most amazing license plates for cars... How much would you think? $340,000! And really, what money you wouldn’t pay for a beautiful room.

Facts about the UAE that will make your hair stand on end

May 2001. Remember what a significant event happened then. Don't know? Here's a hint: the United Arab Emirates has been accepted into the International Ice Hockey Federation. Thus, the national team of this country became the first Arab power to be awarded this honor.

Do you know how much money representatives of the fair half of humanity living in the UAE do not spare just to be attractive to their men? 32 billion dollars! Yes, yes, this is not a reservation, this is exactly how much the ladies of the Persian Gulf countries spend on cosmetics and perfumes, undoubtedly leading in this indicator throughout the world. For comparison, the entire global financial market is valued at $175 billion.

Today Arabia is deserted, but still so attractive for tourists. But if you and I invent a time machine and go back several million years into the past, we will observe a completely different picture: the climate in Arabia was similar to the climate East Africa, deep rivers flowed across the entire country, and the noise of forests was heard everywhere. Savannah paradise at its best.

And again we return to the economy. Even schoolchildren know how many date palms there are in the United Arab Emirates. But you would hardly even think that this country ranks fourth in the world in date production. 760,000 tons of dates are grown, sold or consumed here per year. The ratio of people living in the Emirates to date palms is 1:10, or, in other words, there are 10 date palms per person.

Everything about the UAE - short and to the point

Did you know that:

1. The state has created all the necessary conditions for comfortable living for young families. After all, what else can you call a gift of 70,000 dirhams for a wedding, as well as a luxurious villa from the state. Residents of the CIS countries only dream of such gifts
2. Gave birth to an Emirati boy? Get $50,000 from the government! And so it will be with every family in the UAE in which a future real man and potential multi-billionaire will be born.
3. Almost all UAE men work in government agencies or have their own business
4. On average, civil servants receive $10,000 per month, and airport workers, who would have thought - $20,000
5. The government of Dubai has relieved its residents of the need to pay taxes, therefore all wealthy people conduct their business in this country, because all the conditions have been created for this

Many of these facts were an absolute revelation to you, weren’t they?

Wait, there is still a lot of interesting things ahead.

For example, are you aware of this:

• If desired, not only men, but also women can serve in the army, and for as long as they themselves want. But only after they reach the age of 18
• If you decide to take photographs of government buildings, mansions, sheikhs' palaces, military buildings and even beautiful ladies in the UAE, you should think a hundred times, because in the Emirates this is prohibited, therefore anyone who decides to take such photographs will be held accountable
• Do you want to run into an administrative violation? Hitchhike in the Emirates. But still, it is better to avoid such temptation
• All bus stops in Dubai are air conditioned. As they say, everything is for the people, and even the waiting time for public transport should be as comfortable as possible
• In the United Arab Emirates, you should not look for the metro underground, because it is located on the surface. When you see a train without a driver, you don’t need to be scared - everything will be fine, and you will get to your desired destination
• At the 2008 auction, a record was set: car number “1” was sold to Dubai for $14 million, and it is by far the most expensive
• There is no question of any existence of the “yellow” press in the Emirates, since there is very strict censorship here. Freedom of speech is not the case in the UAE, and if the relevant authorities think that the content of an Internet site contradicts the Koran, it will be immediately blocked
• You should not look in the press for at least some information about the life of the ruling family and the sheikhs, because you are unlikely to find it. There is a strict ban on the dissemination of such information in the press.
• The coldest time of the year is the period from December to January, it is at this time that the temperature during the day reaches 28 degrees, and at night - plus 18 degrees
• An Arab man can marry four women at once, but no more. Moreover, each of his wives receives his material benefits equally. If one of the wives gets a house, the others will also get a house. This rule also applies to other property, such as gold jewelry, cars, etc. However, polygamy in the UAE is gradually becoming a thing of the past, since such pleasure is too expensive for a man. And a man simply doesn’t have time to pay equal attention to each of his wives.
• When wooing an Arab woman, a man will have to give her 5 kg. gold jewelry. At the same time, an Arab woman has the right to marry exclusively an Arab man, while the latter has much more rights, he can even choose a foreigner as his wife
• There can be no talk of any cohabitation or civil marriages, as in our countries, in the UAE; they are prohibited

And you definitely didn’t know that residents of the Emirates can get an education at any university in the world, and completely free of charge. This opportunity increases the risk of an outflow of young professionals from the country, but the authorities foresaw such risks by opening several branches of the world’s most famous universities in the UAE.

If you are walking down the street with your lady and suddenly you want to kiss her, never do it, because the laws do not allow it. Expressing any feelings and emotions in public is prohibited

Did you know how the Emirates of Sharjah treats alcohol? Strongly negative. Any transportation or consumption of alcoholic beverages here is no less a crime than murder.

Drinking or eating on the streets during Ramadan is prohibited, and in public catering places where this can still be done, all windows must be sealed. In order to avoid penalties for this violation, you can wait until nightfall, because it is at night that any prohibitions and restrictions are lifted.

Ride to public transport, as well as in taxis, women and men must be separated, if we are talking about trains - in different carriages. When men and women travel together on a bus, they must be in different sections.

Did you know about this? Incredible! Perhaps you also know that the 13-meter high Christmas tree that was installed on New Year at the Emirates Palace, the most beautiful, expensive and simply luxurious hotel in the Emirates, cost, no less, 11.4 million dollars. Of course, real jewelry took the place of Christmas decorations.

And, of course, what every tourist visiting the United Arab Emirates should definitely know is what attractions this country is famous for. One of the most famous landmarks is the Burj Khalifa, the largest skyscraper in the world, with a height of 828 meters.

The United Arab Emirates is a small country in the Persian Gulf. It is especially popular among Russians. The country attracts with its beaches, department stores, and, of course, the weather. There is no winter here, you can always swim and sunbathe in the sun. What’s interesting: in the UAE it is forbidden to do what almost everyone does in Russia, namely: it is forbidden to have homosexual relations - they are imprisoned for 12 years, apostasy is punishable by death, and insults with sexual overtones are punishable by imprisonment or lashes - The one from whose lips curses are heard must withstand 80 blows. You also can’t have abortions; you can be jailed for one year for doing so.

Whether to visit this country or not is up to everyone to decide for themselves, but first learn about some interesting facts about the United Arab Emirates.

We Russians are accustomed to the fact that alcohol is sold in every market and kiosk. In the UAE, Muslims can only drink alcohol if they have a license. Consequently, tourists do not have such privileges, so if you want to have fun on the beach with a bottle of cold beer or an alcoholic cocktail, you will not be able to do it. Of course, you can take a risk, but for drinking drinks without a license you will be fined 600 dirhams (that’s 10,943 rubles). If you still really want to drink, do it in your room, since the police are unlikely to look at you, but do not go out into the street with the smell of alcohol. And, for example, alcohol is not sold at all in Sharjah; it can only be bought at the airport.

9. Crime rate

The United Arab Emirates is probably the country with the lowest crime rate. Here you can safely go out even at 2 am, without fear that someone will pester you or rob you. But we Russians are still afraid, because we are used to people and their intentions being different. One tourist said: “I am walking along a narrow path, the lights are not on. The Pakistanis are coming towards me, and I’m already completely scared. But they just asked me for a smoke, and then disappeared into the darkness without receiving a cigarette, because I’m not a smoker.” In the United Arab Emirates, murder is punishable by death, and if a migrant steals anything, he will be deported and banned from entering the country. For a joke with sexual overtones made towards a girl, you can get a fine of $5,000.

We, modern people, cannot imagine our life without the Internet: we watch movies, find information, study, communicate, play, work... In general, we have everything on the Internet. But in the UAE they monitor the use of social networks - according to higher authorities, social media They only harm the people of the country. For example, if you take a selfie in Dubai and tag people in the photo on Facebook, you risk going to jail. It is also prohibited to distribute photographs depicting an idle life - parties, drinking alcohol. You also cannot post adult content. Even in the Emirates you cannot talk about wealthy citizens.

7. Trains in the UAE metro

On at the moment The Dubai Metro is considered to be the longest and fully automated rail system in the world. You can get to the city center directly from the airport, you will agree - this is very convenient, because you usually have to call a taxi to get somewhere. There are 26 stations on the red line, 20 on the green line. All metro stations are closed, and the doors open synchronously with the arriving train. Each station has elevators, toilets and escalators. One train consists of 5 cars, and the length of each of them is 75 meters. One train can accommodate more than 640 people.

6. Palm-shaped islands are slowly sinking

There is an artificial resort in Dubai called “The World”, and if you believe the newspapers, the islands are going under water. 300 islands are drowning, merging into one. The project is “frozen” because, according to the authorities, it is unreliable and impractical. But even though the islands are in danger of being flooded, Mir is already 70% sold out. Lovely bulk islands the fact that the coastline increases tenfold, which is very beneficial for real estate buyers. Many people would like property on the shore; with islands this issue is resolved.

5. Pearl of the UAE

The real pearl of the Emirates is Fujairah, located in Indian Ocean. A landscape of unimaginable beauty stretches out before residents and tourists - mountains in some places rise right up to the ocean... Coastline stretches over 90 km! This area has a wonderful climate and there are no environmental problems. Fujairah has the most ideal climate, average temperature– 27 degrees. The emirate has beautiful valleys and a large number of spring wells. You can go fishing in the emirate, because there is excellent underwater world, and the water is crystal.

4. Traffic police

If we talk about the traffic police of the Emirates, then the employees work on the same principle as ours. In case of an offense, you can call the police, and they will immediately arrive at the scene. The police uniform is sand-colored, and they wear red leather boots. Female police officers wear a green uniform with a floor-length skirt. The cars of traffic policemen can be the envy of any car enthusiast - they are always new, sporty, and equipped with everything necessary.

3. Fines for violating traffic rules

Since 2017, traffic fines have been increased in the UAE. And not only fines, but also points, which can negatively affect motorists. Penalty points are assessed for each offense, which can result in the driver having his or her driver's license revoked. The most dangerous offense is driving while intoxicated. The driver receives 23 points and his car is confiscated for 60 days. And if the police discovered that you were taking drugs, you can say goodbye to your car for a whole year.

2. Leader in solar energy development

The modern world cannot be imagined without energy - oil magnates continue to fight even though everything is moving towards the end of the oil era. While oil tycoons and greedy tycoons are "shaking" about oil, the government of the United Arab Emirates supports the idea of ​​​​solar energy, the reserves of which are inexhaustible. Thanks to its climate, the Emirates is simply an ideal place for the development of solar energy. According to some reports, by 2030 solar panels will be installed on the roof of all houses.

1. Rapid development

The United Arab Emirates is one of the richest countries in the world. And just half a century ago, the UAE was nothing but desert. Rapid development began the moment oil was discovered. The authorities immediately realized that this resource could be used to create a resource-based economy. Sheikh Rashid bin Saed al Maktoum set out to ensure a comfortable existence for the nation, and decided that capital from the sale of oil should be directed to the development of the city’s infrastructure. Hospitals, educational institutions, business centers, etc. began to quickly appear in Dubai. In 2002, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum allowed all foreigners to purchase real estate in Dubai as full ownership. So the Emirate began to attract investors from all over the world, which certainly influenced the country’s economy.

/ Interesting facts about the UAE

The UAE is one of the richest oil countries in the world.

Sheikhs are members of the ruling families of the emirates that make up the UAE. This title is obtained for life. (Sheikh is like a prince in Ancient Rus'). Each emirate has its own ruling dynasty. Sheikhs are very rich people, they buy islands, yachts, gold laptops and smartphones, gold Jacuzzis and many other incredibly expensive things. They live in beautiful, luxuriously furnished palaces, which are prohibited from being photographed. Sheikhs are educated, very smart, love horses, gold and beautiful women (they keep up to 4 wives - the Koran allows), some write poetry, are fond of sports and care about the welfare of their emirate and its inhabitants.

The UAE metro does not have a driver, it is controlled automatically. You can pay for all transport with a single card. For this purpose, there are special sensors in transport that read information and make calculations based on mileage.

The Emirates is very clean. Littering on the street is prohibited, and even if you miss the ballot box, you will have to pay a fine of 500 dirhams.

Freedom of speech is limited here, but there is no yellow press, since the media cannot talk about the personal lives of sheikhs, and indeed about the lives of the rich, access to social networks is prohibited and some sites are blocked, since, according to the Telecommunications Supervision Committee, they contain harmful information.

Seven small emirates on the shores of the Persian Gulf concluded an “eternal peace” already in 1853, but Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Qawain, Ajman, and Fujairah united into a single state only in 1971. Ras al-Khaimah joined them in 1972.

The average monthly salary of civil servants is about $10,000; airport workers receive $20,000. It’s hard to get a good job; companies try to select only the best employees. Sometimes the competition reaches several dozen people per place. Workers from South Asia and Philippines receive 200 - 300 US dollars per month. Hindus, Filipinos, Pakistanis manage to live on this money, eat and send money home.

There are problems with water in the Emirates. Fresh water here is obtained from natural sources - about 30%, and 70% is artificially desalinated water (the process is labor-intensive and expensive). Even though fresh water clean, it is better to boil it rather than drink it raw from the tap.

The founder of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, is a legendary figure. This is the 14th ruler from the Al Nahyan family, who has ruled the territory of the emirate of Abu Dhabi for about 250 years. Sheikh Zayed raised 19 sons who now occupy high government positions or run their own businesses. One of the sons, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has held the position of ruler (president) of the UAE since November 3, 2004. Sheikh Zayed died in 2004. The cause of his death has not been announced. Forbes magazine estimated Sheikh Zayed's wealth at $20,000,000,000 (!!!).

Once a year, traditional camel racing is held in the middle of the desert, with very high stakes. The fastest “ships of the desert” available in the country compete in speed over a distance of 4 km. The camels are controlled by special miniature robots. Camels are not at all such sedate animals as we are used to seeing them - in competitions they reach speeds of up to 60 km per hour.

During Ramadan, a major Muslim holiday, you should not drink or eat on the streets. In some public institutions, where this is allowed, windows are sealed. For breaking the rules there is a fine.

Emirates is considered one of the most... best airlines peace. In 2012, the Emirates Airlines brand was recognized as the most valuable brand in aviation ($3.2 billion). The airline's aircraft fly to 72 countries on all continents.

There is no need to pay taxes in Dubai, so many wealthy people live here and run their businesses.

There is an enclave on the territory of the UAE: the lands along the Strait of Hormuz, considered the gateway to the Persian Gulf in the northeast of the country, belong to the neighboring Oman .

Dubai hosts the 24 Hours of Endurance Car Race.

On the streets of the UAE you cannot kiss or otherwise express your feelings.

The death penalty ranges from beheading to stoning. For drugs in the UAE, you will be imprisoned for at least 10 years, but a drug addict who is ready to undergo treatment will be paid for at a clinic. Maybe because of such harshness there is almost no crime here, even pickpockets and car thefts - they are left open.

The autonomy of the emirates is so broad that they have the right to independently determine the amount of contributions to the federal budget.

They eat gold in the Emirates! It is sometimes used to make cupcakes - they are wrapped in edible thin gold plates. This pleasure costs about $1,000 per piece and is sold in confectionery shops. In Abu Dhabi, there is a machine selling gold bars, the weight of which ranges from 1.5 to 10 grams. And in the Burj Al Arab hotel they make gold or platinum tattoos for everyone, but this is an expensive pleasure.

For making an indecent gesture or swearing in public, you can be fined or even imprisoned. Fighting is also prohibited. Therefore, everyone tries to be as polite as possible, and in the event of a conflict, the one who first contacted the police is usually right. In the UAE, denunciations to the police are encouraged; many Indians make good money from this.

For violating traffic rules, the fines are very large - for example, running a red light will cost $800. There are no traffic police here. All violations are recorded by special cameras, and at the end of the year the driver is given an invoice when passing the technical inspection. If you hit a camel on the highway, it will cost you a tidy sum (from $10,000 and above).

In the hot United Arab Emirates there is ski resort Ski Dubai in the Arabian Desert. Everything has been created here for skiers - slides, snow parks. And in 2011, the UAE became the first Arab country, which joined the International Ice Hockey Federation.

Numerous nomads still inhabit the desert areas of the country, making up 2% of the total population of the emirates.

Abu Dhabi - the largest and richest of the seven emirates that make up the UAE. Abu Dhabi owns 95% of the UAE's oil reserves and all natural gas fields.

Citizens of the United Arab Emirates can study and receive treatment in any country in the world at the expense of their state, they are guaranteed benefits and pensions, and about the costs of public utilities they didn’t hear anything here.

In the UAE, hitchhiking is prohibited; it is an administrative offence.

The world's oldest pearl, approximately 7.5 thousand years old, was found in the emirate of Umm al-Quwain.

Dubai is the fastest growing city on the planet.

Over a couple of decades, 80,000,000 palm trees were planted in the United Arab Emirates, which cost 3,000
000,000 US dollars. Each tree is connected to an irrigation hose, without which even palm trees with their deep-rooted roots would not survive here.

According to tradition, an Arab man should give 5 kg of gold jewelry when courting an Arab woman. By the way, the choice of the future half is made by the parents. But for extramarital affairs you can get a fine or even 3 months in prison. Cohabitation is strictly prohibited here. Polygamy is allowed, but since it is expensive, it is gradually becoming obsolete.

The UAE is home to the tallest skyscraper in the world - Burj Khalifa (828 meters). The elevator speed of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper is 18 meters per second. This is the fastest elevator in the world.

Ferrari Park in Abu Dhabi is the largest amusement park in the world. The fastest pneumatic roller coaster in the world, the Formula Rossa at Ferrari Park accelerates the racecar-shaped car to 240 km/h in approximately 4.9 seconds using a catapult launch system that is comparable to the launch catapult used on aircraft carrier. The length of the track is 2.2 km; the shape of the attraction resembles the legendary Italian race track in Monza.

Both men and women from the age of 18 can serve in the UAE army. The service life is not specified. Many mercenary soldiers and ultra-modern military equipment– we must protect unimaginable riches and skyscrapers.

33,000 sea creatures live in the Dubai Aquarium, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest acrylic structure.

The UAE has very good social support. For the birth of a son, the state allocates $50,000 to the family. The wedding costs $19,000 and a villa.

In public transport, women and men travel separately. They have different subway cars, sections on buses and even taxis. In general, traveling is not prohibited, but the women themselves then refuse because large quantity Hindus, Pakistanis and other public, “devouring” women with their gaze - this is due to living for a long time without wives.

Only indigenous people - 11%, ethnic Arabs - approximately 1.6 million people. Dollar millionaires (of course, this number does not include people from South Asia and the Philippines - Pakistanis, Indians and others) were once counted at 59,000 people. Now, maybe this figure is even higher. Incomes are growing, there are more and more millionaires.

The Burj Al Arab hotel has 7 stars - one of the most luxurious and... expensive hotels in the world.

1,200 stores are located on the territory of the Dubai Mall - the largest shopping center in the world. About 750,000 people visit it per week.

The most expensive license plate "1" was sold for $14,000,000 at an auction in the UAE in 2008.

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The United Arab Emirates is a very unusual state. In the middle of the endless desert and soils practically unsuitable for agriculture lie luxurious oases and flourishing cities. The UAE includes 7 separate emirates, which are separate state entities. The capital is Dubai. It is also one of the seven emirates.

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Read our guide to learn how to plan your own trip to Dubai.

In our small review collected the most interesting and unusual facts about this eastern country, which was able to reach considerable heights in its development and technology thanks to only one natural wealth– huge oil deposits.

History and geography

Anyone who comes to these parts for the first time will find it hard to believe that just a few decades ago the UAE was an endless desert, in which it was incredibly difficult to survive. Today the country is included in the list of the richest states. Just imagine, out of a population of 5 million, 59 thousand millionaires live here!

Local punishments have long been famous for their severity. For some crimes you may even face the death penalty. As before, this type of punishment is carried out by cutting off the head or stoning to death. This is why the UAE is included in the list of countries with the least number of crimes.

Social life

Every native resident of the UAE receives impressive support from the state. Almost every special event in the country entails financial assistance. For example, when a son is born in a family of citizens, they receive 50 thousand dollars. Each marriage brings the young couple 19 thousand dollars and a personal villa. The size of the salaries of government officials is also impressive. They receive up to 10 thousand dollars monthly.

Since the country belongs to the Muslim world, there are a lot of prohibitions here. For example, drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited, as is its transportation. There is also a taboo against photographing government agencies and even women.

You will never see people hitchhiking on the streets of the UAE. This is also strictly prohibited.

In addition, the ban on the “yellow press” should be considered a local quirk, since the personal life of citizens, especially sheikhs, is taboo. And access to social networks is also prohibited, since in the UAE it is generally accepted that such Internet resources contain a lot of negative information.

The fines in the country are also amazing. Just imagine, for violating the rules on the road you will face a fine of up to $800.

Entertainment and Features

Since the UAE is a desert country, camel racing is a very popular activity here. But the riders are not people at all, but real robots. The locals also love to go on desert safaris and use fancy jeeps for this.

Each bus stop is equipped with air conditioning. And this is not surprising, because in summer the average air temperature during the day does not fall below 50 degrees. And winter here is perhaps the warmest. The air temperature ranges from 18 to 28 degrees at different times of the day.

Gold is one of the most popular commodities in the UAE. According to statistics, every citizen annually buys at least 38 grams of this metal. According to local tradition, during a marriage proposal, the groom is obliged to give the bride 5 kg of gold at once.

By the way, the future of the newlyweds is determined by the parents. From early childhood, every boy and girl pairs up, and with the onset of a certain age, they get married. But for affairs outside of marriage you can even get a real prison sentence.

There is also the right to polygamy. But this is an expensive whim, even for citizens rich country. Therefore, recently the vast majority of marriages are monogamous.

The UAE is considered one of the most expensive countries in terms of paying for utilities and purchasing fresh water.

There is a clear distribution of the roles of men and women in the country. Representatives of different sexes even travel separately on public transport in separate carriages. Even the taxi interior is fenced off with a special partition.

It will take a lot of time to tell about such a country in colors. What is worth knowing is that the most luxurious hotels were built in the UAE, for example, the world-famous