UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Overview
The United Arab Emirates are a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ra's al-Khaimah and Fujairah.
It is a country rich in oil but with unexpected characteristics and curiosities. Abu Dhabi and Dubai, apart from being the biggest emirates of the whole federation, are also the most important and are complementary one to the other. Abu Dhabi is the seat of the Federal Government and the strategic point for the oil business; Dubai was originally a typical trading centre and became afterwards a tourism destination of great importance. Some decades ago Dubai was a quite town surrounded by dunes and desert, it was an ancient crossroad for Bedouin traders and a famous site for pearl fishing. Today it is a cosmopolitan city in constant development, able to perfectly mix a futuristic skyline with the minarets of the mosques towering towards the sky. It is also the world window of the luxury shopping and entertainment and boasts unique structures such as the "Burj Al Arab", one of the most charming seven-star hotel in the world. A first look to the city is already possible through the plane window while landing. Dubai will show up in all its modernity: skyscrapers projected upwards, roads with four/five traffic lanes, constantly working cranes and workers; it seems that the city is being created under your eyes. You will have the sensation to be the witnesses of the construction of a new world. A constantly developing city looking at the future but firmly linked to its culture, maintaining the simplicity of its past. Suspended between old and new, Dubai is one of the few centres that in less than twenty-four hours will allow you to go through several different natural environments: steep mountains and suggestive desert dunes, sandy seashores and luxuriant parks. When shopping has bored you, switch to something else. Thanks to its climate and to its high level sport structures, this Arab emirate is the ideal destination for a holiday featured by action and fun, from golf to water sports, from a ride on a camelback to the lively nightlife. Your travel, anyway, can not end without a safari among the dunes of the desert.
Geographic position
The United Arab Emirates are located in the Southeast of the Arabian Peninsula, in Southwest Asia.
Land area
The total area is 82,880 square km.
Population
About 4,500,000 inhabitants live in the United Arab Emirates.
Capital
The capital city is Abu Dhabi. This city counts more than one million citizens.
Main Cities
Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Airports served by Livingston
International Airport Dubai - Dubai.
Historical outline
The history of the Arab Emirates has very ancient origins and its reconstruction would mean going back to the stone age, the period of the first settlements in this country. Erodono, the great Greek historian, writes of this populations and Tolomeo, during the Empire of Alexander the Great, drew the country on his famous maps. The first villages in the area of Dubai, probably fisher villages, start forming in the nineteenth century, more precisely around 1830. Due to the constant growth of the trading activities the city became in less than forty years one of the most important ports of its geographical area. The merchants of the Gulf, of Persia and India met right here in this city of the small emirate. Around the end of the 1960s the discovery of huge amounts of oil and the intention of Great Britain to withdraw from this area determine the start of the new historic era for the United Arab Emirates. The real birth of the Emirate dates back to the beginning of the 1970s, when the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, sovereign of Abu Dhabi, and the Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, king of Dubai, understood the strategic importance and the advantages given by the creation of a single state. In 1971, the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain and (the following year) Ras Al Khaimah became the United Arab Emirates.
National holiday
The 2nd of December, Independence Day (1971).
Form of government
Federation of Emirates.
Language
Arabic is the official language. English and Persian are also widespread.
Religion
The most professed religion is Muslim but Hindu and Christian religion are also practised.
Time Zone
The time zone is 3 hours ahead of Italy. When the Daylight Saving Time is in use, the difference is 2 hours.
Documents
For tourism purposes Italian citizens are not required to get a visa, they just need a passport valid for six months. At the arrival you will be required to fill in a form allowing you to stay in the country for sixty days. The visa can be extended up to a maximum of ninety days.
Currency
The country's monetary unit is the dirham (Dhs) sub-divided in 100 fils.
CHECK THE CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE
Credit cards
The main international credit cards are accepted in hotels, shops and restaurants.
Vaccinations
No vaccination is required to enter the country.
Climate
The United Arab Emirates have a quite dry sub-tropical climate. The sun shines almost throughout the whole year. In the summer period, above all in July and August, temperatures can reach 46°C with a very high humidity rate. In winter, on the contrary, the climate is milder and the medium temperatures are around 22°C. The few rainfalls concentrate in December and January.
CHECK THE WEATHER FORECASTS IN REAL TIME
Electric current
The electric current is supplied at 220/240 volt. Some electronic devices might need the use of the transformer.
Telephone and Internet
To call Italy from the United Arab Emirates is very easy: dial 0039, then the Italian area code - including zero for fixed net numbers - and the number you wish to call (for example: to call a fixed net telephone number in Milan just dial 0039 02 36; to call a mobile phone number dial 0039 329 42). To call the United Arab Emirates from Italy, dial the international code 00971, followed by the number you wish to call. The GSM network is active but as phone tariffs vary according to the service provider, it is advisable to get informed about costs before the departure, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises at home.
Checking or sending e-mails will not be a problem. Each hotel is supplied with internet points which can also be found outside the hotels in the main cities.
Pictures and videos
There are no restrictions to take pictures or make amateur videos for private use. It has anyway to be remembered that taking pictures of Muslim women is considered offensive. As in any other country, it is advisable to politely ask local people for their permission before taking pictures of them.
Shopping
The United Arab Emirates, Dubai in particular, are the paradise of uncontrolled shopping. It is impossible to resist to the several temptations offered by "suq", art galleries, boutiques and road markets. If you think at the quality/price relation, considering that Dubai is a duty-free city, i.e. a tax-free city, it is almost impossible to go back home without buying anything. What to buy? The choice could go to technological devices or rather to jewels or hand-made carpets. The most visited and lively "suq" are those of spices, fishes, fruits and vegetables, which are located near the Creek, the natural sea cove dividing Dubai in two areas. The most famous and loved by tourists are the "suq" of gold and the Gold and Diamond Park. Also fairs and modern, crowded shopping malls are present. The most important event dedicated to shopping is the Dubai Shopping Festival. The event is scheduled every year, usually in January, and is attended by tourists from all over the world coming only for shopping.
Cuisine
The gastronomic offer in the United Arab Emirates is very diverse, above all in Dubai. The city offers a gastronomic choice of absolute quality. Together with the deliciousness of the middle-eastern cuisine, the restaurants in Dubai serve such a diversified gastronomy that every evening it is possible to eat dishes coming from different cultural traditions: Mediterranean, Japanese, Chinese, English, American cuisine etc. Among the typical deliciousness it is worth to taste the "hummus", a cream of chickpeas and sesame seeds, the "ghuzi", roasted lamb meat served with rice and nuts and last but not least an infinite variety of fish dishes.
Music
The Arabic music is the most widespread. More and more young people listen to the international music, so it is not unusual to see on TV the video of Laura Pausini or to hear on the radio a song by Andrea Bocelli.
Nightlife
The United Arab Emirates, Dubai in particular, offer a busy nightlife to tourists. At the sunset the events not to be missed are several: aperitifs in the hotels accompanied by the music of a piano or live music, English- or Irish-style pubs where to relax drinking a beer. There are also many middle-eastern-style clubs where to see concerts of Arabic singers and belly dancer. Real night-birds have too much to choose. In Dubai the number of discos and clubs for young people is constantly growing, and it is not unusual to find at the disco console famous European Deejays.
Events and attractions
In the United Arab Emirates there are many events scheduled throughout the whole year.
Here are some of the most important appointments of the year. As the dates of the events may be changed, it is advisable to refer to the Board of Tourism of Dubai ( phone: (+39) 02 5740 3036 or visit the website www.dubaitourism.co.ae for the precise date of the specific event.
- Dubai Shopping Festival - January
- Abu Dhabi Golf Championship - January
- Dubai Desert Classic (Golf) - February/March
- Dubai World Cup (Horse racing) - March/April
- Dubai Regatta - Muscat - March
- Dubai Summer Surprises - July/August
- UAE Desert Challenge - November
- Dubai International Film Festival - December
- Dubai Rugby Sevens - December
Did you know that...
'Eid Al Firt' is the feast closing the Ramadan? The real celebrations exchanging presents start after the morning prayer and continue for three days. The Ramadan, as you all know, is the sacred month during which Muslim people celebrate the revelation of the Sacred Koran. During the whole period Muslim people do not eat, drink and smoke to sunrise to sunset.
Some things you can't miss
1) Desert safari - Dubai
2) Ride on a camelback - Dubai
3) The Mosque of Jumeirah - Dubai
4) The seven-star hotel Burj Al Arab - Dubai
5) The Wonderland Park - Dubai
6) The 'Suq' in Dubai - Dubai
7) The old Hatta village - Dubai
8) The city of Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi
9) The Northern Emirates - Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwaun
10) The oases of Al Ain - Abu Dhabi
Water sports
Useful hints
- Not to forget: A sweater may be useful especially during windy evenings. Do not forget a cap, your sunglasses and high-protection solar creams.
- Tips: Tips are not compulsory, but beyond being highly appreciated, tipping the waiter is quite a common habit.
- Safety: The United Arab Emirates are not a dangerous country. Anyway it is advisable to take the usual precautions in order to avoid any problem.
Country's touristic office in Italy
DUBAI BOARD OF TOURISM
Via Pietrasanta, 14 - Milan (Italy)
Phone: 0039 02 5740 3036
Fax: 0039 02 5680 2065
E-mail: dtcm_it@dubaitourism.co.ae
www.dubaitourism.co.ae
Country's Embassy in Italy
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES IN ITALY
Via della Camilluccia, 492 - Rome (Italy)
Phone: 0039 06 3630 6100
Fax: 0039 06 3630 6155
E-mail uaeroma@tin.it
CONSULATE OFFICE OF ITALY IN DUBAI
World Trade Centre � 17th Floor - Dubai
Phone: 00971 4 3314 167
Fax: 00971 4 3317 469
E-mail: italsons@italsonsul.ae
Country's italian Embassy
EMBASSY OF ITALY IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Al Nahayan Street, Corner Dalma Street - Abu Dhabi
Phone: 00971 2 4435 622
Fax: 00971 2 4434 337
E-mail: ambasciata.abudhabi@esteri.it
www.ambabudhabi.esteri.it