About

The Emirate of Dubai is a constituent state of the United Arab Emirates. As one of the seven emirates of the UAE, it is the second-largest constituent state after the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in terms of political and economic status and significance. It is ruled by the Al Maktoum dynasty, and the Emir (monarch) of the Emirate of Dubai traditionally serves concurrently as the Vice President of the UAE. Dubai City is the capital and central hub of the Emirate of Dubai. It is the largest city in the Emirate of Dubai and the second-largest city in the UAE. Along with cities like Austin and Houston in Texas, USA, and Doha in Qatar, it is a symbol of oil-rich cities and is home to Dubai International Airport, the hub for Emirates Airline. The monarch (Emir) of the Emirate of Dubai, which has this city as its capital, is Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves ex officio as the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. While some believe Dubai is the capital of the UAE, the capital of the entire United Arab Emirates is Abu Dhabi, the capital of the union's largest constituent state, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Both cities have large airports and form a rivalry in many aspects, including being the first and second largest in the UAE, and they are located about 120–130 km apart. The name Dubai is derived from 'Daba,' which means 'baby locust' in Arabic. Despite not seeming very large with a population of about 3.5 million for a city that has received much global attention through rapid development in the 21st century, the actual metropolitan population is close to 5.8 million—accounting for 60% of the UAE's population—due to urban conurbation with Sharjah (population 1.8 million) to the northeast and Ajman (population 500,000). The climate is a humid desert climate, making the winter weather pleasant like early autumn in Korea, but the summer weather is truly maddening. It is an amazing city where nighttime temperatures hover around 30°C starting in May, and average daytime temperatures approach 40°C from June onwards. To make matters worse, the humidity is also incredibly high due to its proximity to the sea. In coastal areas where people live densely, humidity is usually around 60% to 80%. Because of this murderous heat, the construction of swimming pools in all apartment complexes in the city has been mandated by law, and various malls armed with powerful air conditioning, such as Mall of the Emirates and Dubai Marina Mall, line the city. The heat was so intense that they used their massive capital to build a large-scale ski resort inside the Mall of the Emirates. Furthermore, bus stops are made in capsule form with air conditioning inside, showing they have made every preparation to endure the lethal heat. As a city in the middle of the desert, rain falls at a level where a drizzle might occur for about one week a year. Dubai International Airport serves almost every country except for a few like Mexico or Peru.