Dubai Today

The modern emirate of Dubai, whose principal city is also called Dubai, is a land of contrasts. It sits squarely in the Arabian Desert, but has miles of beautiful coastline. Political and social turmoil stirs in parts of the broader Middle East, yet this is one of the world’s most stable cities. Its Islamic heritage and Western orientation give it a unique position in the region, friendly with neighboring countries but largely sheltered from their troubles.

The government is a constitutional monarchy with only limited democratic elements, while the economy is a vibrant capitalist system with staggering growth. Conservative communities live in harmony alongside liberal ones. Local culture is protected, even as widely divergent customs from abroad are welcomed. Although Arabic is the official language, English is widely spoken. These contrasts reflect a city whose international outlook is grounded in the customs of contemporary Islam, a land characterized by its Arabian heritage and willingness to embrace change.

Dubai is a truly multiethnic society. Roughly half of its population of about 1.5 million (there are just more than 4 million people in the entire UAE, making Dubai the most populous emirate) hails from South Asia, a quarter from other Arab countries and Iran, and about 10% from the West and elsewhere in Asia.
The Indian, Iranian, and Pakistani communities are the largest. Among the Western population, British expatriates are most prominent. The local population makes up less than 15% of the total, making Emiratis a minority in their own land. But what is remarkable is their success in protecting their culture in the midst of such sweeping change.

Dubai’s new emphasis on its historic areas and cultural centers, as well as its promotion of traditional pastimes such as camel racing, falconry, and dhow sailing, represent a concerted effort to safeguard the local culture. Religion (p. 16) and family life lie at the core of Emirati society. Relationships are strong not just within the immediate family but among the extended family, which often lives together. Respect for elders is a core value.

Traditional song, dance, and poetry remain integral to the Emirati experience. Families still arrange marriages, which the bride and groom must agree to, and weddings are a significant cultural event that can last up to 2 weeks. They have become increasingly expensive, and the government has established a Marriage Fund to assist locals with affording the enormous wedding costs and dowries and encourage them to marry Emiratis rather than non-nationals.

The bride typically moves in with the husband’s family after marriage, but she does not take her husband’s last name. Emirati women may seem sheltered by some Western standards, but their role in the local society is changing. Unlike in some more traditional Islamic countries, women in Dubai drive and move around the city unescorted.

They have equal educational opportunities and increasingly work outside the home. In UAE universities, 65% of students are women. With increased education and exposure to Western cultures, their readiness to commit to traditional roles as housewives is less certain. As in so many places, the younger generation is much more openminded than the older one.

Emiratis are easy to recognize because of their national clothes. Local men wear an ankle-length white garment known as a dishdasha and a white or red-checkered headdress called a gruta. It is secured on the head with a black cord, the agal. Local women typically wear a full-length dress covered by a black abaya, and conceal their hair with a headscarf called a sheyla. Some women, particularly in the older generation, also cover their face with a veil.

Both men and women are increasingly accessorizing their traditional dress to achieve greater individuality. Dubai is the UAE’s commercial center and the second-largest and wealthiest emirate in the federation, after the capital Abu Dhabi. There’s a widespread misconception that Dubai’s wealth comes from oil money. Unlike Abu Dhabi, which holds a staggering 10% of the world’s proven oil reserves, Dubai’s oil is quickly running out. Two decades ago, oil revenue made up half of Dubai’s GDP; today it accounts for less than 5%. Dubai’s engines of growth are fueled instead by the diversified economy, revolving around trade, manufacturing, and financial services. The strategic location explains its success as a business hub. It sits at a crossroads between the Far East, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

More than 6,000 companies from more than 120 countries operate in Jebel Ali, Dubai’s deepwater port and enormous free-trade zone for manufacturing and distribution. Dubai’s growth is phenomenal. Cranes and construction sites dominate the city, and the joke is that the crane is the national bird. Foreign labor is responsible for most economic activity. Job sectors tend to be stratified among nationalities, and few Emiratis work in the private sector, preferring instead lucrative public sector jobs.

All Emiratis receive excellent government benefits, including education, healthcare, and access to financial resources. The foreign population does not have access to these same benefits, and living and working conditions for unskilled foreign workers can be onerous. Tourism is an increasingly important source of revenue for Dubai.

The number of visitors here more than doubled from 3 million in 2000 to 6.4 million in 2006, and tourism officials are aiming ambitiously for 15 million by 2010. The superlative hotels and entertainment options being established are meant to quiet any potential rivals. Dubai is an immensely easy city to travel in as long as you’re not outside in the heat of summer, and services are excellent. Although Arabic is the official language, you can get by with English just about everywhere.