Dubai (in Arabic: ?????, transliteration: Dubaiy) is one of the seven emirates and the most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located along the sou
Very little is known about pre-Islamic culture in the south-east Arabian peninsula, except that many ancient towns in the area were trading centers between the Eastern and Western worlds. The remnants of an ancient mangrove swamp, dated at 7,000 years, were discovered during the construction of sewer lines near Dubai Internet City. The area had b Geographical coordinates: 25° 15' 8" North, 55° 16' 48" East
Dubai is located on the Persian Gulf, in the northwest of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is the second largest emirate with an urban area of 3885 sq km and the city is roughly 35 sq km. However it will expand to twice that size with the addition of the man-made islands; the Waterfront, the three Palms, the World, the Universe, Dubailand, as well as the construction in the desert.
One of the most fascinating geographical aspects of Dubai, is its Creek, which divides the city into two regions. Dubai Creek is made up of a natural 9.5 mile inlet in the Persian Gulf, around which the city’s trade developed. North of the Creek is called Deira, and Bur Dubai refers to the south where it joins the tourist and residential developments of Jumeirah along the coast.
Dubai also has the highest population, sharing its borders with Abu Dhabi in the south, Sharjah in the northeast and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeast.
Due to the city’s unique geographical location it enjoys a strategic position which allows it to connect to all local Gulf States, as well as to East Africa and South Asia.
Climate
The line of the Tropic of Cancer crosses through the UAE, causing the weather in Dubai to be warm and sunny in the winter, with an average daytime temperature of 25 degrees c, nearer the coat 12-15 degrees c, in the desert or mountains 5 degrees c. With the nights being relatively cool. Near coastal areas humidity can average between 50% and 60%.
In the summer, the weather in Dubai is very hot and humid, with temperatures reaching mid 40’s. Even the sea temperature can reach 37 degrees c, with humidity averaging over 90%.
Rainfall in Dubai is infrequent and does not last for a long period. It mostly rains during the winter period in the form of short gushes and an occasional thunderstorm. On average, rain falls only five days a year.
Population
Dubai’s population stands at an estimation of 1.5 million, with three quarters of the population being male. The city of Dubai is made up of a multicultural society; with only 5% of local Emiratis, the rest are expatriates from all over the world. The expatriate population comprises of mostly Indians supplying the city with cheap labour as well as filling professional positions, other nationalities are from various Arabic countries. There is also a significant amount of Iranians, especially after the Islamic revolution in 1979 where more wealthy and educated Iranians settled in Dubai. Furthermore, because of the high demand in workers primarily in the tourism sector, many people from the Philippines, China, Indonesia and Malaysia have become residents in the city.
Dubai’s population has been growing by around 7% a year and the city is set to have a population of 2 million by 2010.
een covered with sand about 5,000 years ago as the coastline retreated inland, becoming a part of the city's present coastline.[14] Prior to Islam, the people in this region worshiped Bajir (or Bajar).[15] The Byzantine and Sassanian empires constituted the great powers of the period, with the Sassanians controlling much of the region. After the spread of Islam in the region, the Umayyad Caliph, of the eastern Islamic world, invaded south-east Arabia and drove out the Sassanians. Excavations undertaken by the Dubai Museum in the region of Al-Jumayra (Jumeirah) indicate the existence of several artifacts from the Umayyad period.[16] The earliest recorded mention of Dubai is in 1095, in the "Book of Geography" by the Andalusian-Arab geographer Abu Abdullah al-Bakri. The Venetian pearl merchant Gaspero Balbi visited the area in 1580 and mentioned Dubai (Dibei) for its pearling industry.[16] Documented records of the town of Dubai exist only after 1799.[17]
In the early 19th century, the Al Abu Falasa clan (House of Al-Falasi) of Bani Yas clan established Dubai, which remained a dependent of Abu Dhabi until 1833.[18] On 8 January 1820, the sheikh of Dubai and other sheikhs in the region signed the "General Maritime Peace Treaty" with the British government.[14] However, in 1833, the Al Maktoum dynasty (also descendants of the House of Al-Falasi) of the Bani Yas tribe left the settlement of Abu Dhabi and took over Dubai from the Abu Fasala clan without resistance.[18] Dubai came under the protection of the United Kingdom by the "Exclusive Agreement" of 1892, with the latter agreeing to protect Dubai against any attacks from the Ottoman Empire.[18] Two catastrophes struck the town during the mid 1800s. First, in 1841, a smallpox epidemic broke out in the Bur Dubai locality, forcing residents to relocate east to Deira. Then, in 1894, fire swept through Deira, burning down most homes.[19] However, the town's geographical location continued to attract traders and merchants from around the region. The emir of Dubai was keen to attract foreign traders and lowered trade tax brackets, which lured traders away from Sharjah and Bandar Lengeh, which were the region's main trade hubs at the time.[20][19]
Al Fahidi Fort, built in 1799, is the oldest existing building in Dubai.[21]
Dubai's geographical proximity to India made it an important location. The town of Dubai was an important port of call for foreign tradesmen, chiefly those from India, many of whom eventually settled in the town. Dubai was known for its pearl exports until the 1930s. However, Dubai's pearling industry was damaged irreparably by the events of World War I, and later on by the Great Depression in the late 1920s. Consequently, the city witnessed a mass migration of people to other parts of the Persian Gulf.[14] Since its inception, Dubai was constantly at odds with Abu Dhabi. In 1947, a border dispute between Dubai and Abu Dhabi on the northern sector of their mutual border, escalated into war between the two states.[22] Arbitration by the British and the creation of a buffer frontier running south eastwards from the coast at Ras Hasian resulted in a temporary cessation of hostilities.[23] However, border disputes between the emirates continued even after the formation of the UAE; it was only in 1979 that a formal compromise was reached that ended hostilities and border disputes between the two states.[24] Electricity, telephone services and an airport were established in Dubai in the 1950s, when the British moved their local administrative offices from Sharjah to Dubai.[25] In 1966 the town joined the newly independent country of Qatar to set up a new monetary unit, the Qatar/Dubai Riyal, after the deflation of the Gulf rupee.[17] Oil was discovered in Dubai the same year, after which the town granted concessions to international oil companies. The discovery of oil led to a massive influx of foreign workers, mainly Indians and Pakistanis. As a result, the population of the city from 1968 to 1975 grew by over 300%, by some estimates.[26]
On 2 December 1971 Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after former protector Britain left the Persian Gulf in 1971.[27] In 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a uniform currency: the UAE dirham. In the 1970s, Dubai continued to grow from revenues generated from oil and trade, even as the city saw an influx of Lebanese immigrants fleeing the civil war in Lebanon.[28] The Jebel Ali Free Zone, comprising the Jebel Ali port (reputedly the world's largest man made port) was established in 1979, which provided foreign companies unrestricted import of labour and export capital.[29]
The Persian Gulf War of 1990 had a huge impact on the city. Economically, Dubai banks experienced a massive withdrawal of funds due to uncertain political conditions in the region. During the course of the 1990s, however, many foreign trading communities — first from Kuwait, during the Persian Gulf War, and later from Bahrain, during the Shia unrest, moved their businesses to Dubai.[20] Dubai provided refueling bases to allied forces at the Jebel Ali free zone during the Persian Gulf war, and again, during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Large increases in oil prices after the Persian Gulf war encouraged Dubai to continue to focus on free trade and tourism.[30] The success of the Jebel Ali free zone allowed the city to replicate its model to develop clusters of new free zones, including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Maritime City. The construction of Burj Al Arab, the world's tallest freestanding hotel, as well as the creation of new residential developments, were used to market Dubai for purposes o Dubai Culture
Culture in Dubai is rooted in Islamic traditions that form UAE National's lifestyles. It is highly important that when tourists visit Dubai they must respect and behave suitably, as the minority group of Emiratis are very protective over their culture and traditions.
Dubai is famously known as the entertainment capital of the Middle East which attracts many party lovers from all over the world, especially those who are wealthy enough to splash out on the most expensive bars and clubs in the city. With Dubai promoting such an image, it still forbids the nationals that practice Islam to indulge in any of the entertaining services offered. In that respect these services are often located in the more touristy areas rather than in residential parts.
Alcohol is not forbidden in Dubai, as long as it is confined within an area like a hotel or sporting arena. Residents are free to drink in their own homes as long as they have an alcohol licence issued by the municipality. It is illegal to drink in the street or in public places. Pork is also available for the consumption of visitors and expatriates.
It is advised that visitors and expatriates do not flaunt their Western culture habits in the streets, where they can be viewed by nationals who may find it offensive. There have been various complaints in the past by nationals who have expressed their views through the media about their home-land being taken over by the Western world.
Having said this, it does not mean the locals are against foreigners visiting Dubai, it is just common courtesy to respect your hosts. Emiratis are traditionally known for their warm hospitality and they are very generous when offering refreshments to guests.
Emiratis tend to dress in their traditional clothes influenced by their Islamic belief. Most men prefer the traditional dishdasha or khandura (a long white shirt-dress), with ghutra (a white headdress) and agal (a rope worn to keep the ghutra in place). The Emirati women tend to wear an abaya (a long black cloak), which is worn over conservative clothes, with a sheyla or hijab (a scarf used to wrap around the face and head).
Expatriates and visitors are advised to dress appropriately; trousers or a dress should be worn to cover below the knee, when circulating the city, especially at historical sites. However, they can wear what they wish when they are in a hotel, bar or club and swim wear is tolerated by the pool or at the beach.
Normally tourist photography is acceptable and expected with all the beauty Dubai has to offer. Photographs of government buildings, military installations, ports and airports should not be taken. Like anywhere, it is polite to ask permission before photographing people, especially an Emirati woman.
Religion
The most religious time of the year in Dubai, is the fast of Ramadan, which lasts approximately for one month. This is when Muslims fast during day-light hours to fulfil the fourth pillar of Islam. Tourists must be aware that during this period, eating, drinking and smoking is not permitted in public during the day, although some restaurants blackout their windows to allow people to consume in private. Also bars will not serve alcohol before 7pm and clubs are shut as no loud music is allowed.
The UAE is tolerant and welcoming to foreigners who do not practice the religion of Islam. For example, the huge Arab population in Dubai includes many from Lebanon that can be of Christian faith and they are freely allowed to follow their own religion as long as they do not publicly distribute their literature. This also applies to any other non-Muslim expatriates.
Once in the city of Dubai you are surrounded by many mosques and the call of prayer will be heard frequently. The city also accommodates other religious places of worship, such as churches and Temples.
The government follows a policy of tolerance towards non-Muslims and Polytheist and in practice, interferes very little with their religious activities.
Dubai is the only emirate that has Hindu temples and a Sikh gurudwara. The Meena Bazaar area of the city has both a Shiva and Krishna temple. Both are believed to be sanctioned by the late ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. There is an electric crematorium run by a group of Indian expatriates. Furthermore, in early 2001, ground was broken for the construction of several additional churches on a parcel of land in Jebel Ali donated by the government of Dubai for four Protestant congregations and a Catholic congregation. Construction on the first Greek Orthodox Church in Dubai (to be called St. Mary's) is due for completion in 2008/9, with the help of General Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, which donated a plot of land in Jebel Ali.
Language
The official language of the country is Arabic, however most people in and out of the workplace communicate in English. There are so many different nationalities in Dubai and therefore English finds common ground with most people. The majority of road, shop signs, and restaurant menus etc. are in both English and Arabic.
Historical Time-Line leading to the rise of Dubai
· 1830: The small fishing settlement of Dubai is taken over by a segment of the Bani Yas tribe from the Liwa Oasis, led by the Maktoum family who still, interestingly, rule the emirate today.
· 1892: Foreign traders are drawn into Dubai due to the declaration that they will be exempt from tax, the population doubles and the pearling industry is now booming.
· 1930-1940: The recession hits Dubai’s pearl industry which falls into decline leading to social pressures and feuds between the royals.
· 1958: Sheikh Rashid officially becomes the ruler of Dubai after his father’s death.
· 1959: The Emir of Kuwait lends Sheik Rahid millions of dollars to renovate the Creek so it can accommodate large ships in order to develop Dubai’s reputation as being a major trading hub.
· 1966: Dubai discovers its own oil, attracting traders to settle in Dubai which in turn enhances economic growth.
· 1968: Dubai begins exporting crude oil and petro-dollars rush in.
· 1973: The Dirham becomes the offical unit of currency in Dubai.
· 1980: Dubai’s annual oil income decreases to US$3.
· 1985: The Emirates airline is established and Dubai plans its reinvention as a tourist destination.
· 1990: Sheik Maktoum takes over as the ruler of Dubai, due to his father, Sheik Rashid, passing away during the first Gulf War.
· 1996: The Dubai shopping festival and the Dubai World Cup are launched and happen to become very popular annual events.
· 1999: The tallest hotel in the world, the Burj Al Arab opens, enhancing Dubai’s reputation further as a tourist destination.
· 2003: Dubai is recognised by The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as a financial hub. Also, at this time the property market in Dubai suddenly grows due to the introduction of freehold properties.
· 2006: Sheik Mohammed becomes the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE, as well as the ruler of Dubai. He updates the Liberal policies of his Maktoum forefathers and develops Dubai further, raising the city’s business profile.
f tourism. Since 2002, the city has seen an increase in private real estate investment in recreating Dubai's skyline[30 enjoyed. The bars that are allowed to serve alcohol are mostly in hotels, though there are a few exceptions.
Dubai also has some interesting laws regarding nightclubs; they all must close at 3 am, 21 years and over is the legal drinking age but there are even some clubs that can refuse entry to anyone under 25 years of age.
At some of the most prestigious nightclubs in the city, doormen tend to be a little strict, but as long as you have at least one girl in your group then you should be fine.
Alamo
At the Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa is a Tex/Mex restaurant, with more emphasis on the bar. It is popular with both nationals and expatriates, and can especially get busy at the weekends from 10:30 onwards. The crowd can let off steam by dancing to an eclectic combination of music which is played live by the in-house Cuban and Costarena.
Apartment Lounge & Club
Located inside the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, opened from Tuesdays – Saturdays, this lavish nightclub offers some of the best music flavours. Friday nights tend to get busier as they are reserved for R&B, hip hop and soul.
Atlantis
Located right next door to the Hard Rock Cafe, this popular nightclub gets busy around midnight. They have performances such as dancing girls and drum masters, that add to the lively atmosphere. They have ladies night on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. The majority of the crowd tend to be younger.
Barasti Bar
This is located at the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina. This is one of the top bars along the seaside, where you can go and relax on a hot afternoon with a cool drink. DJ’s play music indoors so you can always sit inside for a change of scenery.
Boudoir Nightclub
Located at the Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa, this Persian club has one of the best reputations in the city of Dubai. It attracts mostly a Lebanese crowd who can enjoy a variety of music, and quite strangely when a bottle of champagne is brought to the table the music is switched off to celebrate its arrival.
Buddha Bar
Situated at the Grosvenor House West Marina Beach Dubai, this bar/nightclub is accompanied by a large Buddha statue and has a bar that serves a mixture of cocktails. It is a very chic bar but prefers to stay down to earth with a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Carter's
This is a very stylish restaurant/bar and is located inside the Pyramid complex, at Wafi City. It opens for lunch at 12pm and closes its doors at 1am, and 2am on Thursdays and Sundays. As the evening progresses the restaurant slowly transforms into one of the hottest bars in the Dubai and the DJ starts playing at around 10pm.
Champions
Located at the JW Marriott, it is an excellent place to go to watch major live sporting events such as Football (or soccer as Americans call it), Rugby, and large boxing matches. The bar is open daily from 12 until 2 in the morning, except for Fridays when it is open from 6pm until 2am. The bar area is large and is surrounded by TV screens. This venue is popular with resident expats and locals.
Chi Nightclub
Located at the Al Nasr Leisure-land, near the American Hospital, this club is very popular with the younger generation. It is especially known for having funk, house and hip-hop nights and also organises many theme nights to keep the youngsters interested. The nightclub has four large rooms, a semi outdoor dance area with a garden, and a VIP room to chill out in providing you have made reservations. It is a good idea to arrive early in order to avoid the massive queue.
Ginseng
This is located inside the Wafi City mall in Bur Dubai and is a good place to begin the night. The bar serves up the finest range of cocktails and plays a variety of chilled out music. It is known to have the air-con on quite high so be sure to bring a wrap to keep warm.
Ikandy
Located on the Sheikh Zayed Road, the bar is set on the fourth floor of the Shangri La Hotel at the pool deck. It has a funky reflecting pink light which makes white clothes glow and is a perfect location for pool parties.
Issimo
Located in Deira, at the Hilton Dubai Creek is this modern designed sports and martini bar. It is predominantly popular with middle-aged men who come to relax on comfortable leather sofas and watch live sports.
Jimmy Dix
This bar/club is located at the Movenpick Hotel in Bur Dubai and attracts the real party animals that drink themselves silly. The resident DJ and band play some of the best pop, rock and dance music. It is also a venue for comedy nights which are held monthly.
Kasbar
The nightclub is located at the amazing Royal Mirage Hotel and is a Moroccan themed venue. The club is built up on three levels with terraces that overlook the dance floor below. The music varies, with some of the best DJ's in the city playing all the latest dance hits. The upper level is the place to be seen and has comfortable Arabian style sofas that allow for an intimate evening. The club opens at 9:30pm and the cover charge is Dh50 which includes one drink.
Ku-Bu
Located at the Radisson SAS Dubai in Deira, this bar with its African-inspired decor is a small and darkly lit chill out zone. It is a good choice to start the night off in, with a DJ playing international hits and funky beats.
Malecon
This live music venue located at the Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa. It is a salsa bar with an in-house Latino group. It is a restaurant in the early hours, but transforms into a lively dance spot in the late hours and on some occasions hosts some of the best house DJ’s.
Mix
This nightclub is located at the Grand Hyatt, Mix used to be Dubai’s very first club and is still a very popular venue especially with the Middle Eastern crowd. It hosts top international DJ’s which play a mix of Arabic pop, house and R&B. It has a huge dance floor, an elevated bar and podium dancers to admire.
Peppermint Club
This is one of Dubai’s top nightclubs, great for those party lovers. The promoter imports some of the best international DJs including Paul Van Dyk. Over 2000 clubbers dance away on the overheated dance floor. There is often an admission charge for men but women usually get in free.
Planetarium
The Planetarium is located next to the Pyramid Centre and has very strict membership and entrance regulations allowing access only to Members, Ladies and Couples. The busiest nights are Sunday and Thursday (two drinks for the price of one). Also Tuesday being Ladies night is particularly hectic, where ladies are offered two free drinks before 1am and all cabin crew get a special 50% discount all night. The club is closed on Saturdays and entrance is free except on special occasions.
Scarlett's
Located at the Emirates Towers Hotel, this bar is a great place to go for a drink after work, and is very popular with expat corporate types and expats on business as well. The bar is open from 12:30pm until 3am and last orders are at 11.15pm. The upper section of the bar becomes a nightclub with a resident DJ playing a mixture of classic and new popular songs. The bar also doubles up as a restaurant which serves American cuisine.
Tropicana
At the Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa, is an Arabic style nightclub with mainly an Arabic crowd, which makes for a very enjoyable evening. They play a mixture of the latest International hits and Arabic popular dance music. It does not get busy until around 11:30/12:00 and is definitely worth a visit when you are in Dubai.
Trilogy
Located on the Jumeirah Beach Road, this is one of the biggest and trendiest nightclubs in Dubai. It has three floors and the roof top bar is the best spot to glance at the stunning views of the city. The club features many big named DJs and hosts a considerable amount of VIP bashes. Trilogy is a fascinating club which will definitely offer a night to remember
] with such projects as The Palm Islands, The World Islands and Burj Dubai. However, robust economic growth in recent years has been accompanied by rising inflation rates (at 11.2% as of 2007 when measured against Consumer Price Index) which is attributed in part due to the near doubling of commercial and residential rental costs, resulting in a substantial increase in the cost of living for residents.[31]
[edit] Geography
City level map of Dubai
Dubai is situated on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates and is roughly at sea level (16 m/52 ft above). The emirate of Dubai shares borders with Abu Dhabi in the south, Sharjah in the northeast, and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeast. Hatta, a minor exclave of the emirate, is surrounded on three sides by Oman and by the emirates of Ajman (in the west) and Ras Al Khaimah (in the north). The Persian Gulf borders the western coast of the emirate. Dubai is positioned at 
25°16'11?N 55°18'34?E? / ?25.2697, 55.3095 and covers an area of 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²).
Dubai lies directly within the Arabian Desert. However, the topography of Dubai is significantly different from that of the southern portion of the UAE in that much of Dubai's landscape is highlighted by sandy desert patterns, while gravel deserts dominate much of the southern region of the country.[32] The sand consists mostly of crushed shell and coral and is fine, clean and white. East of the city, the salt-crusted coa between the two states.[22] Arbitration by the British and the creation of a buffer frontier running south eastwards from the coast at Ras Hasian resulted in a temporary cessation of hostilities.[23] However, border disputes between the emirates continued even after the formation of the UAE; it was only in 1979 that a formal compromise was reached that ended hostilities and border disputes between the two states.[24] Electricity, telephone services and an airport were established in Dubai in the 1950s, when the British moved their local administrative offices from Sharjah to Dubai.[25] In 1966 the town joined the newly independent country of Qatar to set up a new monetary unit, the Qatar/Dubai Riyal, after the deflation of the Gulf rupee.[17] Oil was discovered in Dubai the same year, after which the town granted concessions to international oil companies. The discovery of oil led to a massive influx of foreign workers, mainly Indians and Pakistanis. As a result, the population of the city from 1968 to 1975 grew by over 300%, by some estimates.[26]
On 2 December 1971 Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after former protector Britain left the Persian Gulf in 1971.[27] In 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a uniform currency: the UAE dirham. In the 1970s, Dubai continued to grow from revenues generated from oil and trade, even as the city saw an influx of Lebanese immigrants fleeing the civil war in Lebanon.[28] The Jebel Ali Free Zone, comprising the Jebel Ali port (reputedly the world's largest man made port) was established in 1979, which provided foreign companies unrestricted import of labour and export capital.[29]
stal plains, known as sabkha, give way to a north-south running line of dunes. Farther east, the dunes grow larger and are tinged red with iron oxide.[26] The flat sandy desert gives way to the Western Hajar Mountains, which run alongside Dubai's border with Oman at Hatta. The Western Hajar chain has an arid, jagged and shattered landscape, whose mountains rise to about 1,300 meters in some places. Dubai has no natural river bodies or oases; however, Dubai does have a natural inlet, Dubai Creek, which has been dredged to make it deep enough for large vessels to pass through. Dubai also has multiple gorges and waterholes which dot the base of the Western Al Hajar mountains. A vast sea of sand dunes cover much of southern Dubai, which eventually lead into the desert known as The Empty Quarter. Seismically, Dubai is in a very stable zone — the nearest seismic fault line, the Zargos Fault, is 120 km from the UAE and is unlikely to have any seismic impact on Dubai.[33] Experts also predict that the possibility of a tsunami in the region is also minimal because the Persian Gulf waters are not deep enough to trigger a tsunami.[33]
The sandy desert surrounding the city supports wild grasses and occasional date palm trees. Desert hyacinths grow in the sabkha plains east of the city, while acacia and ghaf trees grow in the flat plains within the proximity of the Western Al Hajar mountains. Several indigenous trees such as the date palm and neem as well as imported trees like the eucalypts grow in Dubai's natural parks. The houbara bustard, striped hyena, caracal, desert fox, falcon and Arabian oryx are common in Dubai's desert. Dubai is on the migration path between Europe, Asia and Africa, and more than 320 migratory birds pass through the emirate in spring and autumn. The waters of Dubai are home to more than 300 species of fish, including the hammour.
Dubai Creek runs northeast-southwest through the city. The eastern section of the city forms the locality of Deira and is flanked by the emirate of Sharjah in the east and the town of Al Aweer in the south. The Dubai International Airport is located south of Deira, while the Palm Deira is located north of Deira in the Persian Gulf. Much of Dubai's real estate boom is concentrated to the west of the Dubai Creek, on the Jumeirah coastal belt. Port Rashid, Jebel Ali, Burj Al Arab, the Palm Jumeirah and theme based free zone clusters such as Business Bay are all located in this section. Five main routes — E 11 (Sheikh Zayed Road), E 311 (Emirates Road), E 44 (Dubai-Hatta Highway), E 77 (Dubai-Al Habab Road) and E 66 (Oud Metha Road) — run through Dubai, connecting the city to other towns and emirates. Additionally, several important intra-city routes, such as D 89 (Al Maktoum Road/Airport Road), D 85 (Baniyas Road), D 75 (Sheikh Rashid Road), D 73 (Al Dhiy
