Dubai

- The Golden City and the City of Gold.

Dubai image courtsey: am.joneslanglasalle.com

Dubai is one among the seven members of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is the pearl of the Persian Gulf and a show case example to prove how good governance can change the face of a state to such unseen and unheard of levels. Dubai had been an el-dorado for the whole Asians and it still is. Expatriates keep on flocking to this land of of opportunities and most of them realize it right here.

Dubai image courtsey: atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com

In fact the duty free trade allowed for gold was the beginning of the whole story, a story how a place once entirely depended upon its oil reserves for a livelihood transformed in to world’s shopping mall. Tons of gold were freely traded in Dubai’s duty free markets like coal or iron ore! Still gold is traded in huge quantity but as the GDP of the nation has grown leaps and bounds, gold’s share has become less significant in comparison.

It is not only gold that had lost its glitter in the sparkle of this city, oil once formed the bread and butter of the nation has been reduced to a mere 6% contributor to Dubai’s economy. The booming real estate market riding piggy-back on the booming financial activities IT, biotech, tourism and banking is showing only accelerations in its pace ever since. A far-sighted ruler and stable policies adopted for governance is here to lift this part of the land to the level of a paradise of the earth.

Dubai hydropolis image courtsey: bulgarian-estate.net

Dubai has more expatriates than nationals and it has no policies for naturalization of the expatriates but allows them to buy and own properties in specially designated areas known as free-hold villas esp. in the artificial islands, Dubai Greens, Dubai Marina International-City etc. The government has set up industry specific free-trade zones like DubaiInternet City which has been combined with Dubai Media City as part of the Megalith “The TECOM” (Dubai Technology Electronic Commerce and Media).

Almost all the giants of technology like Microsoft, Oracle Corporation, and the media biggies like CNN, Associated Press, Reuters, MBC, ARY etc are here to add Opportunities along with glitter and glamour. The peace and tranquility available here being rare commodity make them stick to this land and grow bigger day by day.

Dubai Sports City image courtsey: linternaute.com

The sky-scrapers that stand tall throughout the designated areas are virtual goldmines for the occupants and those who have invested their fortune in them has minted money beyond their dreams, they still stick on as being there promise more and more.

Along with these expats the land also has gained, Dubai gave so much for its citizens much more than any nation that has given for its people. This tremendous value addition would never have been possible but for the strenuous efforts of the expatriates. This was just a give and take situation both for Dubai and the Expats! A situation no nation could ever create in such a massive scale.

The tourism potential Dubai offers is only started to bloom. It is not just the glitter that attracts tourists in flocks, being the most happening place in the world; business opportunities beckon high-flying execs along with deal makers who find it as a safe and secure place to do business. The shopping crazy families are the most contributing factor to theDubai’s wealth; they hunt for bargains and only to return when purses are empty. The almost perfect law and order that prevails offer to travel, shop, do business, live or work.

Dubai Fairmont Emirates Tower image courtsey: arabskeemiraty.com

Burjat Arab is the tallest hotel in the world, Dubai port is the biggest man-made port in the world, the “Business Bay” which will be completed in 2008 will house 500 sky-scrapers all ultra-modern and iconic, built around the artificial extension of the Dubai-creek which is more than twice the size of Washington DC and about ten times that of Manhattan.

The dream city is not content with what it has already gained; lack of space is no problem as there is a lot of sea around! Sea is being reclaimed in scale previously unheard of. The offshre Palm-islands is shaped as a giant palm that has fallen in to the sea, with sea as the back-ground it is not just an architectural marvel but a model for the whole to see and wonder.

World would have been a far better place to live in, if at least one or more rulers of some big nations could emulate the Sheikh of Dubai as a model. Seeing Dubai it is felt that Prosperity has no upper ceiling, it is limited only by ruler’s power to dream, bigger and more glittering his dream better the nation. Let us hope a time will come when our own rulers will start dreaming it big!