UAE: population, territory, capital, economy, flag, president, culture. History of the United Arab Emirates. United Arab Emirates

The territory of the UAE has long been inhabited by humans. Archaeologists have discovered traces of people living here who lived in the 5th millennium BC. The ancient Sumerians and Assyrians called the area of ​​the Gulf Dilmun, believing that there is a paradise, and took the bodies of the dead for burial on the island of Bahrain. The ancient Greeks called the bay “Thylos”, which means “pearl”, because such valuable pearls were mined in its waters. Iranians call it Persian, Arabs call it Arabian, and in the rest of the world they most often use the word “Gulf”.

The British on their maps designated the coast of the future Emirates as the "Pirate Coast", and from the middle of the 19th century. after the signing of a number of peace agreements with local sheikhs - "Treaty Oman". The ancestors of the inhabitants of the UAE called their land Es-Syr” - “homeland”, and the coast - “Es-Sif”. By the way, Es-Sif is called the embankment along the bay-creek in Dubai on the side of Bar Dubai and the embankment in El Kuwait). The inhabitants of southern and southeastern Arabia called these lands "Esh-Shimal" ("north").

In the toponymy of the Emirates, one can find geographical names that reflect the history of the settlement of the country in the middle of the 18th century by Yemeni tribes. That period was a time of great upheaval for Arabia. Three dry years in a row, inter-tribal wars over springs and pastures, plague and cholera epidemics caused the migration of tribes from various parts of the peninsula to the Gulf coast. The ancestors of the inhabitants of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Emirates settled on the deserted coast at that time. Yesterday's Bedouins became "marine Arabs" - fishermen, sailors, pearl divers and shipbuilders.

Constant tribal clashes forced the Arabians to unite, creating a kind of military blocs. Some such alliances numbered tens of thousands of warriors, for example, the Anaza confederation could field 60 thousand warriors. Among them was the association of Bani Yas, which included more than 15 Yemeni tribes numbering about 15 thousand men. The Bani Yas tribes were not rich: they had only 180 horses and 400 camels. The founder of Bani Yas is considered to be mentioned in the manuscripts of the mid-16th century. Yemeni Sheikh Mohammed Yasi. Bani Yas literally translates as “sons of Yasi”.

The Bani Yas tribes first settled in the chain of small oases of Liwa and Salva, and then began to develop the coast. The name of the large island-reserve Syr Bani Yas in the south of the UAE shows that the tribes lived on it for some time. Today, the name of Bani Yas is a town 40 km east of Abu Dhabi, streets and squares of various cities in the country.

Abu Dhabi

In literal translation, the name of the emirate and the capital of the UAE means “father of the gazelle”. There is a legend that in the middle of the 18th century. a local hunter wounded a gazelle (“dabi” in the local dialect). In the heat of the chase, he crossed the sea channel that separated the deserted lifeless island, which the Bedouins called “Maliha” (“Salty”) from the mainland, and, getting lost there, died of thirst. Not far from his body and the dead gazelle, the tribesmen found a spring, which they called “Abu Dhabi”. This spring key, 2 km south of the Corniche, is still preserved.

Subsequently, people found several more sources of water and began to settle around them. For the first time, the village of Abu Dhabi is mentioned in the notes of an assistant British political agent in Bombay who traveled in 1761 across the Gulf. He counted in it about 400 “barasti” huts made of reeds, or rather, from palm leaves, and indicated that the inhabitants were engaged in fishing.

There is another, more prosaic, but most likely plausible version of the appearance of the name “Abu Dhabi”. In the Eastern Arabian dialect of Arabic, the word "Abu" - not only "father", but also "rich" in something, is often used to denote the abundance of something. You yourself can translate, for example, “abu dollar”.

Local residents have long noticed that at low tide, herds of gazelles moved to the island and went to the watering place. Therefore, “Abu Dhabi” means “a place abounding with gazelles”, or simply “gazelles”. This version is also supported by the fact that the island was originally called “Umm Dhabi” (“mother of the gazelles”, or see above). Located near Abu Dhabi, the island is called Umm Nar - "Fiery". The village, and then the entire island and the territory of the current emirate of Abu Dhabi, began to be called by the name of the source.

Dubai

The name of the second-largest emirate and its capital of the same name comes from the Arabic name for a juvenile of one of the locust species - the sixth locust (in Arabic, the locust is “dibba”, and the diminutive derivative word is “dubai”.

How does it sound in Russian - "locust"?. Perhaps this name is due to the fact that here was a place of periodic breeding of locusts, which love moist soil. Judging by the preserved name of the urban area “Bur Dubai” (“Locust Well”), there was once a well here. By the way, the locust is immortalized in the name of another Emirati city - Dibba on the east coast. Another district of Dubai - Deira in the local dialect simply means "village".

Sharjah

The name of the city and the emirate comes from the Arabic word "sharq" - "east", which in the local dialect is pronounced as "sharj".

Ajman

The name of the smallest among the Arab Emirates, most likely, was given in honor of the once strong Ajman tribal confederation, in which there were about 5 thousand warriors. There is another version: in Arabic “ajm” means “non-Arabs, foreigners, Persians”. In this interpretation, "Ajman" can be translated as "non-Arabic, hostile place."

Umm El Qaiwain

Locals pronounce the name of the city and the emirate Umm al-Ghaywin, which in the local dialect means “the place of two lowlands” (“hollows”), which reflects the geographical relief of the peninsula of the same name where the city is located.

Ras Al Khaimah

"Cape of the Tent". According to legend, the leader of one of the local tribes once chose a cape for his headquarters, pitching his tent there. According to legend, the Queen of Sheba stopped at this place for the night while traveling to Solomon.

fujairah

It comes from the name of a large mountain spring, which still supplies water to several villages of the emirate. Derived from the Arabic word with the root “fajara”, meaning “to overflow, gush, gush (of a source)”.

An interesting fact is that ethnic Arabs and citizens of the UAE are by no means the largest ethnic group in the country. Most of all, Indians live in the country - from 2.5 to 3 million people, in second place are Pakistanis - from 1.2 to 1.5 million.

Citizens are only in third place - there are 1,084,764 of them (information for 2015). Attentive readers have noticed that the number of citizens is calculated with an accuracy of one person, and the data on visitors is approximate. Indeed, citizens in the UAE are under strict control, and no one counts visitors.

In fourth place in terms of numbers are visitors from Bangladesh - from 700 thousand to 1 million, then Filipinos - 500-700 thousand, Iranians and Egyptians - 400-500 thousand, Nepalese and Sri Lankans - 400-500 thousand.

About 250,000 Russians and natives of the former Soviet republics live in the UAE. Considering that about 400,000 Russians come to the United Arab Emirates on vacation every year, our citizens are in demand in the tourism industry.

Do not be surprised when you do not see an Arab at the hotel reception, citizens do not work in such small positions. Citizens work in the field of government - in banks, police, customs and other government agencies.

Newcomers, in most cases, are engaged in low-paid work. Exceptions are invited managers and employees from Europe. Such a motley ethnic composition makes the demographic statistics in the UAE very interesting.

Features of the composition of the population

In the UAE, there are 2.15 times more men than women. It is for this reason that women are not recommended to go on vacation in the UAE alone. Imagine for a second the gigantic sexual dissatisfaction of the local men. We are not talking about citizens, but about visiting workers. Despite strict Sharia law, there is prostitution in the UAE. The authorities are aware of this, but are not particularly zealous in the fight against this phenomenon.

Cases of sexual violence happen often, but there are very few criminal cases in these cases. The reason is the technology of handling such cases in the police. If a woman claims rape, then evidence is required to initiate a case - beatings. If there are no beatings, then rape is not recorded.

Thanks to visitors, the population of the country is very young - 55% of the population are people from 20 to 40 years old. This is natural, because young people are invited to work, the old man will not be invited to work at a construction site.

The birth rate greatly exceeds the death rate. According to the latest statistics for 2011, 84,000 people were born, only 7,350 died. This is logical, workers are invited to work in the country at a young age, with good health and minimal risks of death.

Life expectancy is high: 77.5 years for men, 80.2 years for women. For comparison, life expectancy in Russia is 58.6 years for men and 74 years for women.

Tourists have to communicate with Indians, Iranians and other visitors. Let's talk about them in more detail.

Officially, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces.

In fact, the emir of Abu Dhabi, the president of the UAE.

Third son of Sheikh Zayed. An interesting point is that he and Khalifa are stepbrothers. Khalifa was born to his first wife, Hassa bint Mohammed ibn Khalifa. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed was born to his third wife, Fatima bint Mubarak Al-Ketbi.

Sheikhini Fatima bint-Mubarak Al-Ketbi had only 6 sons: Mohammed, Hamdan, Hazza, Tanun, Mansur and Abdullah. They are called "Bani Fatima" or "sons of Fatima" and form the most powerful bloc in the Al Nahyan family.

The sons of Fatima have always been influential, some political scientists even assign them a leading role in the changes in Abu Dhabi that have taken place since 2004. They received full power only in 2014, when Sheikh Khalifa had a stroke. Now it is difficult to say whether the vector of their domestic and foreign policy will change. Wait and see.

Mohammed bin Zayed went to school in Al Ain, then in Abu Dhabi. Entered Sandhurst Academy (UK) in 1979. Trained in military skills of piloting a helicopter, driving armored vehicles, parachuting. After returning from England, he underwent military training in Sharjah, became an officer in the UAE Armed Forces.

He was an officer in the Amiri Guards (an elite unit), a pilot in the UAE Air Force, and eventually became the Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces.

In 2003, he was proclaimed the second Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. After the death of his father on November 2, 2004, he became crown prince. Since December 2004, Chairman of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi, member of the Supreme Petroleum Council.

So far, world leaders and political scientists are eyeing Sheikh Mohammed. It is known that he believes that the UAE should play a much larger role in world politics. He loves falconry, like his father. He is interested in poetry and writes poetry himself in the Nabati style.

Sheikha Fatima bint-Mubarak Al-Ketbi

The third wife of Sheikh Zayed, the mother of six of his sons, including Crown Prince Mohammed (the de facto ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE).

This woman played a big role in UAE politics during the reign of her husband Sheikh Zayed and remains very influential to this day. She is called the "Mother of the Nation".

The exact date of her birth is unknown. She was probably born in the mid-40s. In the 60s, she married Zaid Al-Nahyan, becoming his third wife.

In 1973, she founded the Abu Dhabi Women's Awakening Society, the first women's community organization in the UAE. In 1975, she created and headed the Main Women's Union of the UAE. The main sphere of interest of these organizations was education, because at that time girls in the UAE did not study at all. In 2004, Fatima facilitated the appointment of the first female minister.

Now she still heads the Main Women's Union, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the Family Development Foundation and several other organizations. And this despite the advanced age! Naturally, Fatima has a gigantic influence on the politics of Sheikh Mohammed and the affairs of Bani Fatima.

Dubai

The emirate of Dubai is ruled by the Al Muktum family.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Muktum

Ruling Emir (officially since January 4, 2006, actually since January 3, 1995), Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE since February 11, 2006.

Sheikh Mohammed is called the "Architect of Modern Dubai". This is a very versatile educated person and is now the most famous leader in the UAE.

Mohammed became the third son of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Said Al Muktum. His mother Lafita was the daughter of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Hamadan ibn Zayed Al Nahyan. As a child, Muhammad received both a secular and a traditional Islamic education. In 1966 (at the age of 18) he studied in the UK at the Mons Cadet Corps and in Italy as a pilot.

In 1968, Mohammed attended his father's meeting with Sheikh Zayed at Argoub el Sedira, where the rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi agreed on the imminent establishment of the UAE. After the formation of the UAE, he was the Minister of Defense and the head of the police in Dubai.

On October 7, 1990, Mohammed's father and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Said, died. Power passed to the eldest son - Sheikh Muktum ibn Rashid, who was very fond of equestrian sports, was an excellent athlete, but did not reach for politics and government.

On January 4, 1995, Muktum ibn Rashid appoints Mohammed as crown prince and, in fact, transfers power to him in the emirate of Dubai. On January 4, 2006, Muktum ibn Rashid died of a heart attack, Mohammed ibn Rashid becomes the official ruler of Dubai.

The list of achievements of Muhammad ibn Rashid is huge. He diversified the economy of Dubai, now oil revenues account for only 4% of the emirate's GDP, Dubai has become a shopping mecca, second only to London, the largest trading and financial center.

With his support or on his initiative, the following have been created: Burj Al Arab, the Emirates airline, the Palm and World artificial islands, the world's largest artificial harbor Jebel Ali, the Dubai Internet City zone and hundreds of other projects.

He became famous for his raids on enterprises, where he personally checked whether employees were in their places, and fired those who were absent. Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid is famous for his intolerance of corruption, and hundreds of officials were imprisoned for his rule, convicted of taking bribes and using their position for personal gain.

Now (note: the article was written at the end of 2017) he is already 68 years old, but he is full of energy and successfully implements his plan for the development of Dubai until 2021. He recently took part in the Arab Strategic Forum, and you can’t say that he is 68.

The country of sheikhs - the United Arab Emirates - is located in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. The shores are washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean (Gulf of Oman).

Why go to the UAE

The UAE is a fabulous country where skyscrapers made of glass and metal take off into the sky among the sands of an endless desert; a place where ancient customs are combined with the latest technology. If you like excellent hotel service, shopping from morning to evening, swimming in the ever-warm sea and picky about the choice of entertainment - you are here. The Emirates are home to the world's largest aquarium, a ski resort in the desert, amazingly beautiful mosques and, of course, many shopping centers with thousands of shops.

Visa to the UAE

A visa is not required to travel to the UAE. Upon arrival in the UAE, a tourist's passport is stamped free of charge on arrival in the country. The visa is valid for 30 days. In the case of several entries / exits from the country, you need to obtain visas each time.

The country unites 7 emirates. The largest emirate is , the smallest is . All emirates, except, have sections on the coast of the Persian Gulf. located on the coast of the Gulf of Oman.

When choosing tours in the UAE, tourists prefer the emirates and.

Weather in the UAE

The season in the UAE lasts all year round - warm and almost no rain. The best time to visit the Emirates is the period from late October to April, when it is not very hot. The water in the sea off the coast of the UAE is always warm: the temperature does not fall below 18°C. In winter, the water in the pools of the UAE hotels is heated, its temperature is 25-27 °C. In summer, the air temperature can reach 50 °C, and the sea - 35 °C.

Round trip flights to UAE

Ticket prices shown are for 1 person departing from Berlin

Attractions UAE

The Emirates cannot boast of many historical sights, like the cities of Europe or Asia. The rapid development of the country began only half a century ago. However, the lack of ancient ruins and ancient houses of the city of the UAE is more than compensated by ultra-modern skyscrapers, luxurious amusement parks, beautiful embankments and, of course, oriental bazaars in air-conditioned shopping centers.

The very best in the Emirates

If you want to definitely touch history and culture, then you should pay attention to beautiful mosques - for example, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in - or the Bastakiya district, where clay houses, a fort building and the atmosphere of an Arab village have been preserved.

Picturesque oases are “scattered” throughout the emirates, and in the emirates there are healing mineral springs. Wildlife lovers are recommended to visit the unique mangrove reserve, the zoo and the Sheikh's Palace in the city of Al Ain in Abu Dhabi.

On excursions to the UAE, you can go to the desert in jeeps and ATVs, travel around all the emirates and even visit the neighboring Sultanate of Oman, sail on a yacht on man-made islands or just in the Persian Gulf, even fly by helicopter near the Burj Khalifa or in a hot air balloon over surroundings.

shopping

People go to the UAE for quality shopping - there are many multi-storey shopping centers and markets. The most famous of them are Dubai Mall (The Dubai Mall), Mall of the Emirates (Mall of the Emirates), the Souk Madinat Jumeirah quarter next to the Palm Jumeirah, the Gold Souk in the Dubai district of Deira, Abu Dhabi Mall. ​

Souvenirs

The most popular souvenirs brought by tourists from the UAE are chocolate and candies based on camel milk, amazing dates with and without filling, soft toys, seven sands - a bottle of multi-colored sand from different emirates, small carpets, hookahs, jewelry and jewelry.

Transport

Compared to Russia, public transport in the UAE is very poorly developed. This is due to the fact that almost every resident has his own car. Buses and metro are mainly used by labor migrants and tourists. Regular city bus service is available only in and Abu Dhabi. A bus ticket is inexpensive - about 1.5 dirhams.

Most tourists take taxis. Each machine is equipped with a counter. If you are traveling from one emirate to another, be prepared for the fact that a certain amount will be added for crossing the “border” (each emirate has its own, but not more than $ 5). You will also have to pay extra for travel on toll roads.

The metro is popular with both locals and tourists. It is fully automatic, there are no drivers. In total, the Dubai Metro has 2 lines, they are connected to each other and to the tram line. There are 3 categories of tickets for payment - "gold" (with a panoramic view and a guarantee of a seat in the head / tail car, they cost 2 times more than regular tickets), women's and children's tickets (tickets to a certain section of the car) and ordinary. Ticket prices range from 1.8 to 11 dirhams.

There is a tram line in the Dubai Marina area, and a monorail railway on the Palm Jumeirah, which tourists like to ride. One trip on the monorail costs 15 dirhams.

To rent a car in the UAE, you will need an International Driving Permit and a credit card. All registered cards issued in the Russian Federation are considered credit cards. In some cases, it is possible to rent a car with a Russian ID and without presenting a credit card. However, if you are stopped by the police, you will have to pay a huge fine. When renting, the amount on the bank card is “frozen” (750-2000 dirhams), it is important that it is available.

Alcohol

The UAE is a Muslim country where alcohol is banned. Each emirate establishes its own law on alcohol - for example, it doesn’t even smell like it: you can’t not only use it, but even transport and store it. Surrounded by , there are a couple of liquor stores. You can find alcoholic cocktails on the menu, but be prepared that they will be expensive. Alcohol can be brought into a hotel room in some emirates. You can buy wine, beer and other drinks in duty-free shops upon arrival, but very little. The quantity is monitored - alcohol lovers can easily deprive their favorite drink.

Customs and traditions

The religion in the UAE is Islam. Believers pray 5 times a day. The call to prayer is heard through the loudspeakers of mosques, as well as on radio and television.

holy month Ramadan- a special period for Muslims, a time of fasting, humility and prayers. Its beginning is determined by the lunar calendar, each year a new date. In 2018, Ramadan lasts from May 15 to June 14, in 2019 - from May 5 to June 3.

During Ramadan, Muslims are forbidden to eat and drink before sunset, so many cafes and restaurants are closed during the day. Tourists are not recommended to eat or drink on the street, and when going on excursions, it is worth taking food rations with you. Many hotels are being renovated just in Ramadan. However, there are also advantages from visiting the UAE at this time, and considerable ones - there are almost no traffic jams in cities and on the highway, there are no queues to attractions (many increase their opening hours until late at night), there are fewer crowds in shops, and in hotels and on beaches much quieter and more spacious.

On the street, women are strictly forbidden to appear in open or translucent clothes. Firstly, it’s indecent, and secondly, the locals will immediately call the police and “half-naked”, according to the Arabs, the tourist will be fined a round sum (the vice police is especially fierce). We recommend that you dress in such a way that your clothes cover your knees, elbows and décolleté. You can not hug and kiss on the street in public places.

Kitchen

The UAE is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, so there will be plenty of seafood on the hotel menu: there are grilled lobsters, various fish, and shellfish. Many tourists like to try kebabs, hearty snacks based on chickpeas, exotic fruits, dates. In the emirates, they sell camel milk ice cream and milk itself.

Good to know about the UAE

• The plane is flying from Moscow to 5 o'clock. Transfer to hotels is about 1.5 hours, to hotels in Abu Dhabi - about 2 hours.
• Time in UAE ahead of Moscow by 1 hour.
• In the three emirates - , and - charged tourist tax for accommodation. The tax is paid upon check-in at the hotel (in dirhams, foreign currency or a bank card). The amount of tax in and is $2 to $6 per night depending on the star rating of the hotel. In Abu Dhabi, tourists pay $5 per night, regardless of the hotel category.
• In most hotels in the UAE upon check-in deposit is taken. Depending on the hotel, the spread can be very large: from $10 to $400 per day or from $50 to $600 for a period. Sometimes the deposit is calculated from the cost of the room (most often 50% of the cost of the night). The amount is returned upon departure from the hotel. In some hotels, you can agree not to pay a deposit if you empty the minibar and turn off the phone.
• It is not recommended to drink tap water in the UAE, it is desalinated or purified sea water. Bottled water is produced from oasis springs. Medium water bottle price(0.5 liters) - 1.2 dirhams.
• Religion in the UAE - Islam Sunni persuasion.
• Language in the UAE - Arab. The majority of the population knows English, and signs, road signs, and signs are duplicated in it.
• It is strictly not recommended to photograph local residents without permission, especially women. Also refrain from taking photos near government agencies.
• In the UAE, many objects do not have a permanent address - residents are guided by signs and nearby buildings.
• If you fall ill, contact the insurance service at the phone number indicated in the insurance policy that you received when purchasing the tour. If you just call an ambulance, you can get an impressive bill.
• In the UAE, cleanliness is very strict. Fine for a discarded wrapper or cigarette butt on the street or the beach is from 200 dirhams (3,200 rubles).
• Friday and Saturday in the UAE - weekend Thursday is a shortened working day. Banks, post office and government agencies close early- The working day starts at 8 am and ends at 3 pm, sometimes at 1 pm.
• Mosquitoes and mosquitoes not in the UAE, so you can do without a fumigator. Most shopping centers and public places are equipped with powerful air conditioners. To keep warm, bring sleeves with you.
• Snorkeling and diving in the UAE there is only in, in the rest of the emirates there is no bright underwater life. Flippers and a mask for those who came here on an excursion are given free of charge.
• Surprisingly, in the UAE cannot be imported nothing that was produced in Israel and even things with the Israeli logo - will be taken away at customs and may be denied entry. If you have a favorite keychain with mogendovid or you are bringing Dead Sea cosmetics to someone, it is better to leave them at home or use the mail service. The list of items prohibited for export is standard: no weapons, antiquities and cultural heritage. From the unusual - from the Emirates palm trees cannot be exported Weather by months

Geography of the UAE

The United Arab Emirates are located in the southwest of Asia between the states of Oman and Saudi Arabia, washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf. The outskirts of Dubai are occupied by deserts, mountains are located in the north of the country. The highest point in the country is Mount Jabal Yibir with a height of 1,527 km. The coastline of the country is 650 km. Most of the coast is covered with salt marshes.

The southern and western part of the largest emirate, Abu Dhabi, is occupied by sand dunes; in the desert where the emirate is located, there are two main oases with fresh water.

State structure of the UAE

The policy of the UAE is carried out within the framework of the republican system and absolute monarchy. The state consists of 7 emirates, which are monarchies: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah and Umm al-Quwain. The head of state is the Emir of Abu Dhabi, and the head of government is the Emir of Dubai.

Weather in the UAE

The country has a subtropical climate with hot summers and cool winters. It is best to come to the Emirates in October, November and February, March, when the air temperature does not exceed + 25C°. In the first winter months, the weather can be unpredictable - it often rains and there is high cloud cover.

UAE language

The official language of the country is Arabic. English is widely spoken among the local population.

Religion UAE

Islam is the state religion of the Emirate, but the government of the country gives residents freedom of religion. 76% of UAE residents are Muslims, 9% are Christians and 15% are followers of other faiths (mainly Hinduism).

UAE currency

The country's monetary unit is the UAE dirham (Dh). 1 dirham = 100 fils. Banknotes of 5, 10, 20.50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 dirhams are common. Coins - 1 dirham, 50, 25, 10 and 5 fils.

Often, currency exchange offices offer better rates than banks. Not all banks exchange traveller's checks. On the main streets of the cities there are ATMs that accept international bank cards.

Customs restrictions

Allowed duty-free import into the country:

• alcoholic beverages (strong alcohol - 2 l / 2 l. Wine)
• tobacco products (cigarettes - 1,000 pcs. / cigars - 200 pcs. / tobacco - 1 kg.)

It is forbidden to import into the country, weapons, narcotic substances.

Without declaring, you can import any amount of money.

Tips

It is customary to tip up to 10% of the bill if the tip is not already included in the bill.

Purchases

The traditional UAE souvenirs include camel figurines, coffee pots, and dates. Fans of ancient weapons will find khanjar daggers, safe arabi sabers, and guns here. Interior decorations are popular among tourists: caskets made of wood with turquoise, figurines of steatite, marble goblets, rosaries, bottles with multi-colored sand.

On the streets of cities you can find copies of watches of famous brands. Hookahs, essential oils, aromatic balls are brought as gifts.

A lot of jewelry made of gold and other precious metals can be found at the Gold Souk in Dubai. People come to the Emirates for inexpensive cars, household appliances and electronics, the prices of these goods are lower here due to low duties on imported goods.

Office Hours

Banks of the country work from 8 am to 1 pm (Sat. - Wed.). On Thursdays, banks are open from 6:00 to 12:00, Friday is a day off.

Most shops are open from 9 am to 1 pm, then from 4:30 pm to 10 pm seven days a week. Restaurants are open until 1 am, nightclubs - until 3 am.

Photo and video shooting

It is forbidden to take photos and videos of strategically important objects - bridges, airports, as well as government agencies, sheikhs' palaces and police stations. Residents of the UAE do not like to be photographed without permission, it is offensive to photograph local women.

National features of the UAE.

Traditions

As in many Muslim countries, open clothes are not recommended to appear on the streets of the UAE. It is forbidden to drink alcohol in public places, although tourists are not treated so strictly, but you need to remember that in Sharjah alcohol is prohibited even for visitors.

In the emirates, only certain shops under a special license can sell alcoholic beverages.

For showing excessive attention to the residents of the Emirate, as well as for foul language in public places, violators face a fine or imprisonment.

Mains voltage:

Code of the country:

First level geographic domain name:

Emergency Phones:

Ambulance - 999, 998
Police - 999
Fire - 997