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Dubai Fact Sheet - dda
Dubai Fact Sheet
Ruler of Dubai
The ruler of Dubai is His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
Crown Prince of Dubai
The crown prince of Dubai is H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
First Deputy Ruler of Dubai
H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE.
Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.
Official Language
Arabic is the official language of Dubai and the UAE. All road and traffic signs, and signs on commercial outlets are in Arabic and English.
Religion
Islam is the official religion in Dubai. Expatriate residents practice their respective religions by virtue of the UAE’s policy of tolerance and co-existence, and religious inclusion.
Nationality
All citizens of Dubai carry the nationality of the UAE. The demonym is Emirati.
Area
Dubai is the UAE's second-largest emirate, after Abu Dhabi, and covers an area of 4,114 square kilometers.
Population
The population of Dubai reached 4,248,200 by the end of 2024.
Location
Dubai is situated on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula to the south-west of the Arabian Gulf, with a coast of about 72 km in length. Dubai shares borders with Abu Dhabi in the south, Sharjah in the northeast, and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeast.
Time
Dubai is 4 hours ahead of GMT.
Climate
Dubai has a tropical desert climate, characterized by warm, sunny winters and hot, humid summers.
Currency
The Arab Emirati Dirham is the official currency of Dubai and UAE. It is called Dirhams and is abbreviated officially as AED. This is the symbol of Dirham . The dirham is divided into 100 fils.Coins are in the following denomination: AED 1, 50 fils and 25 fils.Notes or bills are in the denomination of AED 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000.
GDP
In 2024, Dubai’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached AED 442.942 billion at constant prices, marking a 3.2% increase, and AED 540.677 billion at current prices, with a 5.8% growth compared to 2023.
Fiscal Year
Fiscal year starts on 1 January and ends on 31 December.
Budget
A three-year budget cycle for 2026-2028 has been approved with a total expenditure of AED 302.7 billion and a total revenue of AED 329.2 billion. This budget cycle, the largest in the emirate’s history, aligns with future ambitions to promote sustainable economic growth.
Foreign Trade
Dubai's non-oil foreign trade recorded AED 2 trillion in 2023.
Telecommunications
The international dialing code of Dubai is +971 and local dialing code is 04.
As of 2024, Dubai recorded 8,963,888 active mobile lines, 1,398,289 fixed telephone lines, and 2,099,423 broadband internet subscriptions.
Public transport
Dubai offers various modes of public transport, including the metro, bus, taxi, and tram. Commuters can use the nol Card to pay their fares across all public transport services.
Toll roads
In Dubai, toll gates are known as Salik gates. Vehicles are charged AED 4 per crossing during normal hours and AED 6 during peak hours.
Major Airports in Dubai
Seaports
Jebel Ali Port, Dubai
Mina Rashid, Dubai
Mina Al Hamriya, Dubai
Dubai Creek and Deira Wharfage
Working days
Government and semi-government offices operate from Monday to Friday.
Official Holidays
Public Holidays for the Public and Private Sector in Dubai and the UAE, are as follows:
Gregorian New Year, 1 January: 1 day
Eid Al-Fitr, From 01 to 03 Shawwal: 3 days (*)
Arafa Day, 09 Thu Al-Hijjah: 1 day
Eid Al-Adha, From 10 to 12 Thu Al-Hijjah: 3 days
Hijri New Year, 1 Muharram: 1 day
Prophet’s Birthday, 12 Rabi’ Al Awal: 1 day
National Day, From 2 to 3 December: 2 days
(*) In the event the Month of Ramadan completes (30) days, day (30) of Ramadan shall be deemed as an official holiday added to the Eid-Al-Fitr holiday.
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