What comes first to your mind when you hear someone pronouncing the words “the United Arab Emirates”? Probably, you start thinking of gold, money and high cost of living. The Emirates is one of the richest countries in the world that experienced a radical change and turned into a modern country visited by millions of tourists. The most popular among the visitors is Dubai which is also known under the name “the City of Gold”. The name aims to say that the city is home for the largest market of gold. Apart from cash, one can get gold bars in the local ATM’s. How cool is that? Even though the best time to visit the country is from September to October, many people come to Dubai in December and January to participate in the shopping festival.
Despite the fact that the United Arab Emirates has been a top tourist destination for several decades only, it has always had a truly unique culture and traditions that no other country has. Today, we decided to tell our readers more about this country, thus helping them to broaden their horizon. Here are the interesting facts we’ve managed to gather…
The United Arab Emirates: 8 interesting facts about one of the richest countries in the world
1. The country actively participates in pearl trading
The high-quality pearls that can be fished in the UAE have always been playing a crucial role in the trading processes the country participated in. Apart from contributing to the growth of the economy, the developed pearl industry allowed to ensure connections with India and Great Britain.
After the discovery of oil that helped to secure the stability of the UEA, pearl trade still continues to be one of the major sources of the country’s wealth, an interesting fact about United Arab Emirates.
2. The United Arab Emirates is still one of the biggest leaders in terms of trading
Throughout its history, the country paid attention to developing and maintaining trade networks with many powerful empires. After gaining independence, the Emirates continued to play one of the leading roles in commerce and worldwide trade market because it had powerful allies and sources to offer. Besides, the royal families and those responsible for the allocation of finances generously invested in the development of several strong trade empires. Nowadays, the UAE stands out as one of the wealthiest and biggest players in the sphere of commerce.
3. The country has several royal families
This is one of the things that makes the UAE different from the majority of countries in the world. The country consists of as many as 7 emirates united by one religion and language. It’s worth mentioning that the majority of tourists associate the UAE with Dubai which is understandable because it’s the state most often visited by tourists. Apart from Dubai, the list of the country’s states includes Ajman, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain.
Each of the emirates is controlled by a different royal family which helps to ensure the decentralization of power. The rights and power of each royal family differ, with the most powerful of them living in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
4. The country’s oil sources predicted its bright future
An interesting fact about United Arab Emirates is that the discovery of oil sources radically changed its life. The sources have been the benefits that brought the Emirates its wealth as well as facilitated its development and thriving. In this modern, powerful country that has many international allies in business and can afford using the advanced technologies in everyday life, nothing reminds of the way the things were several decades ago. In contrast to the countries that lost control over their oil sources, the UAE has successfully managed to keep its oil sources under control.
5. The Emirate’s natives highly value camels
Upon arriving in the UAE, one will quickly realize that camels play a significant role in the country’s history and lifestyle. While only affluent people can afford to have a camel farm, many locals drink camel milk every day or take part in camel racing, a unique sports activity. If you happen to stay in the country for several days, you’ll definitely learn more about this animal that is the national symbol of the UAE.
6. The majority of the country’s natives have family farms
Date farms are one of the long-standing traditions that locals are proud of, a fun fact about UAE. Growing dates is more about respecting the traditions of the ancestors than about making money. One of the most common conversations between locals is the conversation about methods of cultivating this dried fruit.
7. The Emirates is generously investing in the technologies of future
Apart from supporting the launch of the future revolutionary vehicle designed by Elon Musk, the UAE takes steps to facilitate progress in the taxi industry. The project on which Dubai works in collaboration with Germany will introduce to the market the first taxi drones that can fly. Can you imagine that? Once existing only in imagination, flying cars will soon become part of modern reality, an interesting fact about United Arab Emirates.
8. The UAE is the only country that gained independence without violence
While under the British rule, the government started working on gaining independence. Whereas all countries fighting against the British rule had to live through lots of armed conflicts and even wars, the UAE managed to achieve the goal peacefully. It was due to the oil sources that Britain agreed to sign peaceful agreements declaring the country’s freedom and independence.
Conclusion
The United Arab Emirates is the country where one can get an insight into a variety of cultures because it’s home to people of many races. Despite the obvious diversity, people are united by Islam, the predominating religion in the Emirates. While local people are friendly with visitors, one is expected to respect traditions dictated by history and religion. We hope that you’ll find a way to visit the country, at least for a short period of time.
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