Dubai is known for its over the top luxury lifestyle and modern architecture in the middle of the desert.

• 50 years ago Dubai was just a little town in the middle of the desert.

The city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is known for extravagant, newly built landmarks like the Burj Khalifa, the Palm Jumeirah, and the Dubai Mall.

In just over two decades, the city has transformed from a desert backwater port to a thriving metropolis with the third-most skyscrapers in the world.

Before oil was discovered in Dubai it was a little more than a port city in the desert.  Dubai has now grown to a mega city full of sky scrapers and luxury boutiques.

• Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – there are seven emirates

​UAE’s seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. 

Abu Dhabi is about an hour away from Dubai and is the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates and is the capital city of the Emirate of Dubai. Dubai is located along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, at the southwest corner of the Arabian Gulf.

• The population of Dubai is over 2.5 million people and the most populated city in the UAE

In terms of population, Dubai has an estimated population of 2,504,000 in 2016. This makes it the most populated emirate in the UAE, surpassing Abu Dhabi which, despite having a larger area, has the third largest population in the UAE that is estimated at just over 1.1 million.