UAE voted Best Country in the Middle East to live and work

And … not to stop there … Dubai and Abu Dhabi were voted Best Cities to reside in the Middle East. The comprehensive 2012 UK and Dubai-based survey was collated from over 9,000 responses from twelve countries across the Middle East and North Africa.  The poll factored in employment opportunities, education, social and cultural factors, …

The new Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi is open for business

Abu Dhabi’s new commercial port officially commenced operations on 1 September 2012 when it received one of the largest container ships in the world, the 366 meter (1,200 feet) MSC Bari. One of Abu Dhabi’s largest ever infrastructure projects, the port and its commercial industrial zone were delivered on time (2 years) and under budget …

Plans are underway in Abu Dhabi for the world’s largest permanent sculpture

The word is out. The US$340,000,000 Mastaba will be constructed in Abu Dhabi entirely from - are you ready? - 410,000 multicolored, empty oil barrels. Why? Because. The 150m (492 feet) tall and 225m (738 feet) wide, flat-topped pyramid attraction was designed by Bulgarian-born artist Christo. The colossal sculpture will be taller than St. Peter's …

UAE’s new $4.2 bil crude oil pipeline bypasses Straits of Hormuz

In a move to counter Iran’s geo-political threat to disrupt oil exports through the vulnerable Straits of Hormuz in the event of a military conflict between Iran and the West, the UAE began pumping crude oil for export in July 2012 through a new overland pipeline that bypasses the Straits. The 380 km (236 mi.) …

Expats comprise 84% of the UAE’s population

The British left their protective influence in the UAE in 1968, but its impact and population remains sizeable. As of 2012, 100,000 Brits live, work and study in the UAE.Today, Brits comprise the largest skilled labor force in the country. Approximately 84% of the country’s population are non-Nationals, or expatriates, both skilled and unskilled (based …

The magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi

Back in Abu Dhabi, I was excited to again visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the world’s largest and inspiring. Capable of accommodating 41,000 worshippers, the stunning mosque features 82 domes, 1,000 columns, extensive marble sculptures, the world’s largest hand-knotted Iranian carpet, 24 carat gold gilded chandeliers, including one of the world’s largest …

Education is in the forefront of furthering “emiratization.”

The emirate of Abu Dhabi is on a mission to incorporate more Emiratis into the workplace and reduce its reliance on expats to further the advancement of their own people to lead the country into fully-emerged status. Higher education programs for Emirati students are undergoing changes to become more comprehensive in order to accelerate the …

Construction to begin in early 2013 on Louvre Abu Dhabi

On a recent trip back to Abu Dhabi, it was announced that the first Louvre outside of Paris will soon begin construction in the Cultural District on Saadiyat Island, showing that the oil-rich emirate is still ahead of much of the world’s economic woes. The joint venture between the governments of Abu Dhabi and France …

Renewed Enthusiasm for Dubai Property

While visiting the UAE last week, I noticed that Dubai appears to be experiencing renewed growth in its residential property sector. October 18, 2012, San Francisco ~ Although not out of the woods yet, Dubai is showing the first solid signs of a mini-recovery in projects developed by reputable companies. “Safe haven” status, improved liquidity, …

Size of Abu Dhabi and the UAE

26,000 sq. miles (67,340 sq. kilometers) -- the size of the emirate of Abu Dhabi 24,341 sq. miles (63,043 sq. kilometers) -- the size of the State of West Virginia 32,278 sq. miles (83,600 sq. kilometers) -- the size of the UAE 32,599 sq. miles (84,431 sq. kilometers) -- the size of Ireland 33,625 sq. …