! ! ! ! Information eBook Insights to the UAE “How to Settle in Faster” www.smarthr.ae ! 1.Introduction This eBook has been written to offer some guidance to anyone who is in the process of relocation to the UAE or is thinking about moving sometime in the future. The information in this guide is specific to Dubai however it relates to all of the Emirates in the same way with slight variations but overall as a general rule applies across the whole country. As this is a general overview there may be some obvious stuff here that you already know but some people may need more information than others so just skip over the parts that you are aware of. It is worth pointing out that Dubai is extremely dynamic so changes happen daily, this eBook and the links provided should be used as a guide to build a picture of life in one of the most diverse cities in the world. 2.General Information Dubai itself is a city-state in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located within the Emirate of the same name and is one of the seven emirates that make up the country. It has the largest population in the UAE of approximately 2,104,895 and is the second-largest land territory by area (4,114 km2) after Abu Dhabi. The UAE is a very young country in relative terms having celebrated only its 41st anniversary in 2012 however historically it goes back a very long way with the earliest mention of Dubai in 1095 AD although the earliest recorded settlement in the region dates from 1799. Its strategic geographic location has made the town an important trading hub and by the beginning of the 20th century, Dubai was already an important regional port. Although Dubai’s modern economy was built on the oil industry, the emirate's western-style model of business is now driven from tourism, real estate, and financial services. Dubai has recently attracted world attention through many innovative large construction projects and sports events. The city has become symbolic for its skyscrapers, such as the world's tallest building the Burj Khalifa and of course the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel, built on a man-made peninsula in the Gulf of Arabia in the shape of a sail, has been the symbol most people recognize and relate to when it comes to Dubai. As of 2012, Dubai is the 22nd most expensive city in the world, surpassing London (25th) and is the most expensive city in the Middle East, surpassing Israel’s Tel Aviv (31st). Dubai has also been rated as one of the best places to live in the Middle East, including by US American global consulting firm Mercer who rated the city as the best place to live in the Middle East in 2011. ! For more details on Dubai, please visit the following websites: http://www.dubai.com/ www.godubai.com 3.Mobile and Landline Telephone Services & Internet Services The UAE has two service providers for telephone, Internet broadband and TV at home services. These companies are in direct competition and offer similar services available across the UAE. Both provide national mobile service but there are exclusive areas where only one of the two provide at home services so check with them before you move, if you are relocating you may not be able to transfer your existing service. New contracts are valid for 12 months and are subject to penalty for early cancellation www.du.ae www.etisalat.ae Useful Telephone Numbers The international dial code for Dubai is 00 971 and all local landline numbers begin with the suffix 04 which is required for all numbers except emergency services and toll free 800* numbers. * Certain 800 numbers are not free so it’s worth checking to make sure before you call Emergency Services Police 999 999 Fire Department 997 Ambulance 999 Electricity and Water 991 Airports/Flight Enquiry Dubai International Airport 04 224 5555 Flight Enquiry 04 224 5777 Hospital Emergency Numbers American Hospital 309-6645 Rashid Hospital 337-1323 Welcare Hospital 282-9900 Al Maktoum Hospital 228-4584 Al Wasl Hospital 324-1111 Dubai Hospital 271-4444 ! Taxi Cars Taxi 800-4825 Dubai Taxi 208-0808 National Taxi 336-6611 Operator Services Directory Enquiry 181 Telephone 100 Assistance Mobile Tel. 101 Call Booking & 151 Enquiries Enquiry Fault Reporting 171 4.Local Culture & Public Holidays The local culture is Islamic and the locals wear their traditional dress every day as a mark of respect and to maintain their identity. The locals are rightly proud of their country and its achievements and are a very peaceful tolerant people. For expatriates coming to Dubai to live, there is a relaxed attitude towards the differences in western culture, in fact many locals have been educated overseas in schools and universities in USA and UK so they have a good understanding and embrace that way of life in some respects. It is however a different culture from the one you may have be used to living in and as such its should be treated with respect for example there is a code of dress to be observed in public places like shopping malls etc. these are fairly common sense rules unlike other Arab states like Saudi Arabia where the rules are much more strict. The following links will provide a more detailed insight: http://www.middleeasthub.com/dubai/culture/ Public Holidays The following is the list of the common public holidays Holiday No Days New year 1 Islamic New Year (1429) 1 Prophet's Birthday 1 Al Israa & Miraaj 1 Eid Al Fitr 3 * Eid Al Adha 3 * UAE National Day 2 * Subject to local changes and the cycle of the holy month of Ramadan ! 5. Schools and Education There is no standard curriculum being followed in Dubai schools. Some private primary schools conduct entrance tests and the majority of the private schools cater to one or more expatriate communities. There are schools such as the Dubai English Speaking School, Jumeirah Primary School etc., offering British primary education up to the age of eleven. Then there are schools offering either a CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) or ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) syllabus. There are the American and British curriculum schools, and also schools offering Arabic, Australian, French, Indian, German, Russian and Japanese curriculum, all of which are based in Dubai and UAE. Few of these schools are governed by the embassy of that particular country so expatriates, children often go to a private school based on the nationality and curriculum/qualification preference that they are already following or desire to follow. The following links provide information on the schools and the curriculum: www.dubaifaqs.com/schools-dubai.php www.theemiratesnetwork.com/dir/Education/Schools/Dubai/ www.dubaicityguide.com/geninfo/education.asp?pagenum=2&area=&scl_level= www.dubai.alloexpat.com/dubai_information/international_schools_dubai.php 5.Housing The housing market is a booming industry for both buying and renting. There are numerous agents in Dubai who advertise on the main sites. We have included two popular sites for property. Rental prices vary depending on location so its worthwhile doing extensive research on your preferred location taking into account commuting, schools and activities for kids. http://www.propertyfinder.ae/en/rent.html Dubizzle is a site that specializes in classified ads and includes property for sale and rent as well as cars, household items, furniture, domestic help etc. http://dubai.dubizzle.com/ Furniture is widely available and can be inexpensive and high quality and varies from the very high-end designer to budget stores. The region is a ! good place to pick up hand made wooden furniture from India and Asia/Far East however, there are multiple retail stores in the shopping malls for example Home Centre, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Marina and along the main routes. Of course the global phenomenon that is IKEA is a stop that almost everyone makes,,, you just cant get away from it and everyone needs more candles, right? 6.Getting Around Public Transport Dubai has an advanced public transport system featuring buses, taxis, abra (water taxi), water-buses and the recent development, Dubai Metro. Dubai’s RTA (Roads & Transport Authority) is responsible for developing solutions for road, land and marine networks to keep pace with Dubai’s rapid economic development. Information related to all aspects of travel can be found on the official RTA website http://www.rta.ae Taxi The taxi companies are used extensively across Dubai and are plentiful. Taxis can be pre-booked or requested at any time and can also be hailed on the street. There is a special Pink taxi service dedicated to ladies and these taxis are driven and operated by women. Its worth noting that like most cities during peak periods the taxi service gets extremely busy and waiting times can be longer as well as challenging to pick up a taxi on the street. This is mainly the case at the start of the weekend and morning and evening rush hour. Dubai Metro Dubai Metro is the latest project launched by Dubai RTA. Bus Service Dubai has a modern and extensive bus service across the emirate. Bus routes can be found on the website. Bus stops are numerous and a lot of them are air-conditioned which is extremely useful in the hot summer months. Driving in Dubai If you haven’t got a driving license yet, you can find information on getting a driving license ! and a list of Driving Schools in Dubai. If you already have a driving license from your home country you still require a UAE driving license to own a car and in some cases an international driving license to rent a car.