03Cities and regions

The largest city

Dubai

Dubai is the largest city in the UAE, home to nearly four million people, and its airport is among the busiest in the world for international passengers. At its centre rises the 828-metre Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building since it opened in 2010, with decks that show the city spreading between sea and desert. The old heart of Dubai, though, lies on the creek, an arm of the sea that reaches about 14 kilometres into the city. Wooden abras still carry people between Deira and Bur Dubai, and on the wharves dhows are loaded with cargo as in the days of pearl diving. In the Al Fahidi historic district, old houses are topped with wind towers, and nearby stands Al Fahidi Fort, the oldest surviving building in Dubai, built of coral stone in 1787 and home to the Dubai Museum since 1971. On the southern coast, the Marina towers line the water. Pair the creek in the morning with the towers in the evening to see both faces of the city.

About 3.94 million

City population

0 m

Height of Burj Khalifa

1787

Al Fahidi Fort built