The United Arab Emirates has noted an exceptional rate of development across the last few decades, with buildings springing up from the sand at a ridiculous rate.
At first, many of the main roads were bordered by sand dunes as the high rise buildings of today were yet to even be considered for construction.
Dubai is a shining example of this, as it has sprung from the sand to become one of the most expensive areas of real estate on the planet.
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Huge projects have seen engineering that pushes the boundaries of what the human mind can conjure, from land reclaimed from the sea to canals developed inland to aid the already thriving tourism industry.
Included in that is the stunning Burj Khalifa – the tallest man-made building in the world – and Palm Jumeirah, a huge artificial archipelago that can be seen from space.
With huge oil and gas reserves the country is well placed economically too, although it is overly reliant on these exports.
However, the growth of Dubai into a global city may change this in the years ahead. The Emirates are putting themselves on the map, and often for all the right reasons.
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The international business hub has quickly established itself and there are many comparisons that can be drawn between Dubai and Singapore – including its abundance of high-rise architecture.
This pic, taken just seven years apart (2006 compared to 2013) shows the real pace of development.
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It supports foreign business too thanks to a helpful tax system and a lot of free movement, while the nation’s airline flies to hundreds of destinations across the globe.
Incredibly, the UAE’s economy has grown by around 231 times between 1971 and 2013 – what has resulted is a city, and a country, that has risen from the sands.
Just look at their police cars!
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