Situated on the north-eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula on the southern shore of the Arabian Gulf, the United Arab Emirates(UAE)
is a federation of seven emirates : Abu Dhabi (the capital city), Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qaiwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
The total area of the country is approx : 83,600 square kilometres, much of it is in the Abu Dhabi emirate. Dubai, with an area of 3,885 square kilometres, is the second largest emirate.
The UAE has 700 kilometres of coastline, of which 100 kilometres are on the Gulf of Oman. Along the Arabian Gulf coast, there are offshore islands, coral reefs and
sabkha, or salt marshes. Stretches of gravel plain and sandy desert characterise the inland region. To the east, a range of mountains lies close to the Gulf of Oman and forms a backbone through
the Mussandam Peninsula. The western interior of the country, most of it in Abu Dhabi, consists mainly of desert interspersed with oasis.
Saudi Arabia and Oman border the UAE. In the western part of the country is the Empty Quarter desert - the world's largest sand desert.
To the east rises the Hajjar Mountains and the highest point is Jebel Yibir at 1,527 metres.
Local Time : The UAE is four hours ahead of GMT.
Climate : The UAE has a sub-tropical, arid climate with sunny blue skies and warm weather most of the year. Infrequent and irregular rainfall falls mainly in winter,
and amounts to some 13 centimetres a year. temperatures range from a low of about 10 degrees Celsius to a high of 48 degrees Celsius. The mean daily maximum is 24 degrees in January rising
to 41 degrees in July. The ideal time to visit is between October and April, though there are delighting summer festivities in July and August in the shopping malls, as well as the not-to-be-missed month-long Dubai Shopping Festival, now being
held mid-January. The initial months also mark Dubai hosting prestigious sporting events including tennis, golf and horse-races.
Language :The official language is Arabic. English is widely understood and ranks alongside Arabic as the language of commerce.
Religion :Islam is the official religion of the UAE but other religions are respected and followers are allowed to practise their faith.
Currency : The monetary unit is the dirhams, which is divided into 100 fils. Notes come in denominations of Dhs5, Dhs10, Dhs20, Dhs50, Dhs100, Dhs200, Dhs500 and Dhs1000. Coins are in denominations of 25 fils, 50 fils and Dhs1.
The dirham has been pegged to the US dollar since the end of 1980 at the rate of approximately US$1=Dhs3.67. The exchange rates of all major currencies are published daily in the newspapers and cash and travellers cheques can be exchanged at banks, licensed money exchange houses, and international hotels.
Business Hours : The weekend has traditionally been Thursday and Friday but some organisations close on Friday and Saturday working through Thursday. Government organisations open at 7.30am. Many private establishments have a break in the afternoon. Embassies and consulates are generally open from 8.30am, and are
closed on Fridays, though emergency assistance can be availed.
Visas :There are several types of visas for visitors to the UAE. A penalty charge of Dhs100 a day is imposed on visitors who overstay. Airlines may require confirmation that the sponsor is holding a valid visa for the incoming visitor.
Israel nationals will not be issued visas. Citizens of the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council nationals (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia) do not need a visa. AGCC expatriate residents who meet certain conditions may obtain a non-renewable 30-day visa on arrival at the approved ports of entry.
Citizens of the UK (with the right of abode in the United Kingdom as well as UK overseas passport holders born in China or Hong Kong), Andora, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway,
Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and Vatican City will be granted a free-of-charge Visit Visa on arrival at any UAE port of entry.
(Holders of Hong Kong and UK Certification of Identification need not obtain any type of visa to enter the UAE). The visa enables them to stay for 60 days. The visa may be renewed once for a period of 30 days for a fee of Dhs500.
An Entry-Service Permit applies to business people and tourists. It requires the sponsorship of companies or hotels licensed to operate within the UAE. The visa is valid for use within 14 days from the
date of issue. The duration of stay is 14 days from date of entry, exclusive of arrival and departure days. It is non-renewable. In order to complete the application, the sponsor will require the visitor's date of arrival and flight details, and a photocopy of the
relevant pages of the visitor's passport, which should be valid for at least three months. The fee for obtaining at Entry-Service Permit is Dhs120, and DNATA charges are Dhs10 for visa-delivery service. Hotels, hotel apartments, tour operators, travel agents and airlines should not levy supplementary
charges or processing charges in excess of Dhs50 a visa for arranging visas for visitors. The Entry-Service Permit holder may enter and depart the UAE through any airport.
Visit Visas :Visit Visas are applicable to visitors who wish to spend more than 14 days in the UAE. It requires the sponsorship of any UAE resident or company or hotel Licensed to operate within the UAE.
The fee for obtaining a Visit Visa is Dhs100. DNATA charges Dhs10 for its visa-delivery service. A Visit Visa is valid for 60 days, and is renewable once for a total stay of up to 90 days upon paying Dhs500.
To complete the application, the sponsor will need the visitor's date of arrival, arrival details, and copies of the relevant pages of the visitor's passport, which should be valid for at least six months.
Tourist Visas :A special category of visa under the Visit Visa is a Tourist Visa, which can be obtained for any tourist from East and West Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa and China.
This visa entitles the holder to a 30-day stay and is not renewable. It requires the sponsorship of hotels and tour operators, who bring in visitors from the above countries. The fee is Dhs100 and DNATA charges Dhs10 for delivery.
Multiple Entry Visas :Multiple Entry Visas are available to business visitors who have a relationship with either multinational or other renowned local establishments and who are frequent visitors to the UAE.
This type of visa is valid for six months from the date of issue, and the duration of each stay is 30 days. The validity is non-renewable. The cost of the visa is Dhs1000. The visitor must enter the UAE on a Visit Visa and then obtain the Multiple Entry Visa while in the country.
The visa would be stamped on the passport. German citizens (tourists and business people) may apply to the UAE Embassy in Germany for a one or two-year Multiple Entry Visa. No sponsor is required. The maximum duration of stay of visa holders should not exceed three months a year. The visa fee is Dhs1500.
US citizens (tourists and business people) may apply to the UAE Embassies in the US for a one to 10-year Multiple Entry Visa. A sponsor is required and the visa will be granted free of charge. The maximum duration of stay should not exceed six months during one visit.
Transit Visas apply to passengers passing through UAE airports. The visa is given only if the passenger is travelling onwards from the UAE to another destination and not returning to the country of original departure.
The passenger can obtain a visa for up to 96 hours. The passport will be stamped with an entry seal. There is no fee for this type of visa, and it can be sponsored by any airline operating in the UAE.
Clothing :Lightweight summer clothing is suitable for most of the year. Sweaters and jackets might be needed during winter, especially in the evenings and early mornings. The dress codes could vary with the emirates, and revealing clothing is best avoided. You could shop for the clothing of your choice in any of the emirates.
Shopping Hours : The normal shopping hours are from 8am to 1pm, and 4pm to 10pm or later. However, many shopping malls work from 10am until midnight without an afternoon break. Some supermarkets work round the clock. All shops close for prayer on Fridays from 11.30am to 1.30pm.
Driving Licence :Rental companies help in arranging temporary driving licence for certain nationalities. To rent cars, visitors must produce the passport, two photographs, and a valid international licence or national licence from one of the following nations : Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and USA.
Alcohol :Alcohol is served in licenced outlets in some emirates of the UAE that are associated with hotels as well as a few health and sports clubs.
Photography :Normal photography is acceptable but it is regarded as rude and offensive taking pictures of Arab women. It is courteous to ask permission before photographing men too.
