Dubai is a Mecca for anyone looking for sand, sea, shopping and property too! With an average daily temperature of 27.5C, Dubai is known for its excellent weather, the world's richest horse race and its rapidly expanding and extensively developed natural coastline. Good reasons why many are already buying property in Dubai! 

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Dubai Country Profile
Area: 35 sq km 14 sq miles
Population: 997,000
Time Zone: GMT +4
Country dialling code: 971 4
Currency: UAE Dirham (Dh)

Dubai Climate
Due to its location on the Persian Gulf, surrounded by the Rub al-Khali desert, Dubai enjoys a stunning average annual temperature of 27.1C a year.

Accessibility
Dubai International Airport is the busiest airport in the Middle East. The national carrier is Emirates.

Dubai country highlights
The architecture in Dubai is breathtaking, from the futuristic skyscrapers to the mosques and wind towers of Old Dubai standing alongside them. The Grand Mosque boasts the cities tallest minaret.  Originally opened in 1900 it was recently rebuilt in traditional Islamic architectural style.  The real attraction of Dubai however is the fantastic shopping!

Permanent move to Dubai
More than three-quarters of Dubai's population are actually citizens of other countries. UK passport holders don't need a visa beforehand to enter the UAE for business or tourist visits lasting 30 days (extendable up to 90 days). Resident visas and work permits are issued by the concerned authorities in the UAE and the application is made through a prospective employer.  For more details visit the UAE embassy website.

Buying property in Dubai
Dubai has a property sector that is completely different to anything else on the market. Since the turn of the Millennium Dubai's landscape has undergone dramatic changes.  Land reclamation and various other projects have grabbed media attention throughout the world. Brits are buying property in Dubai at an increasing rate and this trend is expected to continue.

Unsurprisingly a number of celebrities have been buying property in Dubai, but you don't have to part with around £1.5 million, for around £130,000 you can buy a two bedroom apartment in the Jumeriah Lakes district. 

Property prices in Dubai have been appreciating steadily at the rate of 10 to 15 per cent per annum and developers estimate that this steady growth is set to continue for the foreseeable future.

Destination Hot Spots

The Palm Islands and The World
The Palms Islands of Jumeira, Jebel Ali and Deira are designed in the shape of palm trees and be visible from space once completed, along with the The World (archipelago) which will be shaped like the continents of the world, are all developments being built off Dubai city's expanding coastline by Nakheel, a development company owned and financed by the city's government.

Other developments
If you are thinking about buying property in Dubai, there are many developments to choose from, including Dubai Marina, The Arabian Ranches and Dubai Maritime City. The Burj Dubai, aiming for completion in 2008, will become the tallest building in the world, dwarfing even the Burj al-Arab and has stirred much interest.

Search for property in Dubai

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Article about property in Dubai:
Don't overlook deserts such as Dubai

Useful websites:
A Dubai city guide
Dubai tourism site
The Dubai government portal

Article first published in May 2006 and updated in June 2007