Topic:

Where Dubai is Located

Dubai is located in the Middle East. If you look at a Dubai map you will see it is next to Oman and Saudi Arabia. It is also on the Persian Gulf, directly across from Iran. You may worry about visiting that part of the world, but Dubai is different.

In fact, visiting Dubai is a huge opportunity to see middle eastern culture mixed with a super modern and safe city. The city aims to attract tourists, and are therefore very accustomed to outsiders. As an American, I’ve visited 3 different times and enjoyed each one of them.

DUBAI CITY MAP:

Dubai has just over 3 million people that call it home. What is really fascinating about the population is that only 15% of the residents are UAE citizens, the rest being from various countries around the world.

IS ABU DHABI IN DUBAI?

1. Some people wonder if Abu Dhabi is in Dubai. Abu Dhabi is actually another city in the same country (UAE) as Dubai. The cities are only an hour and a half from each other by car.
2. On the Dubai city map above you can see Abu Dhabi is just a little bit southwest of Dubai. There is no Dubai to Abu Dhabi metro, but there are plenty of other options to transfer between the cities, read more here. Abu Dhabi is also super modern but isn’t catered to tourists as much as Dubai is.

Dubai points of interest:

Burj Khalifa the world’s tallest building (828 m) with more than 160 stories, there is an observation deck on the 124th floor at the height of 555 m. The tallest human-made structure on the planet is owned by Emaar Properties.

Burj Al Arab Jumeirah (www.jumeirah.com), 5-star+ accommodation for the serious big spender, room rates start at about $2,000 per night.

The Dubai Mall Dubai’s shopping and entertainment complex is home to 1,200 shops, an aquarium, and an underwater zoo. The Dubai Fountain is the world’s largest choreographed fountain system at Burj Khalifa Lake in Downtown Dubai.

Palm Islands, the famous artificial islands off the coast of Dubai in the waters of the Persian Gulf were created using land reclamation. Until today only Palm Jumeirah is completed. The roughly palm-shaped construction with trunk, spine, fronds, and crescent is home to many residences, hotels, resorts, retail, and dining facilities.

Ski Dubai is a ski resort in the desert. The first indoor ski resort in the Middle East offers five runs that vary in difficulty, height, and steepness. Ski Dubai is located in the Mall of the Emirates (www.malloftheemirates.com), a huge shopping mall with about 1000 department- luxury- and flagship stores, over 100 restaurants & Cafes, and a multi-screen cinema. Dubai Internet City is an information technology park with prime commercial office space. Dubai will host the Expo 2020 world fair from 20 October 2020 until 10 April 2021.

Dubai tax structure

Direct taxes;

Dubai Personal Income Tax – Individuals are not taxed in Dubai. Inheritance / Estate Tax: Inheritance, in the absence of a will, is dealt with in accordance with Islamic Sharia principles. Real Estate Tax: A transfer fee of 2% is charged when a property is transferred, with the seller paying 0.5% and the buyer paying 1.5% of the sale value of the property. Net Wealth / Net Worth Tax: There is no net wealth / net worth tax in Dubai. Capital Gains Tax: There is no capital gains tax in Dubai.

Special Arrangement:

Special arrangements also exist for large government-controlled joint ventures and some foreign banks. No tax returns are requested or required from other businesses operating in Dubai. Furthermore, there are no withholding taxes on transfers, be it dividends, interest, royalties or technical service fees, etc. from other businesses operating in Dubai. Dubai’s free zones, which allow 100% foreign ownership, provide companies operating in the free zones with specific tax exemptions ranging from 15 to 50 years.

VAT:

Dubai VAT / Sales Tax – There is no excise duties or VAT (value-added tax) in Dubai, but individual emirates may charge certain products, such as liquor and cigarettes, and certain services, such as hospitality services.

Indirect taxes:

Municipal taxes are levied in some emirates. In Dubai, a 10% city tax is levied on hotel and entertainment revenue. In all emirates except Abu Dhabi, commercial rental income is taxed at 10% and residential rental income at 5%. Abu Dhabi does not levy council tax on rented premises, but landlords are required to pay certain annual license fees.