A miracle country built on the desert
How did the United Arab Emirates become the center of the world?

The United Arab Emirates is a country that cannot be described as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
It can't be explained with just sand and oil.
This is a land where tradition and modernity coexist, and where challenges to dream of the future continue unabated.
The combination of ultra-modern cities built on the desert, Islamic traditions breathing within them, and global innovation is capturing the world's attention.

This book goes beyond introducing spectacular landmarks like the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and the Dubai Mall, the largest shopping mall in the Middle East, to explore the essence of the United Arab Emirates.
It highlights the unique political structure of the seven emirates, the advanced technologies and sustainability of the post-oil era, and the true face of a multicultural society coexisting with foreigners.
The power of achieving harmonious coexistence, especially in a unique social structure where 90% of the population is foreign, provides an important lesson for today's global era.

The author, a former Korean journalist, worked as a civil aviation pilot in the United Arab Emirates, experiencing firsthand the diverse local culture and society.
The people he met, the events he experienced, and the insights he gained go beyond mere information to provide a vivid sense of presence.
The author also highlights the country's efforts to maintain its identity as an Islamic nation while fostering openness and religious harmony toward foreigners, and emphasizes the importance of cultural tolerance and policies that make this possible.
This book is also linked to the elementary and secondary school curriculum, making it a useful resource for students studying world history, geography, religion, and cultural diversity.
You will be able to gain the open mind and new perspectives required in the global era.

This book introduces the United Arab Emirates' unique culture, where tradition, modernity, and future coexist.
The United Arab Emirates' major cities, represented by Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have achieved remarkable development and are now positioned as innovative nations that attract global attention.
The country, aware that oil will eventually run out, is pursuing a multifaceted strategy of fostering industry and pursuing cutting-edge technologies to achieve a balance between education, science and technology, and the economy.
A stable national system and politics are a great advantage of this country.
Thanks to the continuity of national policies that remain unchanged for decades once established, investment is pouring in from around the world, and global companies are rapidly accumulating wealth by entering the country with attractive tax policies.
Under the strong leadership of the King, we are also working to develop future generations by establishing long-term plans for sustainable development and building smart cities.

--- pp.5-6

Even this seemingly wealthy country is not without its challenges.
The biggest concern is that oil resources are rapidly being depleted.
To counter this, the United Arab Emirates is preparing for a post-oil future more than any other Middle Eastern country.

To attract attention, the UAE has focused on building some of the world's largest and best.
Dubai has attracted international attention with the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa; the largest shopping mall, the Dubai Mall; the Middle East's first indoor ski resort; the world's most expensive hotel, the Burj Al Arab; and the world's largest man-made island, Palm Jumeirah, and has successfully attracted large-scale foreign investment based on this attention.

Building on Dubai's successful strategy, Abu Dhabi is also pursuing economic development.
Abu Dhabi is making efforts to become a world-class tourist destination, including attracting the Louvre and Guggenheim Museums and building Ferrari World.
--- pp.26-27

The United Arab Emirates has a presidential system, but is closer to a federated absolute monarchy ruled by a king.
The UAE's highest executive and legislative body is the Federal Supreme Council, established by the constitution and composed of the rulers of the seven emirates, which elect the president and the prime minister.
The President is the head of state for a five-year term and is traditionally elected by the ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The President concurrently serves as Commander-in-Chief of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.

In 2022, when Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the second President of the United Arab Emirates, passed away from a chronic illness, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan became the third President of the United Arab Emirates and the Amir of Abu Dhabi.
--- pp.38-39

If you were to pick the country with the most developed aerospace industry in the Middle East, it would be the United Arab Emirates.
The United Arab Emirates is capturing the world's attention by pursuing space exploration more boldly than ever before.
In 2021, it became the first Middle Eastern country to place the Mars probe 'Amal' into Mars' orbit.
Since then, they have been showing their confidence by boldly pursuing lunar exploration, asteroid exploration, and even plans to settle on Mars.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, established in Dubai in 2006, and the Space Agency, established in 2014, oversee space development in the United Arab Emirates.
And just 15 years after beginning this space exploration, the United Arab Emirates reached Mars.
This is thanks to the UAE's active use of knowledge exchange programs with Korea's KAIST to acquire space development technology.
Most of the early leaders of space development, including Amer al-Sayeh and Omran Sharaf, studied abroad in Korea and acquired their skills.
They laid the foundation for space development by developing the United Arab Emirates' first artificial satellite, DubaiSat-1.
Although Korea transferred the technology, the United Arab Emirates achieved the results first.

--- pp.59-60

The UAE's policy of prioritizing education was possible thanks to the vision of its first president, Zayed.
He emphasized the importance of education and implemented an open-door policy, including establishing the first Western-style school and hiring foreign teachers in the 1950s.
The United Arab Emirates, once a poor country, has become one of the most advanced countries in the Middle East.
Former President Zayed provided free tuition, textbooks, clothing, and meals from elementary school to high school, and in particular, he opened separate campuses for men and women, which encouraged women from all over the Middle East as well as Korea to come to study in the United Arab Emirates.

The United Arab Emirates spends a huge amount of money on education every year.
It amounts to 17-20% of the total federal budget.
As a result, the UAE's literacy rate is around 4%, the lowest in the Middle East.
The teacher-to-elementary school ratio is the highest at 1:15, and education is compulsory up to high school.
If you advance to a university abroad, we provide support for local tuition and living expenses.
If you want to go to college, it is an environment where you can study freely without worrying about finances.

--- pp.95-96

The United Arab Emirates has oil reserves of approximately 100 billion barrels, ranking 7th in the world.
Most of these are located in Abu Dhabi (96%), with Dubai and other emirates each holding 2%.
The UAE's current oil production capacity is approximately 3 million barrels per day, with plans to expand that to 5 million barrels per day depending on market conditions.
This is to monetize oil resources early and secure the necessary funds for economic diversification.
The amount of oil that can be extracted from Abu Dhabi's oil fields is approximately 90 years based on current production, and the production ratio between onshore and offshore oil fields is approximately 50:50.

The United Arab Emirates' oil exports are concentrated in Asia.
Our country ranked 5th in total oil imports from the United Arab Emirates in 2023.
(…) Dubai, which has been producing a lot of oil, has been trying to diversify its economic structure from early on, focusing on trade, tourism, and finance, and Abu Dhabi is also increasing its investment in industries other than oil.
This economic diversification is a key cornerstone for the UAE to reduce its dependence on oil and achieve sustainable development.
--- pp.138-139

In the United Arab Emirates, there is a dish that has the same status as our country's 'kimchi'.
Hummus is both delicious and nutritious.
Hummus, which means 'chickpea' in Arabic, is a food that has been eaten in the Middle East since ancient times.
It is not known exactly when people began eating it, but there are records from medieval Egypt, so it must have been at least 700 to 800 years ago.
It is mainly eaten as a dip for bread, and although it has a slightly sour taste, it is good for the body and tastes good, making it an ideal food for people living in other places to replenish their energy.
Hummus was even selected as one of the 'foods you must eat before you die'.
In the Middle East, there is a saying that “a table without hummus is like the Arabian Nights without stories,” and it is one of the foods that is always served on the table.

--- pp.165-166

Emirati refers to indigenous Arab citizens born and raised in the United Arab Emirates.
In Emirati society, friendships are strictly regulated along gender lines.
There are very few situations where men and women become friends.
This is due to religious, historical and cultural factors.
A common way for outsiders to connect with Emiratis is to work together within their organizations.
Foreigners and Muslims with similar cultural backgrounds tend to become closer to Emiratis more easily.

Emirati take friendship very seriously.
I believe that friendship takes time and sincerity to form, and once a friendship is formed, it is rare to go back to the way it was before.
So when a friendship breaks down, it can lead to deep resentment.
Some Emiratis feel disappointed when someone who was once open and friendly later becomes distant.
--- pp.183-184

The Middle Eastern art market is made up of the 'Big 3' markets of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, with the United Arab Emirates being the largest and most active market.
However, Saudi Arabia, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Qatar, which is trying to become a cultural hub through its '2030 Cultural Plan', are fiercely pursuing each other, so it will be worth watching to see what kind of competition they will have in the future.
(…)
Art Dubai is the largest art fair in Dubai.
Held annually in March, it has established itself as a central axis of the Middle Eastern art world by introducing diverse and unique art from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia to the world stage while providing a platform for exchange with the global art community.
According to the Dubai government, the Art Dubai event generates an economic impact of over AED 100 million annually.
It consists of various programs and events that can be enjoyed by the general public, and the contemporary and modern art pieces on display from famous galleries around the world are particularly eye-catching.

--- pp.193-194

There are many experiential activities in the United Arab Emirates, but the most well-known one is probably the 'desert safari'.
Desert safari is a comprehensive tourism package that allows you to experience various traditional activities such as falconry and camel riding while driving a four-wheel drive vehicle through the desert.
When an acquaintance of mine came to visit and asked, “What should I do when I get there?”, my answer was, “I should take half a day to go on a desert safari.”
When foreign tourists come to Seoul, they go to Namsan Tower and Gyeongbokgung Palace.
In fact, there are many desert safari experience companies based here.
Among them, there are some companies that are not trustworthy and some that are controversial for dine-and-dash.
However, there are various programs available, from a leisurely tour to a dynamic all-day drive through the desert, so choose carefully.

--- pp.231-232