Dubai is a city of skyscrapers, ports, and beaches, where big business takes place next to sun-seeking tourism. Because of its large expatriate population, it often feels like a Middle Eastern melting pot, and the atmosphere is generally tolerant.

Religious affiliations are not a prominent aspect of city life. While Islam is the majority religion, churches and Hindu temples coexist with Dubai’s mosques.

Dubai’s population has grown steadily over the past two centuries, from just a few thousand local inhabitants to well over two million. 

It is a relatively crime-free place where administrative efficiency and openness to business have encouraged astonishing growth. However, criticism of the local authoritarian government and the ruling elite is not tolerated.

Like much of the Persian Gulf coastline, Dubai has year-round hot weather. Humidity is high in the summer months and moderate the rest of the year.

The coldest winter month is usually January, with lows of about 15°C (49°F), while the hottest summer month is July, with highs of more than 40°C (104°F).

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) said the city received 4.67 million international overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2023, up 17 percent year-on-year from 3.97 million in the same period in 2022.

“The tourism sector is not only the strongest pillar of our economy but also a key enabler of Dubai’s distinctive role in the world as a bridge between markets, cultures, and regions,” Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai said.

To boost these numbers even more, Dubai has announced new plans to extend the length of the emirate’s beaches from 21 km to 105 km (13 to 65 miles).

The plan, which forms part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, features the opening of new beaches and the development of existing ones with advanced facilities. The expansion should not only attract more tourists from around the world but cater to the growing emirate’s population.

Most of the early population increases were due to merchants from neighboring countries choosing to relocate to Dubai’s business-friendly environment but in the later 20th century, the city's construction boom led to a huge increase in the number of South Asian laborers and an influx of skilled expatriates from all over the world who play an important role in Dubai’s multi-sector economy.