The Wonders of Dubai

[Hungary Jack]

Some folks estimate that 15-25% of the world's construction cranes are in Dubai right now. I hope none of them fall.

Dubai will soon be home to Hydropolis, the world's first underwater hotel. Entirely built in Germany and then assembled in Dubai, it is scheduled to be completed by 2009 after many delays.

Construction on the Burj Dubai began in 2005 and is expected to be complete by 2008. At an estimated height of over 800 meters, it will easily be world's tallest building when finished. It will be almost 40% taller than the the current tallest building, the Yaipei 101. It is already the worlds tallest man made structure and it is still not scheduled to be completed for at least another year.

But the Burj Dubai's claim will be short-lived. The Al Burj is under construction, and once completed it will take over the title of the tallest structure in the world from the Burj Dubai. The final height of this tower will be 1200 meters. That would make it more than 30% taller than the Burj Dubai and three times as tall as the Empire State Building.

All of these people need a place to play, so Dubailand is being built as an amusement park. Currently, the largest amusement park collection in the world is Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, which is also the largest single-site employer in the United states with 58,000 employees. Dubailand will be twice the size. It is expected to attract 200,000 visitors daily.

Ski Dubai , which is already open, is the largest indoor skiing facility in the world.

The Dubai Metro system, once completed, will become the largest fully automated rail system in the world.

The Dubai World Central International Airport will become the largest airport in size when it is completed. It will also eventually become the busiest airport in the world, based on passenger volume. There are more construction workers in Dubai than there are actual citizens.

I can only imagine what Ozymandias is thinking...

[G. Keenan]

Still in the desert though.

[clement]

God I hate going to Dubai. Perhaps in 10 years after a lot of these projects are finished it will be a more pleasant place to be. But right now, it's just massive traffic jams, heavy pollution, and ugly construction sites everywhere you turn. There is no place to walk except inside your hotel or inside a shopping mall. The old quarter is the only interesting area in Dubai where you can walk around and it takes 45-60 minutes to get there in a taxi from most hotels most of the time, but about 10 minutes when there isn't any traffic, which is only very late at night.

Here's a pic of the Burj Dubai I took about 10 days ago. (along with dozens of other cranes for other construction projects)

[Hungary Jack]

That tower looks like it's leaning a bit.

[TimeForGuinness]

looks a little crooked

[Arthur Dent]

More reasonably sized tall buildings already sway enough in the wind to make some people feel sea sick. I can only image what it will be like in that building.

[TimeForGuinness]

The new and improved leaning tower of pisa

[thrill]

Still in the desert though.

Nothing wrong with that mon frere.

I'd take their beach though.

[G. Keenan]

Still in the desert though.

Nothing wrong with that mon frere.

I'd take their beach though.

I wonder about the sustainability of such large settlements in the desert.

[Leroy]

Keep it up liberals.