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<td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #0364ab;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">General Facts</span> <span style="color: #000000; font-size: xx-small;">|</span> </span><a href="index.php?option=com_jetour&amp;view=otherpages&amp;otpage_id=20"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;">Geography</span></a><span style="color: #0364ab;"> <span style="color: #000000; font-size: xx-small;">|</span> </span><a href="index.php?option=com_jetour&amp;view=otherpages&amp;otpage_id=21"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;">Culture</span></a><span style="color: #0364ab;"> <span style="color: #000000; font-size: xx-small;">|</span> </span><a href="index.php?option=com_jetour&amp;view=otherpages&amp;otpage_id=22"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;">Emirati Food</span></a><span style="color: #0364ab;"> <span style="color: #000000; font-size: xx-small;">|</span> </span><a href="index.php?option=com_jetour&amp;view=otherpages&amp;otpage_id=23"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;">Leisure</span></a><span style="color: #0364ab;"> <span style="color: #000000; font-size: xx-small;">|</span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="index.php?option=com_jetour&amp;view=otherpages&amp;otpage_id=24">Shopping</a></span></span><a href="Template1.aspx?MenuID=128"></a></span></span></span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top" width="119"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Country name:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top" width="567"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">United Arab Emirates</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Capital city:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Abu Dhabi</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Government Type:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Federal Presidential system and Constitutional Monarchy </span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Borders:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Arabian Gulf</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Geographical area:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">77,700 sq km </span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Highest point: </span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">1,727 m (Jabal Yibir)</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Intl. Airports:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">AUH, Abu Dhabi International Airport - DXB, Dubai International - SHJ, Sharjah International Airport - DWC, Al Maktoum International Airport (Jebel Ali Airport)</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Population:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">8.190,000 (estimate data, supplied by Government 2009)</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Independence Day:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">02 December </span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Language:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">The official language is Arabic; however English, Hindi, Urdu are widely spoken</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Religion:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Islam is the largest and official state religion, though the government follows a policy of tolerance toward other religions and rarely interferes in the activities of non-Muslims.</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Time Zone:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">GMT + 4 (winter: October to March)<br />GMT + 5 (summer: April to September)</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Banks &amp; Currency:</span></strong></td>
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<p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">The official UAE currency is the Dirham (Dhs. / AED). Notes are available in denominations of: AED 1,000 / AED 500 / AED 200 / AED 100 / AED 50 / AED 20 / AED 10 / AED 5 and coins (fills) in 50 and 20 fills.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">The USD$/AED exchange rate is fixed (1 USD = AED 3,675).</span></p>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Climate:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">The climate of the U.A.E generally is hot and dry. The hottest months are July and August, when average maximum temperatures reach above 48 °C (118.4 °F) on the coastal plain. In the Al Hajar Mountains, temperatures are considerably lower, a result of increased altitude. Average minimum temperatures in January and February are between 10 and 14 °C (50 and 57.2 °F). During the late summer months, a humid southeastern wind known as Sharqi (i.e. "Easterner") makes the coastal region especially unpleasant. The average annual rainfall in the coastal area is fewer than 120 mm (4.7 in), but in some mountainous areas annual rainfall often reaches 350 mm (13.8 in). Rain in the coastal region falls in short, torrential bursts during the summer months, sometimes resulting in floods in ordinarily dry wadi beds. The region is prone to occasional, violent dust storms, which can severely reduce visibility. The Jebel Jais mountain cluster in Ras al-Khaimah has experienced snow only twice since records began.</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Holidays:</span></strong></td>
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<p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Although all banks, government offices, and schools are closed on holidays, it is often possible to find malls, shops and restaurants open for business.<br /><br />Holidays with Fixed Dates: New Year's Day – January 1, National Day – December 2<br />Holidays without Fixed Dates: Islamic religious holidays (Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, etc)</span></p>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Transportation:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">All Emirates: Taxi <br />Abu Dhabi: Bus<br />Dubai: Bus, metro, water taxi</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Business Hours:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Shops are generally open 7 days per week, 10:00-22:00. Restaurant hours vary, and many restaurants, especially in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, are open until late.<br />Banking hours are Sunday through Saturday, 8:00-14:30. Working hours for government offices and post offices are typically 8:00-13:00</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Communications:</span></strong></td>
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<p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;"><em>Telephones:</em> While the telephone system in UAE is well-developed, there are few public pay phones, and international phone calls are expensive. Most residents use mobile phones, and coverage extends throughout the country. Main operators are Etisalat and Du </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;"><br /><br />The country code for the UAE is (971). This is followed by the local area code and the telephone number. The area code for mobile phones is (050) or (055) or (056) and the area code for Abu Dhabi, Al Ain is (02), Dubai (04), Sharjah, Ajman (06), Ras Al Khamiah (07) and Fujairah (09). If you are dialing the UAE from outside the country, omit the (0) in the mobile phones and area codes.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;"><em><br /><br />Internet:</em> There are Internet cafés available throughout the UAE, and many hotels now offer high-speed and wireless Internet access for free or for a small fee</span></p>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Electricity:</span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Electric current is 110/220 volts, 50 cycles. A three-pin plug, with round pins is commonly used, but other types of plugs are also in use so it is best to check before you go.</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Tipping: </span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">You usually tip porters, waiters, hotel staff, guides, doormen, etc. The average rate in restaurants in 10-15% (depending on service and quality provided).</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Clothing:</strong> </span></span></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Generally there are no particular cultural rules for this matter in the UAE, however, wearing short clothing, such as short pants, is to be avoided in certain public places, such as malls and Governmental buildings… To visit religious places, modest clothing is required. Women need headscarves when visiting (public) mosques, usually provided there.</span></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">Health &amp; Safety: </span></strong></td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">No mandatory vaccinations are required for entry into the UAE. The medical services in the UAE are well developed and most doctors speak Arabic, English, Hindi or French, as they have graduated overseas. <br /></span></td>
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