15 facts about Dubai that you need to know before traveling

Dubai is one of the most interesting cities in the world, but it also has dark sides that can get people arrested or fined. For example, kissing and even holding hands is prohibited in public places in the resort.

In addition, in Dubai, you can freely express your opinions only as long as they are in line with the government's line. BigPicture writes about other little-known facts.

• Workers work 14 hours a day in the wild heat

Dubai is developing and building at an incredible, rapid pace. However, construction requires labor, and these people work in extremely difficult conditions, 14 hours a day, and in the wild heat (in summer, the temperature can reach 48 degrees). Tourists in Dubai are advised not to stay in the sun for more than five minutes in such a heat, but no one cares about the workers.

• Jail term for kissing in public

Muslims are strict about kissing and holding hands in crowded places. Tourists who violate these rules have to pay huge fines and can even go to jail.

• Sex slavery

The law there is extremely strict on everything related to sex, drugs, and alcohol. A girl can get in trouble even for walking down the street with her arms open. However, when night falls, everything changes. The oldest profession in the world is flourishing in Dubai: there are more than 30 thousand prostitutes offering their services for $500 per hour.

• Wasting huge water reserves

Dubai is located in the desert, which means that the problems associated with drinking water are known there firsthand. But they manage not to save water and waste it. For example, it is used in huge quantities to water lawns at golf courses.

• Oil in Dubai

It's not so hard to build a paradise in the middle of the desert if you have a lot of black gold. And this is, in general, the only thing the UAE is based on. But this situation cannot last forever. In 20 years, there will be a shortage of oil or its price will soar so high that people will switch to other energy sources.

• Wild racism

Racism is a driving force in Dubai. In this city, wild rules are in use and a person is judged by how good his or her passport is. For example, for the same job, Americans and Europeans are paid two to three times more than people from third-world countries. That is, people are paid not on the basis of knowledge and skills, but on the basis of nationality.

• Labor slavery

Dubai looks beautiful, but if you dig deeper, you will find yourself in a hell where labor slavery is rampant. Of course, everything is formally legal, but in practice, people from countries such as India, Pakistan, and China come here to work and become completely dependent on their employers. Their passports are taken away from them, they are paid a pittance and forced to work longer than they were supposed to.

• No concern for the environment

Endless large-scale construction projects lead to a huge amount of wastewater and chemical waste, but not everyone wants to invest in environmental protection and treatment systems, preferring to simply dump it all somewhere and drain it - for example, directly into the sea. The state is fenced off by a wall of silence on this topic.

• Fast cars

Driving in Dubai is life-threatening: most drivers are not known for their good manners and compliance with traffic rules.

• Everything is artificial in Dubai

Most people who have lived and worked in Dubai say that everything there is fake – from artificial trees to fake smiles on people's faces. The rich have built Dubai as an artificial place where people from all over the world can feel like kings.

• The law is harsh on those who do not have money

Most people came to Dubai hoping for a better life, but the laws here are so strict that if you miss a payment of a debt or fine, you can end up in jail. The same applies to employees of multinational corporations. If a company experiences any problems with its business, its employees also experience problems: their housing is taken away from them and they are put in jail.

• Sonapur is a working ghetto in Dubai

Sonapur is a small neighborhood in Dubai that can be called the home of all the worker houses. Over the years, this place has turned into a kind of labor ghetto, where more and more parties of semi-slaves from third world countries flock to. According to some estimates, more than 150 thousand workers live in unbearable conditions in Sonapur. Eight or more people live in a tiny room. The hygiene situation here is also sad.

• Wild animals in Dubai are not so wild after all

What can be really dangerous in Dubai is the growing fashion for wild animals as pets. Sheikhs are no longer happy with dogs and cats.

• Freedom of speech in Dubai is a myth

Dubai is one of those places where you can freely express your opinions only as long as they are in line with the government's line. Otherwise, the secret police start their work, offering a choice of two options – to shut up or lose everything he has. Sometimes there is a third option – to go to jail if the previous two do not suit you. However, usually, everyone chooses the first option.

• This place is ruled by dictators

The UAE is, theoretically, a federal monarchy headed by President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. But in fact, it is a dictatorship, and all important decisions are made by the Emir of Dubai, Vice President and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. Of course, he also controls all cash flows and oversees the modern slave trade.