Transcription
Hello everyone, I am Sümeyra Çenet. The United Arab Emirates, one of the world's richest countries, where more than eighty percent of its land is desert, is the biggest proof of how money can change a country. But not everything is as it seems. The country, located on the Arabian Peninsula, has an area of only 80,3600 square kilometers, smaller than one-ninth of Turkey. The journey from Istanbul to the United Arab Emirates, which requests Turkish citizens, takes approximately four and a half hours without a layover. The country has two neighboring countries, Saudi Arabia and Oman. While the Persian Gulf is to its north, it also has a small coastline on the Gulf of Oman. As its name suggests, the country consists of emirates. Each of these seven emirates is ruled by a different royal family. The emirate, or rather the kingdom, is passed down from father to son. At the same time, the Emir of Abu Dhabi serves as the country's president, while the Emir of Dubai assumes the role of the country's prime minister. Not considering immigrants, the annual income per capita is 70,000 dollars, which is around 530,000 TL at today's exchange rate. However, the country's destiny was not always this bright. In fact, the United Arab Emirates was formerly a country in need of aid. It remained under British colonial rule for many years. With the discovery of oil in the 1960s, the country's destiny was virtually transformed. In 1971, seven Arab sheikhdoms formed a federation, declared their independence, and thus the country was established. Before the discovery of oil, the economy in these lands was based on fishing and the pearl industry. Unlike many countries that have lost control over their oil resources today, the United Arab Emirates has successfully maintained control over its oil resources. The country is among the 7 richest countries in the world in terms of oil reserves, with 97.8 billion barrels of oil reserves. 3.7 million barrels of oil are produced daily. The capital, Abu Dhabi, holds 94% of the emirate's oil, due to owning eighty percent of the country's land. It alone accounts for two-thirds of the country's economy. While oil revenues constituted seventy percent of the country's national income for many years, dependence on oil has significantly decreased in recent years. In 2019 alone, the emirate of Dubai attracted approximately 17 million tourists with its population of 3.38 million. Dubai, the shopping center of the Middle East, is the fourth most popular holiday destination in the world. It is also seen as the gateway of the United Arab Emirates to the world. Dubai, known as the "City of Gold," hosts the Gold Souk, the world's largest gold and jewelry market. There are even ATMs in the country that dispense gold bars. While more than half of its population is in the 25-34 age range, only fifteen percent are over 45 years old. There is no income tax in the country; it only started to be collected two years ago at a rate of five percent. Dubai's status as a complete trade center is why businesses and salaried employees prefer this country due to tax exemptions. People coming from abroad come to Dubai because they can easily find job opportunities. Furthermore, it is not necessary to know Arabic to work in this country, as almost ninety percent of the country's population is foreign, and English is widely spoken. This is the country that receives the most immigration in the world. The country pays the price of its wealth with the immigration it receives, because the cultures of other nations are kept alive more than its own culture in its own lands. According to estimated data, the total population is approximately 10 million. Only 11.4 percent of the population consists of local citizens, while 32 percent are Indian, 13 percent are Pakistani, 7.4 percent are Bangladeshi, 5.5 percent are Filipino, and the rest are people from over 200 different nationalities. Seventy-two percent of the population is female. This is a Muslim country governed by an absolute monarchy that adheres to Sharia law, but Islamic law is not applied as strictly as in other Arab countries. 55% of the population is Muslim, 25% is Hindu, 10% is Christian, and the rest are other groups. The most valuable citizens in the country are, of course, its own citizens, the Emiratis. Emiratis cannot be poor even if they want to; the state pays them a salary and takes care of them even if they don't work. Because there is no income tax, Dubai is a country where many investors want to obtain citizenship today, but obtaining citizenship requires a very serious procedure. Education, healthcare services, and many other things are free for them. They pay less for expenses like electricity and water. Being born in these lands or marrying an Emirati is not enough to become an Emirati. For example, if a woman from another nationality marries an Emirati, she must either be married for at least seven years and lose her citizenship, or be married for 10 years. However, if an Emirati man marries a non-Emirati woman, he does not gain the right to obtain citizenship in any way; even the woman is stripped of her citizenship. The children born are also not Emirati. The child only gains the right to apply for citizenship when they turn 18. If the child's father is Emirati, the child is unconditionally granted citizenship regardless of which country they are born in. If an Emirati man marries a non-Emirati woman, the state gives her approximately 30,000 dollars as a gift, and also provides land if needed. They even provide financial assistance when they have children. If the child wants to study abroad, they go with a state scholarship. Another way is if you have a special talent or achievement; in short, if the state wants to have you, they can make you their citizen. There is an unwritten rule in the country's justice system: Emiratis are always right in every matter. For example, if you get into a fight with an Emirati, it can lead to a very serious situation and deportation. By the way, because people are deported for even the slightest behavior that could disrupt the peace of the country, everyone is very careful. Thanks to these strictly enforced laws, the United Arab Emirates is today the third country with the lowest crime rate. Abu Dhabi has been chosen as the safest city in the world. People living in Dubai say they don't even lock their doors because theft incidents are almost non-existent. To establish a company on the mainland, it is mandatory for an Emirati to be a partner. This means that even if Emiratis do nothing, they earn money from the company they are partners in. Also, all companies are obliged to employ a certain number of Emiratis. However, Emiratis are not required to go to work. Managers are usually Europeans, while workers are usually Pakistani, Filipino, and Indian. Furthermore, a Turkish person doing the same job may receive more salary than a Filipino, while an English person may receive less salary than an Emirati. Married women need permission from their husbands to have good relationships, open bank accounts, and even work. In homes where three children are looked after by five nannies, and where there are helpers for all other tasks, women lead very comfortable lives. Despite the low proportion of the female population, women constitute seventy percent of all university graduates in the country. The people who suffer the most in the country are generally immigrants working in the service and construction sectors. They work under a system called "kafala." As soon as they arrive in the country, their passports are confiscated, and they are prevented from returning. They are forbidden to change jobs. They have no annual leave. Leaving their job and returning to their home country is only at the employer's discretion, meaning they are like slaves. According to research, two-thirds of immigrant women are abused. Even women who are subjected to harassment hide this situation from the state because they know they will be imprisoned for adultery. Looking at daily life in the country, the country's currency is the dirham. Today, one dirham is equivalent to 2.04 Turkish Liras. In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, there are pink taxis used by women and serving only women. The price of gasoline per liter is 1.81 dirhams, which is actually much cheaper considering the country's conditions. This is one of the driest countries in the world, but thanks to the wealth and technological power they possess, they make it rain through cloud seeding. They even create rainstorms. Even in the coldest months of the year, the average temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, and the temperature rarely drops below 15 degrees Celsius. The perceived temperature can reach up to 55 degrees Celsius due to high humidity. Swimming in the sea is not enough to cool down, because at times the sea temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius. People even throw large blocks of ice into swimming pools to cool them. Even bus stops in the country are air-conditioned. Eating in public during Ramadan is forbidden, regardless of religion, and carries various penalties. Also, during this month, people work half-days, and schools close earlier. Alcohol sales in the country are only for foreigners and non-Muslims. Alcohol consumption can only be done in hotels and restaurants and cafes affiliated with hotels. There is a concept called "alcohol for export." Those going from Turkey are forbidden to buy alcohol in the United Arab Emirates because they are citizens of a Muslim country. However, it is not forbidden for them to consume alcohol in a venue. Holding hands, hugging, kissing, and in short, showing emotional closeness, even with your sibling, is illegal. It is forbidden for unmarried men and women to live in the same house. This is a country where homosexuality also results in imprisonment. Adultery is one of the biggest crimes in the country. Swearing and making obscene gestures are completely forbidden in the country. So much so that using swear words in WhatsApp messages or any social media account, and even sending certain emojis, can violate the laws. In 2010, a 56-year-old British man was imprisoned for showing his middle finger to a student. In 2016, a fine of 500,001 dirhams to 2 million dirhams was imposed on those who used VPNs to access any service banned by the state. Driving a dirty car is punishable by a fine of 500 dirhams, as it spoils the city's image and public health. Taking photos of people without their permission is a serious crime. Visitors to the country are even deported for not knowing this law. In 2015, an Australian woman living in Abu Dhabi was detained for 53 hours, fined $3,600, and later deported, simply for a photo she shared on Facebook. The photo was of obstacles in front of her house and a parked car with its license plate not even visible. One of the most criticized aspects of the country is its justice system. Interestingly, it was declared illegal in 2016 to share flood disasters that occurred in the country on social media and to discuss the storms that arose. Traffic rules are extremely important; running a red light three times can lead to imprisonment. The country's desire to have the biggest and most spectacular of everything has led to people's lives being built around consumption. The most popular structure in the United Arab Emirates is the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 828 meters high. The construction of the building, completed in six years, cost a total of 1.5 billion dollars. It takes three months to clean the entire building, and when this period ends, the cleaning process has to start all over again. The world's tallest hotel is located in Dubai. Also, the world's first seven-star hotel opened here in 1999. The world's most expensive cake was made in this country. The 1.8-meter-long cake, adorned with real diamonds, cost a total of 75 million dollars. A couple in Dubai organized a lavish party to learn the gender of their baby, projecting it onto the Burj Khalifa for $100,000. Owning domesticated wild animals is illegal but very popular among the rich. Some people even open private zoos for this reason. These animals, which are symbols of mere ostentation, are torn from their natural habitats and become playthings for people in poor conditions. The world's largest man-made island, Palm Jumeirah, is located in Dubai. This palm-shaped island is so large that it can be seen from space. The amount of sand and rock used to build the islands is enough to build a 2.5-meter-high wall around the Earth. It is designed to accommodate a city of 120,000 people. As has been reported recently, the United Arab Emirates signed a peace treaty with Israel. The United Arab Emirates, which states that it condemns Turkey's actions in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean at every opportunity, is one of America's and Israel's biggest partners in the Middle East. With its oil wealth, it exports energy to these countries. They stand behind any power that struggles against Turkey. So much so that recently, the closure of the Turkish Embassy in the United Arab Emirates was discussed. In the short term, relations are expected to deteriorate further, and there is even a possibility of terrorists being declared in these lands, which were once under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. I hope you enjoyed the video. Please share your thoughts about the video in the comments section. Also, write which country should be next, because I take your comments into consideration when choosing countries. You can subscribe to my channel to not miss my new videos. See you in the next video, goodbye. [Music]