Between Bedouin tradition and modernity

A number of partly Bedouin traditions have survived despite the oil boom of recent decades. It is quite possible that you will receive an invitation to a private home and attend a traditional coffee ceremony or, often at weddings, hear the Bedouin sounds of a local music group.

The traditional hospitality has also been preserved, even if the structure of the households - women from India, Sri Lanka or the Philippines are often employed in the household - and thus the daily (working) life of the locals has fundamentally changed in recent years due to the petrodollars has changed. Nevertheless, even today the local woman's sphere of activity is largely her own home, which she usually only leaves when accompanied by a family member. The wearing of face veils (burqa) has declined in the larger cities (unlike in the rural settlements). However, you will hardly see an Arab woman in public without a head covering. The man usually wears the white one-piece suit (dishdash) with a white headscarf and a black cord, or a red and white checked headscarf.

Some figures on the population
The current population (as of 2008) in the UAE is around 5 million, with the proportion of foreigners estimated at around 85%. About 1,7 million of them live in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and about 1,3 million in the Emirate of Dubai. Statistical life expectancy is 73 for women and 70 for men.

During your holiday you will hardly have any contact with the so-called locals (residents of UAE origin), as most of the employees in the service sector are of foreign origin.