The Middle East

Over the past 40 years, Abu Dhabi has grown into a major economic power in the Middle East. A series of ambitious long-term development policies have transformed the emirate, turning it into a regional economic, political and cultural heavyweight. The country profile includes information about Abu Dhabi’s geography, climate, population and political system. This chapter features an interview with...

This chapter includes a listing of the country’s leading hotels and resorts, as well as useful telephone numbers and facts for visitors, including information about language, weather, visas, currency and more.

With assistance from SNR Denton, this chapter explains the options for foreign business operations, including how to set up in Dubai and rules on representative branches and local agents. It also outlines employment regulations and the rights of employees. The chapter includes a viewpoint with Michael Kerr, Managing Partner, SNR Denton.

With cooperation from MERALI’S, this chapter outlines Dubai’s tax rules and regulations, including the steps that need to be taken to meet the legal requirements for firms looking to set up in the emirate. The chapter includes a viewpoint with Mahmud Merali, Managing Partner, MERALI’S.

Dubai has emerged as a regional centre for the media industry over the past decade. Indeed, the resilience of the media through the recent economic crisis points to strong fundamentals that will continue to support the sector as it moves forward. Overall, revenues for the first nine months of 2012 in the region amounted to some $12.7bn, a 22% increase over the same period in 2011. While in many...

In line with the goals laid out in the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015, industrial growth has done much to lead economic development and diversification. Although significant challenges like debt refinancing and regional competition could arise in the future, both the government and the private sector have proven their resilience in recent years. In particular, the manufacturing sector has seen strong...