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We’ve all heard that the United Arab Emirates has been hard at work constructing the world’s tallest building. The Burj Dubai currently stands 159 stories tall, and will include 30,000 homes, 9 hotels, 19 residential towers, and the Dubai Mall. The entire project is estimated to cost $20B, but that’s hardly the only thing the UAE likes supersized. Here are a few other records the tiny nation holds:
World’s Largest Flag
On UAE National Day, a 50,000 square feet flag flew over Abu Dhabi, forming the largest aerial banner ever flown.
World’s Largest Indoor Snow Park
Ski Dubai is 85m high and 85 m wide.
World’s Longest and Tallest Bridge
The Sixth Crossing will be 1 mile long at 673 feet high, and is expected to be completed by 2012
World’s Largest Mall
Dubai Mall will include the world’s largest aquarium.
World’s First Revolving Tower
55º Time Dubai will be a rotation apartment building that offers its residents 360-degree views across the Dubai cityscape.
World’s Tallest and Only 7 Star Hotel
Burj Al Arab is one of the world’s most expensive hotels, with the Royal Suite going at $28,000 a night.
World’s Largest Manmade Island
The Palm are the three largest man-made islands in the world, which are being built on the coast of Dubai. These islands can be recognized from the moon. There’s also The World off the coast of Dubai – It’s a 300 island archipelago made in the shape of the world map.
World’s Largest Man-made Waterfront
Dubai Marina will soon replace California’s Marina del Rey as the largest man-made marina in the world. The waterfront will house over 200 high rise buildings as well as some “supertall towers.”
World’s First Luxury Underwater Hotel
The Hydropolis will be 66 feet below the Persian Gulf.
And of course, World’s First Spaceport
The UAE Spaceport in Ras Al-Khaimah, which will offer the world’s first suborbital flights.
But that barely scratches the surface. The UAE also has the world’s largest indoor pool, the world’s largest passenger hub, the world’s biggest yacht, the first zero-carbon city in the Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi, among other achievements.
Be sure to read more of what Diana learned today here.
Comments (10)
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I am so glad that our hard earned dollars that we pour into our gas tanks week in and week out can really go to something important.
posted by Snake Plisken on 8-29-2008 at 9:55 am
I believe there’s another 7-star hotel in Beijing.
posted by Michelle on 8-29-2008 at 10:17 am
um, that is neither the world’s longest nor tallest bridge…
…please explain
posted by joe on 8-29-2008 at 10:36 am
For one, Confederation Bridge linking New Brunswick to PEI weighs in at 12.9 kilometres (8 miles) long. I don’t know if that’s the world’s longest, but it has the Dubai bridge beat 8 times.
posted by Susanna on 8-29-2008 at 11:34 am
What is going ON over there?
posted by mememe on 8-29-2008 at 11:43 am
Susana, Joe:
It’s the world’s largest arch bridge. I think they left that out on the post here.
posted by Steven on 8-29-2008 at 12:03 pm
and the first rotating building was made in curitiba, brazil. back in 2004.
posted by ftrc on 8-29-2008 at 12:59 pm
“What is going ON over there?”
Their oil reserves will run dry in about 10-15 years, so their investing all this money to attract tourism for the elite.
posted by budanski on 8-29-2008 at 1:12 pm
Snake, Dubai currently makes roughly 5% of its GDP from oil sales & refinement.
posted by grover on 9-2-2008 at 1:44 am
to Snake Plisken, oil makes up only 6 percent of dubais revenues so pleaze ,Americans, spare us of ur whining about gas prices.
posted by ALI on 10-11-2008 at 10:43 am