United Arab Emirates

SAFETY: good.
The overall level of safety in the country is high. Visitors are nonetheless advised to remain alert and to behave discreetly, prudently and with respect for the local religion and customs, avoiding the gatherings and demonstrations that may form near mosques, especially during Friday prayers and on religious holidays, and keeping constantly up to date on the security situation in the country.

TRANSPORT: excellent
The United Arab Emirates has a well-developed and well-structured transport system, with an extensive road network linking the various Emirates and a wide choice of means of transport, some of them truly innovative: taxis by road, by water and even flying taxis (new in 2019).
Main airports: Dubai International; Abu Dhabi; Fujairah; Ras al Khaimah; Sharjah; Al Ain; Abu Dhabi Bateen
Main ports: Al Fujayrah, Mina' Jabal 'Ali (Dubai), Khor Fakkan (Khawr Fakkan) (Sharjah), Mubarraz Island (Abu Dhabi), Mina' Rashid (Dubai), Mina' Saqr (Ra's al Khaymah)

ACCOMMODATION: Within the tourist circuit and in the main centres there are excellent hotels and other accommodation of various categories.

COUNTRY FACTS: Full name: United Arab Emirates – Location: a federation of seven emirates lying along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Borders: Qatar to the north-west, Saudi Arabia to the west and south, and Oman to the east and north-east.- Time zone: 3 hours ahead of Italy (GMT+4); 2 hours ahead when daylight saving time is in force in Italy (GMT+3) – Area: 83,600 sq km –  Capital: Abu Dhabi – Population: 9,400,000  –  Religion: Muslim. – Languages: Arabic; English is widely spoken.- Measures: metric system.

CURRENCY: dirham (AED) – Credit cards: The major credit cards are accepted. Cash can be withdrawn at ATMs with debit and credit cards (including Maestro and Cirrus); check with your bank that your card is enabled for withdrawals in the United Arab Emirates.- Exchange: Simple and cheaper at the airports, whereas hotels apply higher rates. Tipping: Most restaurants already include a 15% service charge in the final bill. Where this is not the case, 10% is considered an appropriate and very generous tip, though never compulsory.

ELECTRICITY: 220-240V and 50 Hz (as in Italy) – Sockets: A universal adapter is recommended.

DOCUMENTS: A passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry into the United Arab Emirates is required. For any changes to the required remaining validity of the passport, please check in advance with the country's Embassy or Consulate in Italy or with your travel agent.
Please note that border controls on entry have been made stricter and more thorough following the deterioration of the situation in the region, and there have been cases of Italian and EU citizens being refused entry to the country for unspecified “security reasons”.- Driving: International driving permit, 1949 Geneva Convention or 1968 Vienna Convention model.– Cars: Insurance is compulsory.

COMMUNICATIONS AND TELEPHONES: International dialling code: 00971– mobile coverage is available throughout the country. -  Internet: excellent availability in the main centres – Web domain: .ae – Emergency numbers: Police: 999, Ambulance: 998, Fire brigade: 997

RULES, LAWS AND CONDUCT: The import, consumption, production and possession of narcotic substances (cannabis, hashish, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, etc.), even in minimal quantities (in the order of milligrams), are prohibited in the United Arab Emirates and severely punished. Anyone taking medicines containing such substances must without fail carry a medical certificate proving that the medicines have been brought into the country for therapeutic purposes and that the quantities are in keeping with the prescription. These rules are strictly enforced even when merely transiting through the country.
As for dress, locals are generally fairly open to the habits of foreign tourists, but excesses are poorly tolerated, especially during Ramadan. To be on the safe side, it is best to keep certain parts of the body well covered, in particular: shoulders, cleavage and the legs from the knee up.

HEALTH: The health situation is generally good.  The country has numerous clinics, mostly private, with state-of-the-art equipment and staff. Emergency repatriation presents no difficulty, as the country is served by 8 international airports. Medical expenses and any repatriation costs are borne by the traveller.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: 1 January, New Year's Day; first day of the Islamic calendar month, Islamic New Year (Al-Hijra). Birth of the Prophet (Mouloud); 6 August, accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Ninth month of the Muslim calendar, Ascension of the Prophet (Leilat al-Meiraj). For 30 days the faithful fast during daylight hours. End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr): a three-day festival after a month of fasting. Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha): date varies. Known as the Feast of the Lamb, it is one of the most important festivals in the Muslim world. For four days families gather to eat the sacrificed animal. National Day: 2 December, celebrating the birth of the United Arab Emirates. Christmas (Christian): 25 December.

OPENING HOURS: Banks: Sun-Thu 8.00-13.00, some until 15.00, Sat 8.00-12.00.  Shops: Mon-Sun 10.00-22.00; hours usually change during Ramadan, when many shops close in the afternoon and reopen from 19.00 until midnight or even later.

CLIMATE: Crossed by the Tropic of Cancer, the country has a predominantly arid climate, with high temperatures, wide temperature swings and humidity levels that in the summer months can reach 90%. During summer (June-October) temperatures range between 35 and 50 degrees. In winter the temperature drops to more comfortable levels: 20-35 degrees by day and no less than 15 degrees at night. Rainfall is very rare, reaching 4.2 cm a year in the lowland and coastal areas and 15 cm in the mountain regions.

Monthly min/max temperatures (in °C)

Rainy days (at least 1 mm of rain)/mm of rainfall

USEFUL ADDRESSES IN ITALY
Italian Embassy in ABU DHABI
Al Rawda Area - Mubarak bin Mohammed street (12th street)-Villa 715
P.O. Box 46752 - Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Tel.: 00971 2 4435622
Fax:  00971 2 4453673
Emergency mobile: 00971 50 8180 780
e-mail: italianembassy.abudhabi@esteri.it
home page: ambabudhabi.esteri.it

CONSULAR OFFICES
Consular Section of the Italian Embassy in Abu Dhabi:
(see Embassy)
Consulate General of Italy in Dubai
World Trade Center
P.O. Box 9250 Dubai
Tel. 00971 4 3314167  
Office fax:  00971 4 3317469
Emergency mobile: 00971 50 6563375
Consular e-mail: consular.dubai@esteri.it
Information e-mail: info.dubai@esteri.it