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The horse race known as the Dubai World Cup is held annually, and is the world's richest horse race with over US$15,000,000 worth of prize money.

Islam is the official religion of all the emirates. A vast majority of the people are Sunnis. There are foreign minority Hindus and Christians as well. Dubai is the only Emirate to house a Hindu temple.

Dubai is the second largest emirate in the federation after Abu Dhabi. The emirate is located on the Persian Gulf, southwest of Sharjah and northeast of Abu Dhabi, and reaches into the interior. The town of Hatta is a segregated portion of the emirate of Dubai and borders Wajajah, Oman.

The official language is Arabic, but English and Hindi are widely spoken.

Dubai's land-reclamation projects, the Palm Islands The Palm, Jumeira, The Palm, Jebel Ali, The Palm, Deira, and The World will be the world's largest artificial island complexes, developed with villas, golf courses and holiday resorts.

Dubailand, a proposed entertainment complex, is to include the Mall of Arabia, the largest shopping mall in the world. Dubailand is slated to open in 2006.

The ruler of Dubai is H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Prime Minister of the federation of the United Arab Emirates. The crown prince is H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, one of the emir's younger brothers.

Apart from donated land for the construction of churches and other religious facilities, including cemeteries, non-Muslim groups are not supported financially or subsidized by the Government. However, they are permitted to raise money from among their congregants and to receive financial support from abroad. Christian churches are permitted to openly advertise certain church functions, such as memorial services, in the press.

Dubai became one of the Trucial States in 1853. It joined the UAE on December 2, 1971. It has since become a large and modern city, with an estimated population of close to one million in 2004.

Emaar properties is on course to construct the world's tallest building, Burj Dubai. The corporation claims: "Burj Dubai's height is a closely guarded secret but it will beat all records and on a scale that will be a dramatic testament to Dubai's faith in the future."

The Dubai Post Department took over the postal service June 14, 1963 and the following day issued a series of stamps depicting sea life, views of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This was the opening salvo of a barrage of issue over the next few years; the emirate discovered that stamp collectors were willing to give it money for colored labels with "Dubai" printed on them, and by the time the postal system was merged with that of other emirates, in mid-1972, it had issued over 400 stamps, few of which ever saw usage on mail.

A post office of British India was opened August 19, 1909. It used the stamps of India on mail, with postmark "Dubai Persian Gulf", until India's independence in 1947, then stamps of Pakistan until March 31, 1948. Pakistan also becoming independent, the British government set up a postal administration for Eastern Arabia and used overprinted British stamps until January 7, 1961, when Dubai issued its own stamps inscribed "Trucial States". (Despite the name, these were only on sale in Dubai's post office.)

One of the most imporant personality figures in Dubai is Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoom. He ruled Dubai for over 30 years within which he created major large projects like the Jebel Ali free zone, world trade center and the airport.

The government's vision to diversify from a trade based, but oil reliant economy to one that is service and tourism oriented, has been conducive to the growth of real estate corporations such as Emaar Properties, and Nakheel. Corporate office enclaves on Sheikh Zayed road were developed to shift Dubai's traditional business area from the creek to the western parts of the city.

Dubai International Airport is a fortress hub for Emirates airlines and has a vast Duty Free shopping centre. It is also considered to be among the world's best and finest airports. Dubai airport has won many awards for its excellence in design and services.