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Dubai refers to either one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates on the Arabian Peninsula, or that emirate's main city, sometimes called "Dubai City" to distinguish it from the emirate.

Dubai is fairly unique in that its population consists mainly of expatriates, with UAE Nationals (Emiratis) constituting the minority. The vast majority of these expatriates come from the Indian subcontinent and the Philippines. The UAE government does not allow any form of naturalization or permanent residence to expatriates. Even children born in the country are not granted citizenship, unless a parent is a UAE national. Discrimination against Asian expatriates is common. Salaries for lesser qualified citizens are usually several times that of a much higher qualified expatriate. Reports of Emirati employers defaulting on several months salaries are quite common. Expatriates from Western countries however, do not face such discrimination.

Dubai has become an important tourist destination, helped by its rapidly-expanding airline Emirates, which is headed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, an uncle of the emir. Dubai is also diversifying as a hub for service based industries such as IT and finance, with the new Dubai International Financial Centre or DIFC. The government has set up enclaves and freezones for industry specific corporations. Dubai Internet City, now combined with Dubai Media City as part of TECOM (Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority) is one such enclave and houses IT companies such as EMC Corporation, Oracle, Microsoft and IBM, and media organisations such as MBC, CNN, Reuters and AP.

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.

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.

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.

In early 2001, ground was broken for the construction of several churches on a parcel of land in Jebel Ali donated by the Government of Dubai for four Protestant congregations and a Catholic congregation. In May 2001, the Crown Prince of Dubai authorised the construction of a Greek Orthodox church on donated land.

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.