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| A comprehensive guide
to current and future events and exhibitions in the UAE |
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Valuable concise reference source on the UAE,
covering political system, economy, business, history and heritage,
education, women, healthcare, tourism and environment. |
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Natural history of the UAE,
covering all animals and plants recorded in the Emirates. |
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THE COUNTRY & THE ENVIRONMENT - ISLANDS
 Delma plays to its strength as reservoir of a rich tradition
Posted on 01/08/2009
The volcanic island of Delma is counted among the eight 'Desert Islands' which include Sir Bani Yas Island and the previously unexplored Discovery Islands.
Approximately 6,000 Emiratis and expatriates live on Delma, which is known for its pearl diving and fishing traditions, besides the cultivation of date palms and a bountiful supply of water.
The name Delma in Arabic means "a bucket of water" and signifies its former standing among neighbouring cities thanks to a famous well.
Now the Abu
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 Island centre offers residents a host of opportunities
Posted on 01/08/2009
Before the Desert Islands Education Centre was set up about 500 Emiratis living on Delma Island were unemployed due to not completing their education or because of their poor English skills. A year ago, the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), in its aim to redefine tourism across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, decided to develop a multitude of opportunities for the desert island residents, and invested in diverse projects, one of which included the Desert Islands Education Centre
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 'We'll push for Bu Tinah to be new wonder of nature'
Posted on 23/07/2009
The Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) says a "concerted effort" will be made across the UAE to support Bu Tinah Shoals after it reached the final stages of a global poll to be named one of the world's New7Wonders of Nature.
The low-lying shoal, which is set amid extensive coral formations and seagrass beds around 35 kilometres north of Marawah, was named a finalist earlier this week in the New7Wonders of Nature initiative, which aims to identify the most breathtaking areas of nature on the
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 Bu Tinah, a ‘wonder’ in the making
Posted on 05/07/2009
In terms of global prominence, it is nowhere near as well-known as the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand or Yemen's distinctive Socotra archipelago. Yet the Bu Tinah shoals, a tiny cluster of islands 25km from Zirku Island in Abu Dhabi, is leading both its competitors in an online competition to be named as one of the seven new wonders of the world by the New7Wonders Foundation, a non-profit Swiss-based organisation.
Home to rare birds such as the flamingo, as well as turtles, dolphins, dugongs and
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 Mangrove planting drive on Sir Bani Yas island
Posted on 28/01/2009
Over 1,500 mangrove seedlings are being planted on Sir Bani Yas Island, the nature-based destination recently opened to tourists, as part of a visitor pledge by Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), the resort's master developer.
When Sir Bani Yas Island opened to guests last October, TDIC pledged to plant one mangrove for every visitor, ensuring tourists contribute to the preservation of Abu Dhabi's natural resources.
"The pledge has been well received by guests who are all eager
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 Tree planted for every visitor to island
Posted on 22/01/2009
A mangrove seedling will be planted in honour of each of the 1,500 people who have visited Sir Bani Yas Island since the nature reserve was opened to tourists in October.
The trees will be planted to offset the visitors' environmental impact. "If you're familiar with the history of Sir Bani Yas, you'll know it's a unique island with a green history that we have to preserve and protect,” said Lars Nielsen, a spokesman for the Desert Islands project.
"The development of this island comes with
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 A favourite weekend getaway — Sir Bani Yas
Posted on 28/12/2008
It is a long, uneventful journey between Abu Dhabi and Jabel Dhana in Al Gharbia (the Western Region of Abu Dhabi emirate).
The lack of speed cameras tempt taxi drivers to push the accelerator along the 250-km desert highway.
From Marsa Jabel Dhana, there is a short, 15 minutes ferry trip to Sir Bani Yas, the latest tourist destination of UAE.
Already becoming a favourite weekend getaway, the island's first and only (for the time being) hotel, the Desert Islands Resort and Spa is offering
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 Man-made Lulu Island opens to the public
Posted on 13/04/2007
Lulu Island is part perfectly manicured and part rough terrain. The man-made six square kilometre island that stretches from the Abu Dhabi breakwater to the Mina Zayed area has finally opened to the public, years after rumours of its development began.
Boats take visitors from a jetty near the Emirates Heritage Village to Lulu Island, where buses and a little train awaits them to take them around the island.
There are four boats, and each can carry 25 people, as well as a sea bus which
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 Lulu Island opens for public
Posted on 10/04/2007
Lulu Island off the Abu Dhabi coast is officially opened for the public, the Department for Municipalities and Agriculture announced in the capital yesterday.
Saif Al Qubaisi, Assistant Under Secretary for Roads and Technical Services, said: "'The move is an embodiment of the leadership's directives to turn Abu Dhabi into a major global tourism destination offering high quality diverse resort and recreational facilities.”
The objective of the 10-km island development is to create a
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 Delma Island - from a barren land to a charming oasis
Posted on 10/09/2006
The Sharjah-based Arabic daily, "Al Khaleej", on Friday ran an extensive feature on Delma Island of Abu Dhabi. The island, which is located at about 160 kilometres west of the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, is about 10 kilometre long from north to south and 5 kilometre long from east to west.
Being a volcanic island, Delma's terrain is a combination of mountains hills, valleys and plains. It is home to about 6000 people. The island has been inhabited for the past thousands of years, thanks to the
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 Abu Dhabi plans Emirates Pearl
Posted on 29/12/2004
A massive residential and tourist city call Emirates Pearl will be built at a cost of Dh35 billion on an island belonging to Abu Dhabi under an agreement signed between the government of the emirate and a consortium of three companies according to a report published in "Arab News.'
Encompassing an area of five million square meters, Emirates Pearl will be built on Abu Al Sh'oom Island northeast of Dhabi. The consortium includes Malaysia-based BBM, Al Ain based Al Rayan Investment and Abu
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 Abu Dhabi island to be developed in Dh35b project
Posted on 26/12/2004
The Abu Dhabi government will soon embark on a Dh35 billion project to develop one of its islands, according to the developers. The Abu Al Shuoom island, northeast of the capital, will be developed into a city with a raft of facilities including hospitals, schools and hotels.
Three companies, one international and two local, have secured the mandate to undertake the development of the project that is expected to start in the first quarter of 2005. "It will be an important destination for
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![]() Delma Island keeps UAE's self-sufficiency dream alive
Posted on 14/08/2004
In the Arabian Gulf, 200 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi city, Delma Island does not look like a desert strip. Rather, it is as if a giant farm has been torn out of a fertile European country and transferred to Abu Dhabi. Visitors to the island are surprised to see cabbage, cauliflower, onion, cucumber, tomato, melon, pepper, parsley, banana and mango growing here. They are even more surprised to see such trees that are alien to the area as apple, pear, strawberry, fig, almond, grape, orange,
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 Exotic Sir Bani Yas beckons all
Posted on 31/08/2003
The exotic island of Sir Bani Yas has become an attractive destination for tourists from all over the globe. Located 9km off the Jebel Dhanna headland, 170 km west of Abu Dhabi, the island hosts a significant wildlife conservation project and is an important agricultural research centre, where giraffes from Africa and llamas from Peru roam around freely with Oryx and ostriches.
Sir Bani Yas is a nature reserve and has undergone massive land reclamation, plantation, irrigation and wildlife
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 Sir Bani Yas: One Man's Vision: Mideast Magazine
Posted on 09/07/2003
A London-based publication has called President H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan 'a true friend of the earth who has never forgotten his Bedouin roots, for his far-sighted vision to develop the Sir Bani Yas island and commitment to conservation of environment and wildlife. 'Today, Sir Bani Yas island is a significant wildlife conservation project and an important agricultural research centre,' the Middle East magazine reported in its July edition.
The Monthly publication said in an
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