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Palm Jumeirah

Native name: [1] نخلة جميرا Nickname: The Palm
Satellite view of The Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah Location within the Emirate of Dubai
Geography
Location	Persian Gulf
Coordinates	25°07′05″N 55°08′00″E / 25.11806°N 55.13333°E / 25.11806; 55.13333
Administration
Dubai  United Arab Emirates
Demographics
Population	25,550[2]

The Palm Jumeirah (Arabic: نخلة جميرا) is an archipelago of artificial islands on the Persian Gulf in Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is part of a larger series of developments called the Palm Islands, including Palm Jebel Ali and the Dubai Islands, which, when completed, will together increase Dubai's shoreline by a total of 520 kilometres (320 mi).^[3] It has a population of over 25,000^[4] as of 2022.^[5]

The islands were created using land reclamation. They were created to resemble a palm tree when seen from the air, and are roughly divided into three areas: "trunk", "fronds", and "outer crescent". The trunk is a mixed commercial and residential area, the fronds are reserved for residential homes and villas, while the outer crescent is used for luxury and upscale resorts.^[6]

The Palm Jumeirah was constructed by a Dutch specialist dredging company, Van Oord. The same company also created The World Islands.

Construction of The Palm Jumeirah Dubai island began in June 2001 and the developers announced handover of the first residential units in 2006.^[7]

In October 2007, 75% of the properties were ready to hand over, with 500 families already residing on the island.^[8] By the end of 2009, 28 hotels were opened on the Crescent.^[8]

In 2009, The New York Times reported that NASA's laser altimeter satellites had measured the Palm as sinking at the rate of 5 mm (0.20 in) per year.^[9] In response the developer, Nakheel Properties said they had received no reports of structural problems of a type that would be expected if there were any subsidence, and pointed out that the laser satellites had a measurement resolution of only 50 mm (2.0 in).^[10]

The Palm Jumeirah Monorail is a 5.4-kilometre-long (3.4 mi) monorail connecting the Atlantis Hotel to the Gateway Towers at the foot of the island.^[11][12] The monorail connects The Palm Jumeirah Dubai to the mainland, with a planned further extension to the Red Line of the Dubai Metro.^[13] The line began operating on 30 April 2009.^[14] It is the first monorail in the Middle East.^[15]

According to a study published in the journal Water in 2022, the construction of this island has had an effect on increasing water-soluble materials, changing the spectral profile of water and also increasing the temperature of the water surface around the island.^[16]

The outer breakwater was designed as a continuous barrier, but by preventing natural tidal movement, the seawater within the Palm became stagnant. The breakwater was subsequently modified to create gaps on either side, allowing tidal movement to oxygenate the water within and prevent it from stagnating, albeit less efficiently than would be the case if the breakwater did not exist.^[17][18]

In the summer seasons, jellyfish frequent the beaches surrounding the Palm.^[19] In early 2020, due to the reduction of human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in wildlife, such as dolphins, around The Palm Jumeirah was observed.^[20]

After launching the project, it was revealed that the developer increased the number of residential units on the island (with a concomitant reduction in the amount of physical space between individual properties) from the originally announced 4,500 (comprising 2,000 villas purchased early in the expectation of greater separation between properties^[21]). This increase was attributed to the developer miscalculating the actual cost of construction and requiring the raising of additional capital, although they had never commented publicly on the matter.^{[citation needed]} The New York Times reported in 2009 that many people had bought houses before they were built and are furious about the space available now and the way they seem to be living on top of each other.^[9]

Palm Jumeirah has a varied array of buildings, ranging from townhouses to hotels to apartments and villas. The apartments are mostly concentrated on the Trunk, while the Fronds are bordered with villas.

Apartments range in size from 375 to 11,774 square feet (34.8 to 1,093.8 m²), from studios to 6-bedroom layouts. Each apartment normally has a large living space, en-suite bathrooms, fitted kitchens, and balconies or patios.

The community has villas with sizes between 4,000 and 35,000 square feet (370 and 3,250 m²) ranging from 2 to 10 bedrooms. There is direct beach access from these villas, which range in style from classic Arabic designs to modern high-tech alternatives.^[22]

• Grigory Anikeev, one of the wealthiest deputies of the Russian State Duma, bought a $13 million penthouse apartment in the Serenia Residences of Palm Jumeirah in March 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[23]
• Mykola Zlochevskiy, a Ukrainian oil and natural gas businessman and oligarch who was Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources in the Viktor Yanukovych administration, owns two apartments in the W Residences worth $11 million.^[24] Ukrainian authorities accused Zlochevskiy of embezzlement, leading him to plead guilty while transferring ownership of the properties to his daughter.^[24]
• Balvinder Singh Sahni, Indian businessman^[25]
• Joseph Johannes Leijdekkers, a Dutchman who goes by the name 'Chubby Jos', and is on European Union's Most Wanted List for alleged narcotics trafficking, is a resident in the Grandeur Residences of Palm Jumeirah.^[26]
• Danilo Vunjao Santana Gouveia, a Brazilian who goes by Dubaiano, and was indicted in Brazil for fraud and moneylaundering in relation to a Bitcoin pyramid scheme, is a resident in the Palm Tower Dubai.^[26][27]
• Obaid Khanani, a Pakistani national who was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2016 for alleged moneylaundering for drug traffickers and organized crime groups, is a resident in Five Palm Jumeirah.^[27]
• The ruling Aliyev family of Azerbaijan owns multiple properties in the Palm Jumeirah.^[28][29]
• Samuele Landi, an Italian fugitive businessperson, owns a villa in the Palm Jumeirah.^[30]
• Rasul Danialzadeh, an Iranian steel magnate sentenced to 16 years in prison for bribery, owns a villa in the Palm Jumeirah.^[31]

As of 2024, The Palm Jumeirah Dubai has around 30 hotels, located in the trunk and outer crescent of the palm.

• Adagio Premium The Palm
• Andaz Dubai The Palm
• Cheval Maison The Palm Dubai
• Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel^[32]
• Fairmont The Palm
• FIVE Palm Jumeirah Hotel
• Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah
• Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah Dubai
• NH Collection Dubai The Palm
• Radisson Beach Resort Palm Jumeirah
• The St. Regis Dubai The Palm
• Voco Dubai The Palm

• Aloft Palm Jumeirah^[33]
• Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
• Atlantis, The Palm
• Atlantis The Royal, Dubai^[34]
• C Central Resort The Palm
• Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
• Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah
• One&Only The Palm
• Raffles The Palm Dubai
• Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites
• Royal Central Hotel The Palm
• Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa
• Taj Exotica Resort & Spa The Palm Dubai
• Th8 Palm Dubai Beach Resort, Vignette Collection^[35][36]
• The Retreat Palm Dubai, MGallery by Sofitel
• W Dubai The Palm
• Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah^[37]
• Wyndham Residences The Palm

• Al Ittihad Park
• Choi Bar
• Club Vista Mare
• Golden Mile Galleria
• Nakheel Mall^[38]
• Palm Views West and East
• The Boardwalk

• Palm Islands
• The World (archipelago)
• The Universe (Dubai)
• Tourism in Dubai
• Palm Grandeur
• Jumeirah Islands
• The Taj Exotica Hotel & Resort
• Longshore drift

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Palm Jumeirah Dubai.

• The Palm Islands Multimedia website
• The Palm Tower website

Dubai Creek خُوْر دُبَيّ
Abras on the creek
Details
Location	Dubai,  United Arab Emirates
Coordinates	25°15′21″N 55°19′0″E / 25.25583°N 55.31667°E / 25.25583; 55.31667
Length	Total 24 kilometres (15 mi) of which natural length is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi)
North end	Al Shindagha
South end	Beach of Jumeirah

Dubai Creek (Arabic: خُوْر دُبَيّ, romanized: Khūr Dubayy) is a natural saltwater creek in Dubai. It extends about 9 miles (14 km) inwards and forms a natural port that has traditionally been used for trade and transport.^[1] The creek ranges from 200 to 1,200 metres (660 to 3,940 ft) in width while the average depth is about 6.5 to 7 metres (21 to 23 ft). Previously, it extended to Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary but as part of the new Business Bay Canal and Dubai Canal, it extends a further 13 km (8.1 mi)^[2] to the Persian Gulf.^[3]

In the 1950s, extensive development of the creek began, including dredging and construction of breakwaters. A number of bridges allow movement of vehicles across the creek while abras are used as taxis. The banks and route alongside the creek houses notable government, business and residential areas. A number of tourist locations and hotels are situated along the creek. The Dubai Creek, a vital waterway in the heart of the city, plays a significant role in Dubai's growth by handling the passage of more than 13,000 ships annually. As a major artery for maritime trade, it supports the city's commercial operations. Enhancements to the Creek's infrastructure are being made through a project aimed at improving safety and security measures for maritime traffic and commercial activities. These improvements are expected to strengthen the city's role as a regional hub for trade and ensure smoother, more secure operations for the numerous ships passing through each year.^[4]

The creek in 1964

The creek in 2007

Historically, the creek divided the city into two main sections – Deira and Bur Dubai. It was along the Bur Dubai creek area that members of the Bani Yas tribe first settled in the 19th century, establishing the Al Maktoum dynasty in the city.^[5] In the early 20th century, the creek, though incapable then of supporting large scale transportation, served as a minor port for dhows coming from as far away as India or East Africa. Although it impeded the entry of ships due to current flow, the creek remained an important element in establishing the commercial position of Dubai, being the only port or harbour in the city.^[6] Dubai's pearling industry, which formed the main sector of the city's economy, was based primarily on expeditions in the creek, prior to the invention of cultured pearls in the 1930s. Fishing, also an important industry at the time, was also based along the creek, whose warm and shallow waters supported a wide variety of marine life. Dhows used for purposes of fishing were also built on the foreshore of the creek.^[7]

The importance of the creek as a site of commercial activity was a justification to introduce improvements to allow larger vessels to transit, as well as to facilitate loading and unloading activities. This led, in 1955, to a plan to develop the creek, which involved dredging shallow areas, building of breakwaters, and developing its beach to become a quay suitable for loading and unloading of cargo.^[8] The creek was first dredged in 1961 to permit 7-foot (2.1 m) draft vessels to cross through the creek at all times.^[9] The creek was dredged again in the 1960s and 1970s so that it could offer anchorage for local and coastal shipping of up to about 500 tons.^[10] The dredging opened up the creek to much more continuous traffic of merchandise, including the development of re-export, and gave Dubai an advantage over Sharjah, the other dominant trading centre in the region at the time.^[10]

Al Maktoum Bridge, the first bridge connecting Bur Dubai and Deira was constructed in 1963. Although the importance of the creek as a port has diminished with the development of the Jebel Ali Port, smaller facilities, such as Port Saeed, continue to exist along the creek, providing porting to traders from the region and the subcontinent.

In September 2007, a Dhs. 484 million (US$ 132 million) extension of the creek was finished, which now ends just south of the Metropolitan Hotel and projects on Shaikh Zayed Road. A final 2.2-kilometre extension, called the Dubai Water Canal was inaugurated 9 November 2016, crossing Shaikh Zayed Road in a northerly route, passing through Safa Park and then through Jumeirah 2. The channel is expected to continue through Jumeirah Beach Park where it will reach the shores of the Persian Gulf.^[11] The extension is part of the Dubai's Business Bay development. Additionally, a new project consisting of seven islands known as Dubai Creek Harbour was proposed to be built on Dubai Creek. The centerpiece of this project would be the Dubai Creek Tower, which is set to become the tallest building in the world. Three additional bridges are being planned for Dubai Creek, which are the Seventh Crossing, the Al Shindagha Bridge, and the Fifth Bridge.^[12][13]

The Dubai Festival City Mall on Dubai Creek opened in 2007. Mohammed Bin Rashid Library is being built in the Al Jaddaf area on the Creek. Dhows are constructed in this area too on the bankside. The Green Line of the Dubai Metro terminates at the Dubai Creek metro station. Close to this metro station is the Al Jaddaf Marine Station, operating ferries on the Creek, including across the Creek to the Dubai Festival City Mall.

The Dubai Creek Harbour development is set to launch in 2025, home to Dubai Creek Tower, with residential units and parks constructed.^[14]

The creek's initial inlet into mainland Dubai is along the areas of Deira Corniche and Al Ras in eastern Dubai and along the area of Al Shindagha in western Dubai. It then progresses south-eastward through the mainland, passing through Port Saeed and Dubai Creek Park. The creek's natural ending is at the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from its origin at the Persian Gulf. The traditional form of transport between the eastern and western sections of Dubai via the creek was through abras, which continue to operate in Dubai. In addition, the eastern and western sections are linked via four bridges (Al Maktoum Bridge, Al Garhoud Bridge, Business Bay Crossing, and Floating Bridge) and one tunnel (Al Shindagha Tunnel).

• 
  Original route of Dubai Creek is highlighted in blue. The new extension is highlighted in red.
• 
  Coast of Dubai from the International Space Station. Dubai Creek is visible.
• 
  Dubai International Airport and Dubai Creek figure prominently in this photograph from the International Space Station.