Dubai refers to either one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates onthe Arabian Peninsula,or that  emirate's main city, sometimes called "Dubai City" to distinguish it from the emirate. Dubai is the most populous and  second largest emirate in the federation after Abu Dhabi.

 The annual month-long Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) draws shoppers from the Indian subcontinent and around the world.  Other, smaller shopping festivals, such as "Dubai Summer Surprises" are held throughout the year.

 The city has many malls such as Mall of the Emirates, City Centre, Lamcy Plaza, Al Ghurair City, Mercato Mall, Oasis Centre  and Wafi Centre that have international stores, theaters, gaming arcades, and food courts. Two more shopping malls have  recently opened, the Mall of Emirates, one of the largest malls in the world, which also has the world's third largest indoor ski  slope, and the Ibn Battuta Mall. Soon to overtake the Mall of Emirates as the world's largest will be the Dubai Mall, part of  the  Burj Dubai development that will be home to the tallest building in the world when completed. Dubai currently has two  waterparks in Wonderland and Wild Wadi with more being planned for Dubailand, an entertainment city vaguely planned off  the concept of Disneyland was launched in October 2003.


 Dubai also has a lively and well-known nightlife, with many state-of-the-art nightclubs and bars being strewed in all areas of  the Emirate, mainly joined to hotels (properties not adjoined to hotels are not allowed to serve alcohol). Despite the relatively  early closing time of 3am for these clubs, their trade is brisk