DUBAI // The quality of life in the UAE is the fourth best in the world, according to a new index.
The Emirates followed Switzerland, Germany and Norway in the index published by the user-generated website Numbeo.
The results were compiled from information provided by more than 40,000 people worldwide, including more than 100 from the UAE.
The UAE's position was buoyed by the highest purchasing power of the 51 countries surveyed.
"I would say that, based on this, it is most likely a very nice place to live," said Mladen Adamovic, the founder of Numbeo.
The United States ranked 12th and Britain 18th.
The index was compiled using a formula based on a variety of other indices, such as purchasing power, health care, consumer pricing, house price to income and pollution.
The results differ markedly from other similar indices. In last year's quality of life survey by the human-resources consultancy Mercer, Dubai and Abu Dhabi ranked 74th and 78th respectively out of 221 cities, while International Living magazine put the UAE 144th of 194 countries, below revolution-hit Egypt and Tunisia, as well as impoverished Uganda and Mongolia. The previous year, the same magazine put the Emirates below even North Korea.
Mr Adamovic, a former Google software engineer, said it was unclear how the other indices had reached their conclusions.
"Many times it's not clear what methodology these websites are using," he said.
"Numbeo works in a similar way to Wikipedia, and the community is quite strong. We never say that the information is 100 per cent correct. However, we feel that it is reliable enough to be used for other research."
Edward Twaite, regional director of the global recruitment specialists Menasa and Partners, said the UAE was still well regarded by job seekers.
"People come here for the tax-free salary, the weather and the lifestyle," he said. "That adds up to making it one of the most popular places in the world to work."
mcroucher@thenational.ae
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
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Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
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Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
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Don’ts
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Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
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Disclaimer
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