Paying homage to the residents of the UAE and why we love this magical place…

As part of the celebration of 45 magical years as the country’s first English language magazine, we asked 45 of our readers to tell us what they’ve loved most about living in the UAE.

Whether you have been in the country for a few weeks or a few decades, we wanted hear the things that make you happy to call this place home.

Here are 45 people and the 45 reasons why they all love the UAE. 

Desmond from Cameroon

YEARS IN THE UAE: 6 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The hospitality and security make the UAE the place for me.

Thalia from Philippines

YEARS IN THE UAE: 24 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The UAE is more than just skyscrapers and gold souks. It’s always changing and I’m proud to have grown up here. With Ras Al Khaimah’s mountains, Fujairah’s wadis and Dubai’s deserts, I love that we get to explore so many different landscapes.

Karen from Philippines

YEARS IN THE UAE: 15 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I love the UAE because it provides a wide range of opportunities, safe environment and excellent amenities.

Ryan from Philippines

YEARS IN THE UAE: 17 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: Everything here is worth the life, it’s the safest place.

Greyzie from Philippines

YEARS IN THE UAE: 8 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The UAE has provided a space for me to put ideas into action, to meet and collaborate with diverse people.

Dianne from Phillipines

YEARS IN THE UAE: 3 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The UAE has opened so many doors for me. I have seen another version of myself, I have learned so many things and I am excited to learn more in this beautiful country.

Fatima from Philippines

YEARS IN THE UAE: 18 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: It makes me feel safe no matter where I go. It is a country with great leaders who care for the well-being of their people regardless of nationality.

Ryan from India

YEARS IN THE UAE: 33 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The safety, progressiveness, leadership and the way the country evolves with the times.

Lakshmi from India

YEARS IN THE UAE: 23 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: Growing up in the UAE was a special experience and gave me the chance to form connections and grow alongside friends who are beautiful inside and out.

Cian from India

YEARS IN THE UAE: over 23 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I’ve been here my whole life and have fallen in love with the UAE. It has everything. From safety to the hospitality hotspots and it also has a gorgeous nature aspect to unwind in. There’s no place I’d rather be.

Caroline from India

YEARS IN THE UAE: over 10 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The country gives me everything – safety, education, career prospects, and opportunity for entrepreneurial endeavours. Our kind rulers always think about the people and welcome every nationality.

Alba from India

YEARS IN THE UAE: 30 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: Seeing it change over the years, the growth story and the culture.

Deepa from India

YEARS IN THE UAE: 55 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: It’s my home. Born and brought up here, I’ve seen the city grow from desert to a modern city with world-class safety and luxury. My entire life through to my retirement, what more can I ask from my homeland, not on paper but in my heart.

Monika from Slovakia

YEARS IN THE UAE: 1 year
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I love the city vibe, the opportunities, the people and of course the food.

Lousin from France

YEARS IN THE UAE: 7 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: We decided to move here when we found out our son had a terminal illness. Because his life expectancy is short, we decided to give him the best possible life and create memories, and we are so grateful that Dubai is the place where we get to do that. It’s the best place on earth.

Selma from France

YEARS IN THE UAE: 14 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I consider the UAE as my forever home, I love it for the safety, the opportunities and the fact that we can all live peacefully together.

Lynden from Canada

YEARS IN THE UAE: 3 months
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I love the safety, the culture, the food and the people here. I love how beautiful the country.

Wajiha from Canada

YEARS IN THE UAE: 27 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The attention to progress is immaculate, the focus on just being better at everything is part of the air in the country. The feeling of landing at Terminal 3 is unmatched, it’s a like a sigh of relief when you’re entering your home.

Lara from Canada

YEARS IN THE UAE: 7.5 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: For me, it’s actually the simple things I love the most. The freedom to walk around as a woman, to choose how we spend our days. Everyone is welcome and embraced with open arms and leave their mark on the city.

Nouran from Egypt

YEARS IN THE UAE: 11 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: It’s full of activities and you can never be bored in the UAE. From nightlife to luxurious resorts, it lacks nothing.

Melek from Turkey

YEARS IN THE UAE: 7 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: For the past seven years my focus has been me and my personal growth because the UAE takes care of the rest. Everything is in order in this country.

Mila from Ukraine

YEARS IN THE UAE: 2 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I am grateful for the country’s services and safety.

Susan from Australia

YEARS IN THE UAE: 9 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I love the UAE for its supportive business environment that allowed us to launch our own business successfully.

Selma from German

YEARS IN THE UAE: 10 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: Kindness, generosity, and compassion are all key components of the UAE, and I love being able to contribute a little to spreading kindness.

Mariam from Pakistan

YEARS IN THE UAE: 14 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The inexplicable sense of belonging to this beautiful country.

Mahvish from Pakistan

YEARS IN THE UAE: 10 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: It’s diverse and vibrant

Ulyana from Russia

YEARS IN THE UAE: 2 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: Everything, I love the city, the sea, people and the hospitality.

Elnara from Azerbaijan

YEARS IN THE UAE: 15 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I love the UAE and the comfort that it brings.

Pio from Sri Lanka

YEARS IN THE UAE: Less than a year
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The opportunities it provides.

Unknown from United Kingdom

YEARS IN THE UAE: 15 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The safety, ease of life, lots to do and see and it is multicultural and diverse.

Zara from United Kingdom

YEARS IN THE UAE: 16 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I’ve grown up here and met friends who I still talk to even after we all went our separate ways for university. Even when I’m outside the UAE I still feel connected to it, and obviously the sunny days are a plus.

Rochelle White from United Kingdom

YEARS IN THE UAE: 7 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The mix of nationalities, everyone being in the same boat and supporting each other. The amazing lifestyle we have, being able to go to beach after work or explore hidden gems.

Romy from Netherlands

YEARS IN THE UAE: 15 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The weather and nature are gorgeous, the Arab culture is so welcoming and the food is delicious.

Amaka from Nigeria

YEARS IN THE UAE: 22 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The chance to embrace your own culture more deeply while also learning about 200 other cultures. Tasting any cuisine imaginable and becoming a better member of society.

Zainab from Nigeria

YEARS IN THE UAE: 7 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I love the comfort that the country brings.

Hoda from USA

YEARS IN THE UAE: 8 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I appreciate the safety measures and country’s ability to handle every situation adeptly. I am truly grateful to be here and raise my family in Dubai.

Megan from South Africa

YEARS IN THE UAE: 9 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I love the country because it’s safe.

Liezil from South Africa

YEARS IN THE UAE: 10 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I love the safety and security the country provides and the freedom to travel just about anywhere in the world as it’s a good travel hub.

Terje from Estonia

YEARS IN THE UAE: 10 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: It’s always warm and super safe.

Serge from Lebanon

YEARS IN THE UAE: 10 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: The UAE is the land of convenience and peace of mind. It’s like they’ve got a special sauce that makes life easier and more chill. The infrastructure game is on lock – getting around is a breeze. We have world-class everything at our fingertips.

Michelle from Zimbabwe

YEARS IN THE UAE: 4 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I am enamoured by the kindness and passion of its people, who warmly welcome visitors. The government is forward thinking and the strong sense of community fosters truly remarkable connections and belonging.

Bruna from Brazil

YEARS IN THE UAE: 10 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: Because of its ‘biggest in the world’ lifestyle and the endless choices of entertainment all year round.

Farida from Canada

YEARS IN THE UAE: 23 years
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I find tremendous inspiration across the emirates. From hiking trips to Fujairah, fabric shops in Satwa and art-filled events in Abu Dhabi inspire me. The UAE is more than my home, it is my life.

Kritika from India

YEARS IN THE UAE: 24
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: I moved to the UAE as a one-year old and have seen the country transform into what it is today.

Nisha from India

YEARS IN THE UAE: 48
WHY I LOVE THE UAE: My birthplace. My entire education has been in this country and the same even for my husband. We met in Dubai school and have now settled here.

Fun statistics on reasons why

These are some of the top reasons why you love the UAE:

38 per cent of people mentioned safety
22 per cent talked about opportunity
20 per cent talked about community or multiculturism
16 per cent talked referenced food

Images: Unsplash