Friday, April 5, 2013

Unusual facts about some of the worlds favourite holiday haunts

By Emily Collins


In terms of its modernism, Dubai is one of the youngest places on the planet. Its swaggering skyline only erupted from the ground over the past few decades, like it's been in some architectural cold war. But this jaw-dropping feat wasn't achieved by the nationals alone.

Less than 20% of the people in Dubai are Emirati nationals, with expats making up the majority of the population. The influx has been so large that the number of people has tripled since 1995, when the figure stood at a mere 700,000. The estimate is now 2.1 million, and even in the face of recession, people still flock there to become a part of the success story.

The population of Morocco is 32 million, similar to that of Canada, though the landmass is more like California's. There is a small Christian and Jewish presence, however Islam is the prevalent religion in the country meaning that most nationals do not drink alcohol. Those that might be tempted will be instantly put off by the 100% domestic booze tax that the government has in place. The country does however have fourteen highly regarded wine regions.

We British love a good cup of tea, and so do the Moroccans! Whilst we prefer black tea, they favour green and have a big variety to choose from. Much like in China, tea ceremonies are common; during these people are shown how to prepare and drink tea correctly. Moroccans have a much sweeter tooth than is common in Britain however, having as many as six lumps of sugar in their tea, so be careful when accepting a cup!

Tunisia is home of the ancient city of Carthage, and once played a very important role in the Mediterranean: it's proximity on the edge of North Africa meant it acted as a hub, with easy access to vital shipping routes. In fact, over the years, the Romans, Arabs, Ottomans, and French all saw Tunisia's strategic significance and used it as a regional vantage point too.




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