By Design

Dubai. Part of the United Arab Emirates, perhaps ten years ago you might never have heard of it. Today that's unlikely since we are talking about the fastest growing city in the world.

When, in the past, we've mentioned Dubai on the program it has tended to be about the city's architectural curiosities. This after all is the city that has emerged out of a desert, has some of the world's biggest and most attention-grabbing buildings, and has even constructed a group of giant artificial islands off its coast to resemble a map of the world. Australia is there, but missing Tasmania!

In Dubai everything seems possible. A modern-day Las Vegas its growth seems unstoppable. But as foreign workers and tourists continue to flood into Dubai - eight hundred new residents arrive every day - today we're taking time out to look at the realities that is fuelling this city's growth.

Guests

Sally Breen
Associate editor of The Griffith Review whose essay "Desert field of Dreams" appeared in the latest edition, "Cities on the Edge".

Further Information

Griffith Review website:

Presenter

Alan Saunders

Producer

Mark Wakely

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