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Video: A Timelapse of Dubai’s Astonishing Growth

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Dubai’s transformation from a fishing village to a global real estate hub has been nothing short of remarkable. From having the world’s tallest building to man-made islands in the shape of a world map, the U.A.E.’s most populous city has never shied away from ambitious construction projects.

Today’s motion graphic video, from Knight Frank, is a unique overview of Dubai’s half-century long growth spurt.

Ambition into Action

Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, summed up the ambition of his people in a quote:

Dubai will never settle for anything less than first place.

Indeed, the city’s economic growth has been nearly unparalleled over the past two decades. Unlike neighboring emirates, Dubai had a modest supply of oil and knew that diversifying their economy would be vital for future success.

As oil production leveled off in the early 1990s, the tourism industry ramped up. In 2002, reforms allowed foreigners to own real estate and that industry boomed overnight. Today, oil accounts for a minuscule 1% of Dubai’s GDP.

As the Middle East begins looking toward a post-oil economy, Dubai’s success provides an obvious example for other cities in the region to mimic.

Sky High Ambition

In addition to quirky attractions like the 250,000 sqft indoor ski hill, the desert city boasts a number of record-setting projects:

  • World’s tallest building – Burj Khalifa
  • World’s tallest hotel – JW Marriott Marquis Hotel
  • World’s largest shopping center – Dubai Mall
  • World’s largest indoor theme park – IMG Worlds of Adventure
  • World’s Busiest Airport (International Travelers) – Dubai International Airport
  • World’s longest fully automated metro network – Dubai Metro

Though Dubai is full of blockbuster development projects, the city’s urban form is perhaps best known for one specific attribute: height. For a city of only 3.0 million people, Dubai has a remarkable number of skyscrapers. In fact, the city trails only New York and Shanghai for the number of buildings taller than 150m (492ft).

dubai tower chart

For context, during the period of 2007–2014 Dubai essentially kept pace with high-rise development in the United States as a whole. (Dubai’s population is 0.9% the size of the United States.)

The B Word

Just as Dubai was hitting its stride, the global financial crisis blew in and choked the pipeline of money flowing into the growing city. In 2009, headlines around the world proclaimed that Dubai’s real estate bubble had finally burst.

Though the financial crisis was a setback, the city’s development industry has recovered admirably. Going into 2017, there were 11,600 active projects worth over $800 billion. As well, Expo 2020 is expected to add fuel to the twin engines of Dubai’s economy: real estate development and tourism.

With the U.A.E. set to further relax foreign ownership roles, the city’s economic prospects remain as sunny as its weather forecast.

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Misc

Charted: Car Brand Loyalty in 2024

This ranking of car brand loyalty shows what percentage of owners would buy from the same brand for their next vehicle.

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Car Brand Loyalty in 2024

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

This graphic visualizes the best and worst car brands in terms of brand loyalty. This is measured by the % of current owners who would buy from the same brand for their next vehicle.

Data comes from Consumer Reports’ owner satisfaction survey, which includes responses from owners of more than 330,000 vehicles.

Car Brands With the Most Loyal Customers

Rivian takes the top spot in this ranking, with 86% of owners saying they would buy from the brand again. The EV startup has carved an interesting niche for itself with its outdoor adventure-focused models, and despite several recalls, appears to have won the hearts of its early customers.

Company% who would buy again
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Rivian86
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Mini77
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ BMW76
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Porsche76
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Tesla74
πŸ‡°πŸ‡· Genesis73
πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ Lexus73
πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ Subaru70

It’s interesting to note that Tesla held the #1 spot in last year’s ranking.

Car Brands With the Least Loyal Customers

At the other end of the spectrum we have brands with the least loyal customers, suggesting that owners are less satisfied with their purchase.

Company% who would buy again
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Cadillac61
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Chrysler60
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Mercedes-Benz59
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Audi59
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Jeep58
πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ Nissan55
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Volkswagen51
πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ Infiniti43

At the bottom of this table is Nissan’s luxury marque, Infiniti, with only 43% of owners saying they would revisit the brand for their next car.

Infiniti dealerships are aware of this alarming trend, and have attributed it to the brand’s aging lineup. In a recent interview, Steve Lapin, Chairman of the Infiniti National Dealer Advisory Board, said: β€œProduct is king. Infiniti doesn’t have the right products right now to compete in the marketplace.”

Interested in learning more about the automotive industry? Check out this graphic, which ranks the world’s top 10 exporters of automotive products.

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