Zouérat Islamic Federation

[Charlie_Zane 963]

Wow! I love that whole island shot! Your right, I have a better idea of how crowded it is, but there is still room for some soccer, cricket, tennis and basketball areas!

Loving all of the mosaics!

[elavery 1,013]

You have seen transparent oceans, golden beaches, islands covered in rubbish, bustling islands teeming with people, and an airport island. But now it is time to say farewell to the Mahibadhoos.

Replies:

vivapanda: Unfortunately straight edges are a way of life with SC4.

City_Master: Thanks for visiting! No mosaics today but some good pictures nonetheless.

Today we end our trip to the Mahibadhoos with how we started - a visit to a resort island. Gurabadhoo is an uninhabited island which is popular with tourists who wish to spend a day or two on a 'desert island' and really get away from the world.

I hope you have enjoyed our trip through the Mahibadhoos, we may return again one day. But for now it is time to move on to another member nation of the Zouérat Islamic Federation. Find out which country is next on our travels in the next update!

  Edited July 10, 2012 by elavery  

[Schulmanator 5,810]

Nice stuff... and just when I need a vacation

[simlink 1,098]

Love the foliage, and that beach. Nice!

[Charlie_Zane 963]

That island looks like it should be a desktop background! So realistic!

[Fox 1,444]

Awesome looking islands .. very stunning use of flora.

[SimCoug 5,976]

I like the sandbar look to that island - and your choice of flora fits perfectly. Nice job.

[TheEagle 1]

Some very inspiring work here! I've been thinking a lot about studying abroad in Africa and thought i'd attempt something in that style in simcity tonight. This CJ proves to me that its do-able. Very realistic and beautiful style! Well Done

[petriknl 15]

Woesh! I need a holiday and that looks like the perfect spot for it!

  Edited July 16, 2012 by petriknl  

[vivapanda 422]

I need to go there =D

I would love to see more from the Mahibadhoos, but I trust you'll show us once again something that's even better!

[elavery 1,013]

Replies:

Schulmanator: I need a vacation too!

sim_link: Thanks, I spent a while plopping the flora.

City_Master: Thanks, let me know if you use it as a desktop background.

Fox: Thanks for visiting the Mahibadhoos in both CJ sections of ST.

SimCoug: Thanks, I love your work too.

TheEagle: Almost anything is possible in SC4!

petriknl: Hope you enjoy your holiday in the Mahibadhoos!

vivapanda: I hope you will enjoy the next country as much as you enjoyed the Mahibadhoos.

The Emirate of Dhahran is the wealthiest member of the Zouérat Islamic Federation with an economy based around oil, real estate, and tourism. Dhahran, which is essentially a city-state, lies on the Arabian Gulf and has long been a city of historical importance due to trading routes, pearl diving, and more recently, oil. The earliest settlement known as Dhahran was established in 1833 by Sheikh Maktoum bin Buti al Maktoum who convinced about 800 people to follow him from Saudi Arabia and establish a new settlement. In the 20th century, Dhahran was mostly under British Governance until independence was granted in 1969. The discovery of oil in the 1960s quickly transformed Dhahran from a sleepy fishing village to the modern Emirate it is today. The growth of the Emirate has accelerated at an unprecedented pace over the last 20 years as Dhahran has diversified its economy due to the limited supply of oil. It is often said that a third of the world's construction cranes can be found in Dhahran!

Dhahran General Information

Flag

Official Name: Emirate of Dhahran

Short Name: Dhahran

Demonym: Emirati

Ruler: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Crown Prince: Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Currency: Zouérat Dirham

Official Language: Arabic

Official Religion: Islam

Population: 2,250,000

Nationality: Indian (35%), Emirati (17%), Pakistani (13%), Bangladeshi (8%), Filipino (2.5%), European (2.5%), Sri Lankan (1%), American (1%), Other (20%)

Internet TLD:.dh

Climate

Dhahran has a very hot arid climate. Summers are very hot and humid, with temperatures averaging above 40 degrees Celsius. Winters are warm with an average temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. Rainfall is sparse, Dhahran averages about 250mm of rain per year.

Politics

Dhahran is a Constitutional Monarchy which has been ruled by the Al Maktoum family since 1833. The Emir, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has absolute power over the Emirate.

A couple of preview shots of what is to come.

  Edited July 21, 2012 by elavery  

[simlink 1,098]

Looking good, look forward to more.

[vivapanda 422]

I have seen some Dubai-like CJ's before, I hope you can beat them! Looks good already

[Ace3 1,209]

That is awesome!

I gotta say though, your Emir has a gigantic name

[Charlie_Zane 963]

Now that is awesome!

That building and landscaping is great!

I did use that image as my background all of last week.

[elavery 1,013]

Replies:

sim_link: The wait is over.

vivapanda: There is some stiff competition out there when it comes to Middle Eastern CJs.

10000000000000: Yes, he does have a long name. Everything in Dhahran is bigger and better!

City_Master: I wonder if I will have any desktop images for you this time?

The Emirate of Dhahran has experienced remarkable growth over the last two decades and it is often claimed that Dhahran is the fastest growing city in the history of the planet. One neighbourhood that has been at the forefront of this growth is Jumeirah which up until recently was mostly empty desert and uninhabited beaches. Today, Jumeirah is a fashionable residential neighbourhood where many of the wealthy foreign workers reside, and also a popular tourist hub with numerous hotels and resorts lining the coast.

Burj Al Arab is perhaps the worlds most famous hotel and certainly the most luxurious. At 321 metres it is the fourth tallest hotel in the world and its completion in 1999 officially announed Dhahran to the world. The revolutionary 'sail' design and construction on an artificial island was implemented upon orders of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who wanted the hotel to be iconic.

Upon entering Burj Al Arab, guests are immediately struck by the large atrium which runs the full height of the hotel.

The Burj Al Arab is unique in that every room is a luxury suite, the largest being 780 square metres, the smallest being 169 square metres. Prices of the suites vary from $1,000 per night to $27,000 per night. The Royal Suite is perhaps the most luxurious of them all.

Wild Wadi waterpark is situated on Jumeirah Beach across from Burj Al Arab and is one of the most popular destinations for tourists looking to relieve themselves of the intense heat of Dhahran. Wild Wadi contains numerous swimming pools and boasts the largest water slide outside of North America.

Next to Wild Wadi Water Park is Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Apartments. Built in 1997, Jumeirah Beach Hotel was the first major resort hotel in Dhahran and its wavy design is inspired by the sea and nicely compliments the sail shaped Burj Al Arab. Previously this stretch of Jumeirah Beach was home to floating oil storage tanks and ship wrecking yards so the transformation of the beach is nothing short of remarkable and further shows the growth of the Emirate. The hotel also contains a separate conference center located right in front of the main hotel buildings.

That is all for today, we will continue our tour of the Jumeirah district next time.

[Charlie_Zane 963]

There might be one I have in mind for my desktop

THose amazing beaches! And right next to amusement parks! No sim here will ever get bored!!

[elavery 1,013]

Replies:

City_Master: No one is ever bored in Dhahran!

The neighbourhood of Jumeirah has seen rapid residential growth over the last ten years. Its close proximity to beaches, shopping, and industry have made it very popular with expat workers. Enjoy the suburban monotony of Jumeirah in the mosaic below.

In our next visit to Dhahran we will visit The Mall of the Emirates and the Al Quoz Industrial Area.

[nedal2001 285]

Dubai recreated!

This is excellent work - I love the desert terrain you are using!

[Susaji 523]

Awesome!

[elavery 1,013]

Replies:

nedal2001: Yes, this desert terrain mod is awesome!

Hazani Pratama: Thanks for visiting!

The Mall of the Emirates, located in Al Barsha district next to Sheikh Al Maktoum Road (the major highway of Dhahran), is the second largest shopping mall in the Emirate. It contains 220,000 m² of retail space with 520 stores and 8 anchor stores which include Carrefour, Centrepoint, Debenhams, Harvey Nichols, Jashanmal, Marks & Spencer, Virgin Megastore, and VOX Cinemas,

Shoppers from all over the world travel to Dhahran to enjoy the Mall of the Emirates, and because of this, the mall also contains three five-star hotels. To the left you can see the Westin, and to the right you can see the Pullman Hotel.

The third hotel, The Kempinski Hotel, is located infront of Ski Dhahran.

Emerging out of the hostile desert, Ski Dhahran brings the slopes of Europe to the Middle East and is yet another example of Dhahran defying its location.

With all of the attractions the Mall of the Emirates has to offer, the Al Barsha district has become a very fashionable place to live with new apartment buildings and condos rising up from the desert floor, including some very sizeable skyscrapers.

Even as night falls, the Mall and the wider Al Barsha district is still full of activity.

I hope you have enjoyed today's retail therapy, our next visit will be to the less glamourous Al Quoz Industrial District

[emperordaniel 1,281]

Looks fantastic!

Wait...the place is a constitutional monarchyy...where the monarch has absolute power? How does that work exactly?

[Susaji 523]

Very Amazing

[elavery 1,013]

Replies:

emperordaniel: You raise a good point, it is a constitutional monarchy, but the monarch likes to think that he has absolute power.

Hazani Pratama: Thanks!

At first glance the Emirate of Dhahran may seem to be full of skyscrapers and mansions, but there is much more to this Emirate than meets the eye. Situated close to the Mall of the Emirates and Sheikh Al Maktoum Road is Al Quoz Industrial District.

Al Quoz is one of the biggest industrial hubs in the Middle East and has factories and stores representing most of the world's major companies, including retail stores such as Walmart, Target, and Ikea.

I hope you have found this visit to a less glamourous part of Dhahran interesting. Please join me next time as we return to the Jumeirah waterfront.

[Susaji 523]

Nice Industrial!

[jacksunny 741]

Less glamorous?! Even the industry looks like paradise, great pictures!

[elavery 1,013]

Replies: Thank you everyone for your kind comments!

Covering more than 40 hectares and consisting of 4.5 kilometres of waterways, Madinat Jumeirah is one of the most exclusive resorts in the Emirate of Dhahran. Located adjacent to Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Burj Al Arab, and Wild Wadi Water Park, Madinat Jumeirah is just a 30 minute drive from Dhahran International Airport and a 10 minute drive from Mall of the Emirates.

Opened in 2003, Madinat Jumeirah offers luxury hotels, apartments, shopping and dining to tourists from all over the world. The architecture is Arabian inspired and the underlying concept is to recreate traditional Dhahranian life as it used to be in the days of pearl diving and fishing. The waterways are also home to a turtle sanctuary, reaffirming Dhahran's commitment to the enviroment.

Please join me next time, as our journey to Dhahran will take us to a new district of the city.

  Edited October 6, 2012 by elavery  

[Susaji 523]

Very Amazing Hotel!

[elavery 1,013]

Replies:

Hazani Pratama: Thanks for commenting!

Umm Suqeim is a largely residential neighbourhood which borders Jumeirah. The waterfront district of Umm Suqeim features much less development than Jumeirah, but one project is the Umm Suqeim Fishermen Harbour. Unfortunately the credit crisis which has hit Dhahran bad, has halted construction on this project. In this mosaic below you can see that the harbour has been developed but the rest of the man-made peninsula awaits residential development.

Whilst housing some luxury yachts, this harbour project is also intended for use by the traditional fishermen - a nod to the traditional fish and pearl merchants who were once the backbone of the Emirate before oil.

Please join us next time as we continue our tour of the Umm Suqeim district.

[Authors note: Please accept my apologies for the inactivity of this CJ recently, I had to go to Nigeria for a couple of weeks because of work which put my sim city work behind schedule, I am currently busy working away on Dhahran, but just doing some rather uninteresting suburban and industrial sprawl at the moment.]

[Benedict 3,119]

Nice update - I like the fact that you left some undeveloped area - quite realistic. I like the octagonal shape of the manmade part.