United Arab Emirates

Actually true

• It really did transform from desert to global city in decades

  Dubai was a modest trading port before oil revenue and free-trade policy reshaped it from the 1970s onward.

• It's one of the most multicultural places on Earth

  Foreign residents make up the large majority of the population, from South Asia, the Philippines, Europe and beyond.

• The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world

  It has held the record since 2010 at over 828 metres.

• Falconry and desert culture persist alongside the skyscrapers

  Traditional souks, camel racing and falcon markets still operate a short drive from glass towers.

Commonly believed, wrong

• "The whole country is just Dubai"

  The UAE is seven emirates; Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah each have distinct character.

• "It's only shopping malls and skyscrapers"

  The Hajar Mountains, desert dunes and mangrove reserves offer very different landscapes.

• "There's no real culture, only money"

  Al Fahidi's old quarter, pearling museums and Bedouin heritage sites preserve a much older identity.

• "It never rains or gets cool"

  Winter months bring mild, pleasant temperatures, and the mountains occasionally see light rain.