Dubai helicopter tour desert and sea

Palm Jumeirah

Native name: [1] نخلة جميرا Nickname: The Palm
Satellite view of The Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah Location within the Emirate of Dubai
Geography
Location	Persian Gulf
Coordinates	25°07′05″N 55°08′00″E / 25.11806°N 55.13333°E / 25.11806; 55.13333
Administration
Dubai  United Arab Emirates
Demographics
Population	25,550[2]

The Palm Jumeirah (Arabic: نخلة جميرا) is an archipelago of artificial islands on the Persian Gulf in Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is part of a larger series of developments called the Palm Islands, including Palm Jebel Ali and the Dubai Islands, which, when completed, will together increase Dubai's shoreline by a total of 520 kilometres (320 mi).^[3] It has a population of over 25,000^[4] as of 2022.^[5]

The islands were created using land reclamation. They were created to resemble a palm tree when seen from the air, and are roughly divided into three areas: "trunk", "fronds", and "outer crescent". The trunk is a mixed commercial and residential area, the fronds are reserved for residential homes and villas, while the outer crescent is used for luxury and upscale resorts.^[6]

The Palm Jumeirah was constructed by a Dutch specialist dredging company, Van Oord. The same company also created The World Islands.

Construction of The Palm Jumeirah Dubai island began in June 2001 and the developers announced handover of the first residential units in 2006.^[7]

In October 2007, 75% of the properties were ready to hand over, with 500 families already residing on the island.^[8] By the end of 2009, 28 hotels were opened on the Crescent.^[8]

In 2009, The New York Times reported that NASA's laser altimeter satellites had measured the Palm as sinking at the rate of 5 mm (0.20 in) per year.^[9] In response the developer, Nakheel Properties said they had received no reports of structural problems of a type that would be expected if there were any subsidence, and pointed out that the laser satellites had a measurement resolution of only 50 mm (2.0 in).^[10]

The Palm Jumeirah Monorail is a 5.4-kilometre-long (3.4 mi) monorail connecting the Atlantis Hotel to the Gateway Towers at the foot of the island.^[11][12] The monorail connects The Palm Jumeirah Dubai to the mainland, with a planned further extension to the Red Line of the Dubai Metro.^[13] The line began operating on 30 April 2009.^[14] It is the first monorail in the Middle East.^[15]

According to a study published in the journal Water in 2022, the construction of this island has had an effect on increasing water-soluble materials, changing the spectral profile of water and also increasing the temperature of the water surface around the island.^[16]

The outer breakwater was designed as a continuous barrier, but by preventing natural tidal movement, the seawater within the Palm became stagnant. The breakwater was subsequently modified to create gaps on either side, allowing tidal movement to oxygenate the water within and prevent it from stagnating, albeit less efficiently than would be the case if the breakwater did not exist.^[17][18]

In the summer seasons, jellyfish frequent the beaches surrounding the Palm.^[19] In early 2020, due to the reduction of human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in wildlife, such as dolphins, around The Palm Jumeirah was observed.^[20]

After launching the project, it was revealed that the developer increased the number of residential units on the island (with a concomitant reduction in the amount of physical space between individual properties) from the originally announced 4,500 (comprising 2,000 villas purchased early in the expectation of greater separation between properties^[21]). This increase was attributed to the developer miscalculating the actual cost of construction and requiring the raising of additional capital, although they had never commented publicly on the matter.^{[citation needed]} The New York Times reported in 2009 that many people had bought houses before they were built and are furious about the space available now and the way they seem to be living on top of each other.^[9]

Palm Jumeirah has a varied array of buildings, ranging from townhouses to hotels to apartments and villas. The apartments are mostly concentrated on the Trunk, while the Fronds are bordered with villas.

Apartments range in size from 375 to 11,774 square feet (34.8 to 1,093.8 m²), from studios to 6-bedroom layouts. Each apartment normally has a large living space, en-suite bathrooms, fitted kitchens, and balconies or patios.

The community has villas with sizes between 4,000 and 35,000 square feet (370 and 3,250 m²) ranging from 2 to 10 bedrooms. There is direct beach access from these villas, which range in style from classic Arabic designs to modern high-tech alternatives.^[22]

• Grigory Anikeev, one of the wealthiest deputies of the Russian State Duma, bought a $13 million penthouse apartment in the Serenia Residences of Palm Jumeirah in March 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[23]
• Mykola Zlochevskiy, a Ukrainian oil and natural gas businessman and oligarch who was Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources in the Viktor Yanukovych administration, owns two apartments in the W Residences worth $11 million.^[24] Ukrainian authorities accused Zlochevskiy of embezzlement, leading him to plead guilty while transferring ownership of the properties to his daughter.^[24]
• Balvinder Singh Sahni, Indian businessman^[25]
• Joseph Johannes Leijdekkers, a Dutchman who goes by the name 'Chubby Jos', and is on European Union's Most Wanted List for alleged narcotics trafficking, is a resident in the Grandeur Residences of Palm Jumeirah.^[26]
• Danilo Vunjao Santana Gouveia, a Brazilian who goes by Dubaiano, and was indicted in Brazil for fraud and moneylaundering in relation to a Bitcoin pyramid scheme, is a resident in the Palm Tower Dubai.^[26][27]
• Obaid Khanani, a Pakistani national who was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2016 for alleged moneylaundering for drug traffickers and organized crime groups, is a resident in Five Palm Jumeirah.^[27]
• The ruling Aliyev family of Azerbaijan owns multiple properties in the Palm Jumeirah.^[28][29]
• Samuele Landi, an Italian fugitive businessperson, owns a villa in the Palm Jumeirah.^[30]
• Rasul Danialzadeh, an Iranian steel magnate sentenced to 16 years in prison for bribery, owns a villa in the Palm Jumeirah.^[31]

As of 2024, The Palm Jumeirah Dubai has around 30 hotels, located in the trunk and outer crescent of the palm.

• Adagio Premium The Palm
• Andaz Dubai The Palm
• Cheval Maison The Palm Dubai
• Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel^[32]
• Fairmont The Palm
• FIVE Palm Jumeirah Hotel
• Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah
• Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah Dubai
• NH Collection Dubai The Palm
• Radisson Beach Resort Palm Jumeirah
• The St. Regis Dubai The Palm
• Voco Dubai The Palm

• Aloft Palm Jumeirah^[33]
• Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
• Atlantis, The Palm
• Atlantis The Royal, Dubai^[34]
• C Central Resort The Palm
• Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
• Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah
• One&Only The Palm
• Raffles The Palm Dubai
• Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites
• Royal Central Hotel The Palm
• Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa
• Taj Exotica Resort & Spa The Palm Dubai
• Th8 Palm Dubai Beach Resort, Vignette Collection^[35][36]
• The Retreat Palm Dubai, MGallery by Sofitel
• W Dubai The Palm
• Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah^[37]
• Wyndham Residences The Palm

• Al Ittihad Park
• Choi Bar
• Club Vista Mare
• Golden Mile Galleria
• Nakheel Mall^[38]
• Palm Views West and East
• The Boardwalk

• Palm Islands
• The World (archipelago)
• The Universe (Dubai)
• Tourism in Dubai
• Palm Grandeur
• Jumeirah Islands
• The Taj Exotica Hotel & Resort
• Longshore drift

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Palm Jumeirah Dubai.

• The Palm Islands Multimedia website
• The Palm Tower website

Tourism in the United Arab Emirates is an important part of the Emirati economy. In 2023, the tourism sector employed 809,300 people^[1] and contributed 220 billion dirham to the national gross domestic product (GDP), accounting for 12% of it.^[2] In 2024, the UAE was the 6th destination globally by international tourism receipts according to the World Tourism rankings,^[3] and it ranked 18th globally in the Travel and Tourism Development Index.^[4]

The country's major tourist attractions include the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, and Al Hajar Mountains in Fujairah.^{[5][citation needed]}

When the country was first formed in 1971 and freed from British control, the country itself did not have any sufficient tourist industry and the economic situation of the newly established nation was weak, despite massive oil wealth. Realizing the need to develop the country, and the awareness of oil limits, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who initiated the foundation of the UAE, envisioned the plan to diversify the country's economy, in which tourism was specifically regarded.^[6] The envision was eventually carried out, and in 1979, Sheikh Zayed opened the country's first-ever hotel, the Metropolitan Hotel Dubai located in Dubai.^[7]

The development of tourism in the United Arab Emirates was heavily linked to the development of tourism in Dubai, which was one of the earliest emirates in the country to open for tourists. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai from 1958 till 1990, realised one day Dubai would run out of oil and started building an economy that would outlast it.^[8] Sheikh Rashid, together with Sheikh Zayed, was the instrumental leaders of leading the country's tourism, having made a joint declaration for the founding of the Emirates.^[9] In 1989 the Dubai Commerce and Tourism Promotion Board was established, to promote Dubai as a luxury destination for the up-tier market and influential business sectors. In January 1997, it was replaced with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).^[10]

Since 2000s, the United Arab Emirates have experienced a significant tourist boom, and increasing life standard and quality made the expenditure on tourism to rise, thus making it more important to the national economy.^[11][12]

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and is the second most popular tourist destination in the country, under the management of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.^[13] This is also the center of Formula One race in the country, the Yas Marina Circuit. Nonetheless, the city is also famous for its landscapes, given its proximity to the Persian Gulf. There are over ten beaches functioning in the city serving for tourist purpose.^[14] The city is popular for its nightlife, more so than the more populous Dubai as it has lesser restriction and regular laws.^[15] Abu Dhabi will become the home of Disneyland Abu Dhabi, the first Disney theme park in the Middle East.^[16]