Where is the Burj Khalifa tower: city and country

Mankind has long wanted to climb to heaven, and the sad fate of the builders of the Tower of Babel does not cool the fervor of their followers. From the moment when the erection of skyscrapers has become technically possible, different countries and cities periodically compete, determining whose construction is the highest. For 5 years now (since 2010), the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai is the owner of the record: a 164-storey building with a height of 828 meters is a difficult sample for reproduction.

The grandiose construction

The ambitious plan to build the highest building in the world appeared in 2002, and in 2004 the construction site started moving quickly: in a week 1-2 floors were built, and it was supposed that the opening will take place on September 9, 2009 (apparently, the creators were inspired by three nines in Date), but the person assumes, but God disposes.

However, the builders did not have time, and the solemn event had to be postponed to January 4 next year. Originally, the tower of the Burj Khalifa was called simply "Dubai", but in the process of opening, the UAE Prime Minister said that he was dedicating it to the president, Sheikh Khalif ibn Zayed Al Nahyan, and named it by which they know it today.

In the process of erection, the final height of the building was kept secret. The project, designed by the American architect E. Smith, made it possible to vary the height of the spire, so the creators practically did not risk: if a competitor appeared, the Burj Khalifa tower would simply grow several meters.

Expensive pleasure

A grandiose construction of one and a half billion American dollars cost itself - but this amount, apparently, could have been much larger if the developers had paid human labor and ensured the safety of workers (brought mainly from South Asia).

The Western press periodically raised a clamor: in 2006, the British Guardian published that workers earn up to 3 pounds a day (one can imagine the horror that inspired the British), and the Air Force reported the terrible conditions in which people living on construction had to live .

On the web, you can find a lot of articles on unsightly truth, which was hidden behind its sparkling facade of the tower "Burj Khalifa." The country and city in which the erection took place look not very attractive in them.

Since the construction of the pyramids, little has changed ...

There is evidence that the workers worked 12 hours a day and earned about 200 dollars a month (for comparison: the average income of the UAE population is over $ 2000). Moreover, this money was not paid on time, they took away passports and in response to the outrage only threatened with deportation. Despite this, almost all the time construction workers were on strike and even arranged riots: in March 2006, the damage caused by the rebels was estimated at half a million pounds sterling.

According to HRW (Human Rights Watch), non-compliance with safety regulations has led to numerous accidents, but only one fatal incident with which the Burj Khalifa tower is connected was formally confirmed: the country and the city that are the birthplace of the gigantic building were only being brushed aside From accusations, not seeking to pay attention to these annoying details. The result was above all, and the end justified the means.

Sweet fruits of bitter labors

I must say that the civilized world, "terribly worried" about the moral side of a specific Dubai business, demonstrated its true attitude to what is happening, voting, as they say, the dollar. A year later, the tower "Burj Khalifa" paid off with interest - even in the process of erecting the building its square was already purchased at a price of 40 thousand dollars per square meter.

Impressive investment was made by the firm "Armani": it owns 37 floors, from the first to the thirty-ninth (excluding the two technical 17th and 18th). There is a hotel, called the famous fashion house (the design of the rooms was handled by the master himself - Giorgio Armani), and the company's offices.

At the mercy of businessmen are also given almost all the upper floors, starting with the 111th, and a little lower are apartments that only millionaires can afford. It is known that one floor was completely bought by the Indian money-bag Shetty.

In each group of rooms (apartments, offices and hotel) - a separate entrance. It's funny that the first and last floors connect only one elevator, and that service. So if there is an intention to get to the top, you will have to make transplants. There are a lot of interested persons: one of the two viewing platforms is the highest in the world, and the view from it is magnificent. Thanks to this fact, tourists liked the Burj Khalifa tower: the city of Dubai, which is located below, is a beautiful sight. On the site you can spend at least the whole day, time is not limited. But to get on it is problematic, and seasoned travelers advise to take care of tickets in advance.

The specifics of the tower

The situation with the elevators is due to the configuration of the building: resembling a stalactite in shape, it gradually narrows to the top and ends with a 180-meter spire. During construction, of course, the climate of the place where the Burj Khalifa tower is located was taken into account: the local heat made life very difficult for workers. For the erection of the building, special concrete was used, capable of withstanding heating up to 50 degrees. Moreover, when pouring into a solution, it was necessary to lay the crushed ice and work exclusively at night, otherwise the strength of the finished product would be very far from optimal.

An interesting solution was found for water supply. Collect rain water and then use it for various needs - the idea is not new, it has been used for a long time. The problem was only that in the country in which the Burj Khalifa tower is located, there is almost no precipitation. But (apparently, the designers decided) there will be a huge amount of condensate: the air cooling system "squeezes" water from the premises, which means it can be assembled and thus save a valuable resource. The idea was very successfully implemented. Now at the expense of such savings it is possible to collect about 40 million liters of water per year.

Air conditioners not only cool, but also aromatize the air in the building (the smell is designed specifically). But it would be difficult for them to cope if the special windows did not reflect the sun's rays. By area, they are equal to three football fields, and they are washed constantly: it takes three months to clear everything, and then the work begins again.

Glitter and poverty of the UAE

Curious and indicative of the conditions in which the tower "Burj Khalifa" appeared. The country called the United Arab Emirates is one of the richest in the world. The fabulous conditions of the local sheikhs have become a byword for a long time, and this building can be considered a symbol of the power of money.

The city of Dubai is the capital of the eponymous emirate (the state in the state) - the largest in the UAE and the most, perhaps, dynamically developing. He is already one of the three largest business centers in the region (not least thanks to the ultra-modern seaport located at the most convenient location) and is not going to stop there, trying to conquer new heights.

For all its splendor, Dubai (where the tower of Burj Khalifa towers) is not the capital of the country, giving this honor to Abu Dhabi, the main city of the emirate of the same name, the largest and richest of all. According to some sources, it provides about 70% of the GDP of the entire state as a whole.

The Federal Monarchy

I must say that it is not easy to understand the structure of the United Arab Emirates for a European, because it is some kind of a completely wild hybrid of democracy with an absolute monarchy, and there are big questions on the equality of federal units. So, the main authority in the UAE is the Supreme Council, which consists of chapters (read: monarchs) of all seven emirates. But its solutions are legitimate only if there are representatives of the "coolest": Abu Dhabi and Dubai. From the point of view of the triumph of democracy, this is very doubtful. But from the point of view of common sense - it is quite natural: these two emirates provide more than three quarters of GDP. To whom, if not to them, determine the vectors of the development of the state?

Rapid takeoff

Now the UAE is developing very quickly. They associate this with a favorable tax climate, the existence of free trade zones and the absence of bureaucracy.

Of course, the initial start of the economy was given by oil production, but if strictly adhere to the facts, then the state where the Burj Khalifa tower is located pays due attention to other sources of income. To date, almost 30% of GDP is provided by services, including tourism, and oil provides less than ten.

Emirates trade, extract, buy the latest technology and develop - swiftly and mercilessly (especially in relation to those who with their own labor provides this development). About 5 million people live in the UAE. Not very much, but even this number should not be confused with the number of indigenous people - directly citizens, who are less than a million.

Justice, the victim of effectiveness

Needless to say, all the black work in the UAE is performed by people from the poorest countries? It is they who work like niggers on plantations, earn three kopecks by local standards and do not even have the opportunity to bring their families here: the state where the Burj Khalifa tower is located is a country for the Arabs.

The privileges of the local are so great that they do not leave the UAE, as there are no such "greenhouse" conditions anywhere in the world. The well-being of the indigenous people is very high, thanks, in part, to the specific policy of the state. In order to open an enterprise in the UAE, you must necessarily take a co-owner of a citizen of the country, and not just for a tick, but with a share of at least 50%. Considering the high rates of economic development, there are quite a few willing - and now all the subjects are perfectly arranged.

There can be no doubt that for tourists the UAE is a real paradise, where all the conditions for a beautiful, unforgettable holiday are created. Separately, it should be noted that Dubai (according to numerous reviews) - the most free city in the UAE, where many liberties are allowed, for which in other, more traditional emirates, you can easily zagremet for jail. Luxury hotels, beaches, shopping centers, entertainment industry - there is all the highest level. So the mass of impressions, excellent service and other pleasures are guaranteed.