Australians
Australians in the United Arab Emirates consist of 7,000 expatriates, half of whom live in the capital of Abu Dhabi (3,500) and the other half of whom live in the Emirati commercial hub of Dubai.
Australians have been attracted by the lifestyle Dubai offers, including the wealth of outdoor activities for their families. However, their population fell in 2009 due to the downturn in the economy of Dubai, as retrenched Australian expatriates with underwater real-estate loans fled the country to avoid debtor's prison.
In Dubai, Australian and New Zealander expatriates joined together to set up the Australia New Zealand Association, which aims to provide mutual support for their communities in the entire UAE.
The Australian International School, Sharjah is an established international school, catering to much of the Australian community. The school's education system and syllabus is Queensland-curriculum based.
Read more about this topic: Expatriates In The United Arab Emirates