Dubai ( doo-BY; Arabic: دبي‎, romanized: Dubayy [dʊˈbajj], Gulf Arabic pronunciation: [dəˈbaj]) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. Established in the 18th century as a small fishing village, the city grew rapidly in the early 21st century into a cosmopolitan metropolis with a focus on tourism and hospitality. Dubai is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations with the second most five-star hotels in the world, and the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa.Located in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula on the coast of the Persian Gulf, Dubai aims to be the business hub of Western Asia. It is also a major global transport hub for passengers and cargo. Oil revenue helped accelerate the development of the city, which was already a major mercantile hub. A centre for regional and international trade since the early 20th century, Dubai's economy relies on revenues from trade, tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services. Oil production contributed to less than 1 percent of the emirate's GDP in 2018. According to government data, the population of Dubai is estimated at around 3,400,800 as of 8 September 2020.