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Dubai is a major business city located on the Persian Gulf coast and despite adhering to strict Islamic law, its relaxed atmosphere and large international community has earned it the nickname "Hong Kong of the Middle East." Dubai, which first prospered through oil production and gold trading, achieved remarkable economic growth by breaking away from an oil-dependent economy and embracing industry diversification. Tourist development, based on the beautiful sea and desert, has also been promoted in recent years and Dubai also receives attention as a luxury resort with unique and bold deluxe hotels and brand-name stores. Extremely wealthy people from all over the world now have villas in the city. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a multinational country and expatriates account for approximately 80% of its residents. Since there are many South Asian migrant workers from India, Dubai is sometimes called the "most beautiful Indian city in the world." Although UAE is a Muslim nation, Dubai does not have a heavily Islamic atmosphere and religious restrictions on alcohol drinking, clothing, entertainment and diet are not strictly enforced due to the large non-Muslim population. The city is very tolerant of different religious beliefs and all religions are accepted. Non-Muslim women are allowed to walk around the city wearing Western clothes, including sleeveless tops and shorts although it is advisable not to wear highly revealing clothes to avoid unnecessary trouble. While the official language is Arabic, English is spoken as a universal language in most places. Dubai has two seasons-summer and winter, and enjoys a subtropical climate. Although the temperatures rise to nearly 50 degrees Celsius during the daytime in the hottest season (June to September), it is not a serious problem thanks to the air-conditioning in hotels and shopping centers. The climate is rather mild in other seasons with temperatures between 25 and 35 degrees. The best season is commonly reported as being between October and April. Very little rain falls and fine weather continues throughout the year. It is recommended for visitors to wear sunglasses because of the strong sun. It is also advisable to take a cardigan or a jacket as hotels, shopping malls and restaurants are constantly air-conditioned and can be chilly. Emirates Airline operates direct flights to Dubai daily from Kansai International Airport (Osaka) and Chubu International Airport (Nagoya) in Japan. The outward flight takes 11 hours 50 minutes from Kansai and 12 hours 10 minutes from Chubu. The return flight takes 8 hours 50 minutes to Kansai and 9 hours 5 minutes to Chubu. Code share flights with Japan Airlines also operate from Tokyo (Haneda), Sapporo and Fukuoka to correspond with the departure time from Kansai International Airport. There are also indirect flights with transfers at Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and other major Asian cities. Although it is not commonly used, Dubai's city bus service is very convenient as it covers most main roads in the city. The operating hours are between 6:00 to 22:00 (may vary by route). Timetables and route maps are available at bus stations. It is also possible to make inquiries by phone. Buses are clean and comfortable and have female-only seats. In Dubai, where there are no trains or subways, taxis are the main means of transport. It is relatively easy to find an empty taxi in the city and fares are low. It costs around 15 to 20 UAE Dirhams (approx. \500 to \700) to travel within the city. When using a taxi without a meter, tell the driver your destination and confirm the fare in advance.