Size

I have mistakenly told people I live in country "about the size of Iowa."  Wrong.

Iowa is 56,000 square miles.  The UAE is 32,000 square miles.  Population is just under 3 mil in Iowa vs. 4.5 mil in the UAE. 

The real difference is how many in Iowa are Iowans compared to how many are natives here.  Prior to coming here I read the ex-pat population was 81%.  Since I've been here I've read the real number is over 90% ex-pat.  I think that's more realistic.

Even though it may be half the size of Iowa one of my students boards a plane every Thursday to fly home to the western part of the country.  On Saturday she flies back.  Each and every week.  Covered by the university.