Dubai boasts  that it has just built a "new global landmark"---the Dubai Tower, which stands 512.1 meters high now and has just become the tallest building in the world. The Dubai Tower now _ Taiwan's Taipei 101, which is 508 meters tall, and has 141 storeys, more than any other building in the world. The Dubai Tower, being built by South Korea's Samsung Corporation and scheduled for completion next year, is one of a series of great projects taking shape in Dubai. The final projected height of the tower has remained a secret since the project was launched in January 2004; however, it is rumored that the tower will be more than 700 meters tall and have more than 160 storeys. The Dubai Tower has become the tallest building in the world in just 1,276 days, leaving behind other tall buildings. The Dubai Tower will house 30,000 apartments in addition to the world's largest shopping mall. It is the centerpiece  of the 20-billion-dollar venture. Another venture gradually emerging across the desert sands is Dubailand, a series of multi-billion-dollar projects claimed to be the Middle East's very own Orlando. Dubai also paid 100 million dollars to buy the Queen Elizabeth II, one of the world's superb cruise liners , which it plans to turn into a luxury floating hotel. Faced with decreasing oil wealth, the Western-oriented emirate  has raced to turn itself into a business and leisure hub and it aims to more than double the number of tourists to 15 million by 2015. Why has the Western-oriented emirate paid more attention to becoming a business and leisure center?
Because it wants to attract more tourists to its places of interest. Because it produces less oil than ever. Because it aims to race with other countries to show its wealth. Because it wants to set a new world record.