India topped the list with a share of 40.6 percent and a value of AED21.3 while Switzerland came second, with 16.6 percent (AED8.7 billion). Pakistan, fourth on the list, has a share of 3.3 percent (AED1.7 billion) and Iran who ranked fifth has a share of 2.8 percent and a value of AED1.48 billion. Dubai's nonoil direct exports grew an average rate of 23 percent in 2009 compared to 2008.

The value of the exported goods through all Dubai customs entries amounted to AED52.4 billion in 2009 as apposed to AED42.6 billion in 2008 while the growth rate over the past five years reached 47 percent. Ahmed Butti Ahmed, executive chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and Dubai Customs Director General stressed that the UAE adopted strategy with respect to diversifying the production base and the economic activities besides reinforcing trade and economic relations with countries of the world played a major role in attracting investment, nourishing the worldwide trade movement and positioning the UAE as a hub for trade in the Middle East.

Most significant goods and products Dubai exported to these five countries reveals that gold was mostly imported by India with AED19.041 billion and 89.33 percent worth of the compound exports. India also imported scraps and metals that can be melted with a AED693.371 million value and a percentage of 1.86 percent. Other products had a value of AED1.185 billion by 5.56 percent.

As for Switzerland which came second in terms of Dubai exports, gold accounted for the largest export with AED7.417 billion and at 84.99 percent.

Pakistan imported sugar products the most in 2009 with a value of AED688.344 million and 39.69 percent of Dubai exports. Scraps and metals that can melt came second valued at AED 276.225 million and 15.93 percent while the rest of the imported goods had a value of AED 769.903 million and 44.39 percent of the compound exports.

Gold also crowned Iran's imported goods from Dubai with AED404.104 million and 27.16 percent. Then came printed materials (AED133.852 million and 9 percent). Raw aluminum was the third with a share of AED89.994 million and a percentage of 6.05 percent. As for the remaining products, they were imported with a total of AED860.093 million and 57.80 percent.

Statistics indicate that Dubai exports contributed to 71 percent of the compound export rate in the UAE in 2008.

Ahmed said that valuable and traditional metals and the products made of them, processed food products, plastics, rubber and natural metal products had a share of 87 percent of the value of Dubai's direct exports in 2009. He pointed out as well that precious metals and stones and their products constituted the biggest rate, with 63 percent this sector has been topping the exports list since 2007 and up to 2009 due to the increasing prices of gold in the local and international markets.

Ahmed said that the growth rate of Dubai nonoil direct exports surged 29 percent in 2000-2009 period and 47 percent in the past five years. He also noted that exports reached out to different destinations across the world.