 Dubai is situated on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates and is roughly at sea level ( 16 m or 52 ft above ) . The emirate of Dubai shares borders with Abu Dhabi in the south , Sharjah in the northeast , and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeast . Hatta , a minor exclave of the emirate , is surrounded on three sides by Oman and by the emirates of Ajman ( in the west ) and Ras Al Khaimah ( in the north ) . The Persian Gulf borders the western coast of the emirate . Dubai is positioned at 25 @.@ <unk> ° N 55 @.@ 3095 ° E ﻿ / 25 @.@ <unk> ; 55 @.@ 3095 and covers an area of 1 @,@ 588 sq mi ( 4 @,@ 110 km2 ) , which represents a significant expansion beyond its initial 1 @,@ 500 sq mi ( 3 @,@ 900 km2 ) designation due to land reclamation from the sea . 
