BBC NEWS | In Pictures | In pictures: Dubai snowdome

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Friday, 2 December 2005, 18:36 GMT

In pictures: Dubai snowdome

A local skier stands in Ski Dubai park in Dubai

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The largest snowdome in the world, containing the world's third largest indoor ski slope, has opened in the Gulf emirate of Dubai.

Ski Dubai complex

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Ski Dubai, 85m high by 80m wide, has to cope with average outside winter temperatures of 25C and summer temperatures soaring above 40C.

A local Emirati man travels up the slope on the ski lift.

A local Emirati man travels up the slope on the ski lift.

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The temperature inside is maintained at -1 or -2C. Arabs who prefer to wear their traditional kandouras can hire black, knee-length padded coats.

People queue for a ski lift

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The 22,500sq/m of piste are covered with 6,000 metric tons of manufactured snow all year round.

A man slides down the toboggan run

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The $272m resort is the latest project in the emirate which is seeking to become a major tourism hub.

A local in a traditional Emirati Dish-Dash looks at the snowdome

A local in a traditional Emirati Dish-Dash looks at the snowdome

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"Snow in the desert is such a unique experience for locals who have never seen snow," said Ski Dubai's chief executive, Phil Taylor.

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