Dubai

Love it or hate it, Dubai has had a huge impact on the foreign property investment market. Since its announcement in 2002 that it had pledged to establish a massive volume of overseas investment in its real estate sector, some of the most ambitious and elaborate development schemes have come to light - and while in some cases, the consensus errs on the side of being over-ambitious, you simply can't argue with the huge growth, both economically and in terms of Dubai's international profile. The sheer scale of both commercial and residential developments is a sight to behold - whether it's a '7 star' hotel, a manmade offshore archipelago or the largest man-made ski slope in the world (in a swelteringly hot environment, no less).

The first feather in Dubai's cap is its location - slap bang in the middle of Europe, China and Japan, and an ideal stop-off for Australia and New Zealand, it's an excellent base for business as well as travel. The apparent severity of the surrounding environment (in essence the country is a narrow strip of habitable land boxed in by the harsh Margham desert) has no bearing thanks to the man-made barrier on the country's outskirts, making the climate hot and sunny without the usual dangers you would associate with the desert, and rainfall sporadic enough to be welcomed whenever it passes overhead. In as far as technological achievement benefiting growth is concerned, few countries can match Dubai's track record over the past 15 or so years. Its property market has flourished, and there is a huge selection of brand new apartments, houses and - unbelievably - whole islands that are ripe for the picking.