The 2.8-kilometre (1.74-mile) zipline, spanning the equivalent of 28 football fields, was certified this week by Guinness World Records, the local tourism authority said.
But this world record is not in the glitzy regional financial and tourist hub of Dubai or the oil-rich capital Abu Dhabi. It is in relatively less developed Ras al-Khaimah, located in the country’s north along the border with Oman.
Most visitors to the UAE spend their time in Dubai, home to The Dubai Mall, which is one of the world’s largest shopping centres, as well as an indoor ski slope. Ras al-Khaimah hopes the zipline, starting 1,680 metres above sea level on top of the Jebel Jais mountain, will be a drawcard for tourists.
The zipline can handle as many as 100,000 people a year, and though there are no age restrictions, riders must be at least 1.22 metres tall and no heavier than 150 kilogrammes.
The UAE’s latest record will be added to a mantle of achievements that includes the world’s tallest building and artificial palm-shaped islands.