As 2019 draws to a close, Google has revealed what people have been searching for most this year.
Google’s ‘Year in Search’ data is released each December, revealing the top trending topics across the world, as well as in specific regions and countries.
The data reveals the top 10 searches made by people in the UAE in 2019, and it’s an eclectic mix.
The most searched term across the Emirates this year was "Bangladesh vs India", following an intense cricket match between the two countries in the summer. The most search traffic came from Umm Al Quwain, followed by Ajman and Sharjah.
The second most popular search term across the country was "UAE National Day", which was celebrated on Monday, December 2. From information on celebrations, heritage and public holidays, the term is something that all UAE residents would have been thinking about around this time, so it's no wonder it made the list. The emirate Googling the term the most, however, was Ras Al Khaimah.
2019 was the year that UAE residents were finally able to shop on Amazon, when in May the e-tailer took over Souq, offering its hundreds and thousands of products, plus Prime services, in the country for the first time. Search data reflected this, with "Amazon" the third most searched term in the UAE. According the Google, it was Sharjah residents who were most interested in Amazon.
"Ramadan" was the fourth most searched term in the UAE. This year, the Holy Month took place between Sunday, May 5 and Monday, June 3. The most search traffic for Ramadan came from Dubai.
And the fifth most searched term in the UAE, mirroring the pattern from the rest of the word, was "iPhone 11". Apple released its latest iPhone model in September, the 13th generation of smartphone from the billion-dollar company. Prominent changes include an ultra-wide dual camera and fast charge. The most interest in the iPhone 11 came from Dubai.
The next five most searched for terms in the UAE for 2019 include “Thanos”, “Switch”, “Joker”, “Game of Thrones” and “Captain Marvel” – mainly film related, aside from Switch, which refers to a job search platform in the UAE.
Globally, search trends revolved around sporting events including the cricket and rugby world cups, news events such as elections and natural disasters, and high-profile deaths including Cameron Boyce and Karl Lagerfeld. People were also searching for actor Rami Malek, the new Aladdin movie.
Here are the top Google searches for 2019
- India vs South Africa
- Cameron Boyce
- Copa America
- Bangladesh vs India
- iPhone 11
- Game of Thrones
- Avengers: Endgame
- Joker
- Notre Dame
- ICC Cricket World Cup