The first world fair to be held in the middle east opens to the public on Friday (October 1).

After a year's delay, Expo 2020 kicked off in Dubai with a lavish opening ceremony the night before.

Stars performing included Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, UK pop star Ellie Goulding, and Chinese pianist Lang Lang.

Dubai hopes the event will boost its economy by attracting 25 million visitors, or around twice the population of the UAE.

The expo is a showcase for culture, technology and architecture for almost 200 participating countries.

Dubai also wants the event to be a place where global challenges like climate change can be addressed.

The site has been built from scratch on 1.7 square miles of desert, at a cost of $6.8 billion dollars.

But health crisis worries could dent visitor numbers.

Many events will be streamed online as a result.

Dubai has also relaxed most restrictions to help ease visits, though face masks will be required.

Consultants EY estimate the event will contribute 1.5% of the UAE's gross domestic product over its run of six months.