History

Dubai is one of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is also the name of the capital of the emirate of the same name. The capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi.

Extensive archaeological research has shown that there were already fishing settlements in the Gulf region in the year 5000 BC. But it was only in 1830 that the first really large settlement arose in Dubai. A small fishing village on the Shindagha peninsula next to the present-day Dubai Creek was inhabited by the Bani Yas tribe at the time, under the leadership of the Maktoum family. The Maktoum family continues to govern Dubai to the present day in an exceptionally sound way.

As a result of growing trading activities, Dubai became the main port in the Gulf area from 1870. Traders from Iran, India and elsewhere in the region arrived in large numbers at the commercial hub of Dubai and by the end of the 19th century Dubai had the largest markets in the Middle East. Until 1940, pearls were Dubai's main source of income, but in 1940, Japanese pearls started to take over, which led to the collapse of the lucrative Dubai pearl market. Still, gold had also made a big push in Dubai. There was very extensive trade in gold in Dubai, which was given the name of "City of Merchants". Dubai continued to grow economically in spite of the collapse of the pearl market.

There was intensive exploration for oil in the Middle East after the Second World War, but it was only in 1966 that petroleum reserves were found in Dubai. In 1969, the first oil exports left Dubai.

During this time, the British announced that they were leaving the Gulf region, which led to a significant change in the political landscape of the Gulf region.
HRH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, and later Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, then the ruler of Dubai, realised the advantages of uniting the individual emirates in the Gulf region into one nation.

In 1971, the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Fujeirah and (a year later) Ra's al-Khaimah came together to constitute the federation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The United Arab Emirates now formed a proud sovereign state with a surface area of 83,600 square kilometres and a very small population, which in 2004 had grown to almost four million.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai are now the largest and most important emirates in the federation. Abu Dhabi is the seat of the federal government and the main oil industry centre, while Dubai is the main commercial hub, with trading activities that stretch out all over the world.

In recent decades, Dubai has developed into an entertainment paradise where luxury knows no limits. International tennis tournaments, sailing and horse races, air shows and desert rallies, are just some of the attractions that draw in visitors from all over the world. Although the importance of oil as a source of income has strongly decreased, Dubai has nothing to fear from the future. The city is a magnet for anyone who is looking for relaxation and entertainment in a sophisticated paradise.