“According to the records, Dubai was born as a city in 1799. In the early 19th century, the Al Abu Falasa dynasty of Bani Yas clan took the creek, and converted it into an area dependent of the settlement of Abu Dhabi until 1833.
In 1820, the sheikh of Dubai along with other regional sheikhs signed with Britain the “General Maritime Peace Treaty”. 13 years later, the Al Maktoum dynasty (also descendants of the Bani Yas clan) departed from Liwa Oasis and captured Dubai, founding and ruling the independent emirate of today. Since its creation, Dubai was in constantly confrontation with the emirate of Abu Dhabi while suffered attempts of pirate’s invasions, including the celebrated Qawasim attack that was thwarted like all other.
In 1835, Dubai and the rest of the Trucial States (Trucial Oman) signed a maritime treaty with Britain and two decades later a Perpetual Maritime Truce. Dubai came under the protection of the United Kingdom (to defend the town against any attack from the Ottoman Turks) by the Exclusive Agreement of 1892. Two years later, Dubai allowed a full tax exemption for foreign merchants attracting first Persian traders, but then agents from the entire world.
This liberal position augmented the commercial activity of Dubai and neighboring places like Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, which took advantage of its strategic location on the route to India. By the end of the century Dubai boasted the largest souks in the Gulf Coast with 350 shops just in Deira.
Two catastrophes occurred during the 19th century. A smallpox epidemic in the Bur Dubai locality in 1841, forcing inhabitants to move east to Deira; and in 1894 a fire swept throughout Deira, burning down the majority of the town.
In 1903, the Dubai’s ruler persuaded a major British steamship line to build a big port of call that brought 25 years of prosperity based on the pearl exportation industry, until 1930.
The population of the town in the early 20th century was 10, 000 (roughly a quarter of the residents was foreign) but the success produced by the relaxed trade environment generated a boom town’s populace double to 20,000 in the first decades of the 20th century and transformed the little town into a worthy competitor of Abu Dhabi.”
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Although historical documentation of Dubai is limited, recent archaeological discoveries have proved that the region was inhabited at least since 3,000 BC by nomads who bred sheep, goats and cattle, and complemented their diet with fish. Agriculture started 5 centuries later with the cultivation of the date palm, principally.
During the Bronze Age, Magan ships sailed to Babylonia, Mesopotamia and beyond, trading copper from Oman and pearls from the mouth of Dubai Creek, where the little Kingdom of Sumer was established. The Magan culture declined by 2,000 BC, but Dubai’s character for commerce remained.
The list of occupiers from that time onwards was large, with one civilization conquering the preceding. The most prominent culture of this long dark period was the Persian dynasty of Sassanid, who occupied Dubai Creek and its surrounding areas in 224 BC, but, as well as others, it was a brief domination.
By the 7th century, the Umayyads from western Saudi Arabia settled in the region introducing the Islam (local people had worshiped Bajir or Bajar before). The Arabs were followed by the Mongols and then by the Ottomans, each leaving their mark on the local society but respecting the rooted Islamic religion.
Since the 8th century Dubai reinforced its position as a premier trade port between the oriental and occidental worlds, with the silk and porcelain trade from China and the pearling industry of the Persian Gulf.
The early Islamic history of Dubai, from the 7th to 14th century is not well documented. The first recorded mention of Dubai as a “vast area” was in 1095 in the “Book of Geography” written by the Andalusian geographer Abu Abdullah al-Bakri. But until 1580, when the Venetian pearl merchant Gaspero Balbi traveled across the area, Dubai (Dibei) was finally recognized as an important region for its pearling industry. Useful documented records of Dubai exist since 1799.
Portuguese were first Europeans who arrived in the region in the 17th century, followed by French, Dutch and British (who finally gained control 2 centuries after). The famous Al-Fahidi Fort, converted now into the Dubai Museum was built in 1787 as a defensive fortification to protect and control trade in the city.
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The Oil and The UAE
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By the end of the 1920s, the pearling industry collapsed by the appearance of artificial pearls, added to the Great Depression; threatened the prosperity of Dubai, which suffered a mass migration. But, the economy had been diversified boosting its distinctiveness as a regional hub and attracting foreign organizations.
Some years later the rival port of Lingah (Iran) lost its status as a free port increasing the importance of Dubai. In 1947 Dubai and Abu Dhabi fought by a border dispute. The Arbitration of Britain helped to resolve partially the hostilities, but it was just in 1979 when an official compromise was sign.
During the late 1940’s and 1950’s there was an extensive modernization plan which included improvements such as electricity, telephone services, the construction of the Al Maktoum bridge over the creek, the opening of the Al Maktoum Hospital and the aperture of Dubai International Airport in 1959.
In 1966 happened the devaluation of the Gulf Rupee that led Dubai to unite to the independent state of Qatar sharing a new monetary unit: the Qatar/Dubai riyal. Oil, which was discovered the same year, transformed the destiny of the emirate by allowing the development of the economic and social infrastructure. Many international oil companies settled in the city and began to export its first oil shipments in 1969. Dubai tripled its size in less than a decade.
On 2 December 1971, soon after the British withdrew the Persian Gulf ending its protectorate, Dubai joined with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Aiman, Umm Al Quwain, Fajairah and later Ras Al Khaimah to create the federation of the United Arab Emirates. In 1973, Dubai adopted the new uniform currency: the UAE dirham.
Through the rest of the 1970s and 1980’s, Dubai maintained its importance as a commercial route while continued to grow from revenues generated from trade and oil. In this period, Abu Dabi also consolidated its position as the city capital of the emirates.
The Jebel Ali Free Zone was established in 1979. This area that comprised the Jebel Ali port (considered the world’s biggest man-made port), provided foreign corporations unrestricted import of labor and export capital.
The Persian Gulf War of 1990s had a severe impact on Dubai’s economy, unleashing a crisis. Banks experienced a significant withdrawal of funds while many people mobilized out of the country due to uncertain political situation in the region. However, after the war, more foreign businesses returned to the city aided by the increases in oil prices, starting the prosperity that Dubai lives up today.
During the Persian Gulf War and more recently in 2003, during the Invasion of Iraq, Dubai provided refueling bases to allied army at the Jebel Ali free zone. The success of this area permitted the city to copy its model to create clusters of new free zones, including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Maritime City.
In the last decade, Dubai has continued to focus on free trade but also in an aggressive touristy campaign. The world’s biggest and most impressive modern construction are here, including Burj Al Arab (the tallest freestanding hotel), Burj Dubai (the tallest building with 800 m), Palm Islands (the biggest man-made islands), World Trade Centre (the financial capital of Persian Gulf), Dubai International Airport (the Middle East’s biggest airdrome), the largest malls and entertainment centers, the most luxury hotels and beaches, the most exclusive facilities and products, etc.
Aside from the presence of countless international financial corporations and trade zones, Dubai today also hosts the Desert Classic (part of the PGA tour), world-class tennis tournaments, boat and horse races, desert rallies and exciting air shows that attract millions of visitors. Other highlights are the world-famous Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises.
The success of the city is attributed in large part to the vision of Maktoum rulers. They have guided Dubai in its development from a small, old town to a modern metropolis with excellent communication, industrial infrastructure, financial freedom and all the comforts of contemporary life; following the same policies by decades.
But the clever rulers also helped Dubai to not depend on oil and gas which reserves were limited. Nowadays, oil just accounted the 10% of Dubai’s revenue. Petroleum aided to support the region expand the infrastructure needed to make the most of its principal economic activity – trade.
Today the cosmopolitan and tolerant Dubai represents an extraordinary success and cultural diversity in the middle of the desert. However concerns over the widening breach between rich and poor, the rising inflation rates and the sustainability of the city’s quick growth, have yet to be satisfactorily responded.
(Above all From justdubai.org)
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Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the current Emir and Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum the Crown Prince.
The reigning Al Maktoum is also the Vice President and Prime Minister of the Emirates and a member of the Supreme Council of the Union.
Dubai also appoints eight members to the supreme federal legislative body of the UAE, the Federal National Council.
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