History

There are records of the town of Dubai from 1799. Earlier in the 18th century the Al Abu Falasa lineage of Bani Yas clan established itself in Dubai which was a dependent of the settlement of Abu Dhabi until 1833.

On the 8th January 1820, the then sheikh of Dubai was a signatory to the British sponsored "General Treaty of Peace" (the General Maritime Treaty).

In March 1892, the Trucial States (or Trucial Oman) were created.

The rulers of Dubai fostered trade and commerce, unlike the town's neighbours. The town of Dubai was an important port of call for foreign tradesmen (chiefly Indians), who settled in the town. Until the 1930s, the town was known for its pearl exports.

After the devaluation of the Gulf Rupee in 1966, Dubai joined the newly independent state of Qatar to set up a new monetary unit, the Qatar/Dubai riyal. Oil was discovered 120 kilometres off the coast of Dubai, after which the town granted oil concessions.

On 2 December 1971 Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after former protector Britain left the Persian Gulf in 1971. In 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a single, uniform currency: the UAE dirham.

Today

Few modern cities can compare to Dubai - a land where the sands of the desert reveal the potential for one of the most significant international hubs of the 21st century.

Dubai's growth in the last decade has been phenomenal and there are only signs of faster development with massive real estate and leisure projects attracting international attention. The city has built an enviable infrastructure and earned a reputation for constantly reinventing itself.

Dubai is an international success story in terms economic growth and development, over 45 mega developments projects are currently under construction including the Hydro Polis, a hotel built partly under the sea, Dubailand, a new $6billion Disneyland style theme park.

Welcome to Dubai - The city of the future!

Did You Know?

• 1. Dubai is the 2nd largest of the seven emirates and is located along the shore of the Arabian Gulf, in the north-western region of the United Arab Emirates
• 2. In 2007 over 8 million visitors came to Dubai - 15 million forecasted by 2010, and 58.5 million by 2020
• 3. "...the world's most lucrative investment markets for the smart investor."
• 4. Time Zone - GMT+4, same as Muscat. Dubai is three hours behind Bangkok and eight hours ahead of New York.
• 5. Within Dubai, there are three main archeological excavation sites at Al Ghusais, Al Sufooh and Jumeirah dating back over 2000 years.
• 6. Dubailand - at twice the size of Disney Land - will be the most ambitiuos tourism, leisure and entertainment destinations ever created.
• 7. Burj Dubai will be the world's tallest tower.
• 8. "Europe's top labels rush to cash in on the emirate's drive to become the chic shopping capital of the world.."
• 9. Dubai - host to some of the world's most luxurious hotels, the Ritz Carlton-Dubai, The Royal Mirage and the unique 7-star Burj Al Arab Hotel.
• 10. Louis Vuitton and Saks of Fifth Avenue are opening new boutiques - plus Versace and Armani have signed deals to build two 5-star hotels.

Why Invest in Dubai?

What links the proposed takeover of P&O, Arsenal's lavish new London stadium and Brad and Angelina's last luxury holiday? Dubai. How did the modestly-sized sheikdom become a headline grabber?

If P&O is bought by the Dubai-based company planning its takeover it will signal the end of 160 years of British corporate history for the iconic seafaring name.

But the ferry operator would by no means be the first such brand to fall under the influence of this dynamic and emerging Arab state.[Read More]