Dubai history

Dubai history timeline

2700–2000BC

A Bronze Age settlement is established at Al Sufouh.

1st century BC

An Iron Age village is established at Al Ghusais.

6th century AD

The Sassanids set up a trading post in Jumeira.

AD632

The region converts to Islam. Arabic replaces Aramaic.

1580

Earliest surviving reference to ‘Dibei’ by Gasparo Balbi of Venice.

1793

A dependency of Abu Dhabi, Dubai is a fishing and pearling village of 1,200 people located around the Creek.

1833

Maktoum Bin Buti Al Maktoum and 800 members of the Al Bu Falasah section of the Bani Yas tribe settle in Shindagha, establishing the ruling Maktoum dynasty.

1853

The Perpetual Treaty of Maritime Truce is signed by Britain and local sheikhs. The region becomes the Trucial Coast. 

1902

Increased customs duties in the Persian port of Lingah prompt more foreign traders to migrate to Dubai’s free-trade zone.

1912

Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum becomes ruler.

1950s

Electricity (1952) and a police force (1956) are introduced.

1958

Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed, ‘the Father of Dubai’, becomes ruler. 

1966

Oil is discovered in Dubai’s offshore Fatah field.

1969

Oil production begins.

1971

The UAE becomes an independent federation on 2 December. Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan becomes president, Sheikh Rashid of Dubai is appointed vice-president.

1980s

First mall (Al Ghurair Centre, 1981), Dubai Duty Free (1983), Emirates airline (1985) and Jebel Ali Free Zone (1985) established.

1990

Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid becomes ruler.

2005

Population of Dubai reaches 1.5 million, up from 59,000 in 1967. 

2006

Sheikh Maktoum dies. Sheikh Mohammed becomes ruler of Dubai.

2008

The credit crunch hits Dubai, pushing the emirate to the brink of bankruptcy and stalling many major construction projects.

2010

Opening of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

2012

The Middle East’s first ever female train driver starts work on the Dubai metro in January.

2013

The tallest hotel in the world opens on Sheikh Zayed Road, the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, and with it a sense of Dubai’s recovery and ambition to keep breaking records.