Creating legacies

In 1833, around 800 key members of the Bani Yas, one of Southern Arabia’s most prominent tribes, identified Dubai Creek as a natural harbour. Led by the Al Maktoum family – Dubai’s ruling family to this day – they settled near the Creek’s mouth. The township soon became a centre for fishing, pearl diving and maritime trade, attracting further settlers through trading with India, Iran and other parts of the Gulf.

The British also regarded the Gulf region as an important staging post en route to India, and in 1853 they signed a treaty with the Gulf rulers. The region became the Trucial States, a British Protectorate.

By the 1870s, Dubai had become the principal trading port of the Gulf Coast, and by the turn of the century developed one of Arabia’s largest souks (trading markets).

Pearl diving remained a main staple of the local economy until the 1930s and to this day, it remains a cherished part of the emirate’s heritage.

Dubai’s trading industry in gold, spices and other goods remained strong however, earning it the name ‘city of merchants’. The dredging – both widening and deepening – of Dubai Creek in 1960 was a turning point for the city, allowing much larger-size vessels to enter and strengthening Dubai’s trading position still further. Britain had begun to withdraw from the region and by 1968, the Gulf States had regained their independence.

1971 saw the historical formation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as an independent state between Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah, with Ras Al Khaimah joining in 1972.  Since then, the development of this dynamic city has become legendary through visionary leadership and wise governance – until today where its world-class infrastructure has made it the region’s number one trading and financial hub – attracting the best talent and foreign direct investment from across the globe.

Through Dubai’s visionary leadership, the city is on track to be a global sustainability leader with an ambitious target to produce 75 percent of its energy requirements from clean sources by 2050. Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park will be the world’s largest facility on completion in 2020. And by 2030, 25 percent of Dubai’s transportation will be autonomous.