DUBAI - A HISTORY

The place Dubai brings to mind an enchanting place where tradition, history and culture coexist harmoniously with great wealth and technological advancements. Located on the Persian Gulf, Dubai is an attractive Tourist destination. It is one of the seven Emirates belonging to the United Arab Nations. It is also the largest and the most populous.

Dubai has a fascinating history that dates back to the third century. Pearl Diving and Fishing were the main occupations of the country originally. Date palms were grown and the geographic location was conducive to trade. The present day Dubai was established in the early nineteenth century by the Al Abu Falasa Dynasty of the Bani Yas tribe. It was a dependent of the Abu Dhabi till the year 1833. In 1833, Maktoum bin Butti of the Al Maktoum clan, took over Dubai from the Abu Falasa clan. The Sheikh then agreed to a business deal with Britain in 1892, which made Dubai a British Protectorate. Dubai also became a port of call for British ships and it soon thrived and prospered. 

Upon the death of Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum in 1958, Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum became the Ruler. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum is regarded as the driving force behind the development of Dubai and under his dynamic leadership, Dubai developed into a premier re-export business port for gold. Dubai is also known for its sophisticated infrastructure as evidenced by the Palm islands - the construction of three islands in the shape of a date palm, the Burj Al Arab, also referred to as the world's tallest freestanding hotel. 

Oil was discovered in 1966 and that was the turning point in the history of Dubai. The first shipment of Oil was made in 1969 and soon Dubai became an autonomous state. The current Emir of Dubai is Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and he has launched the UAE Vision 2021 with the goal of making the UAE one of the best countries of the world by 2021. Today to visit Dubai, a person can apply for visas online. A Dubai visa may also be obtained from the various agencies that provide this service. Obtaining a Dubai visa is not a very cumbersome process but understanding the intricacies of the procedure can be a daunting task indeed.