The earliest mention of Dubai is in the Book of Geography, by Abu Abdullah Al-Bakri, in 1095. However early records and archeological finds indicate that Dubai’s trading in pearls, metals and fish across Mesopotamia dates back to 6000 BCE , while the UAE’s first nomadic tribes can be traced back to around 5500 BCE.
Throughout the 1500s and 1700s, Dubai’s inhabitants earned their livelihood mainly from the sea; pearl diving, an important economic driver for the city, fishing and building boats . Its strategic location earned the city a reputation as a hub, with the area now known as Jumeirah becoming a regular trading post between Oman and Iraq.
The Portuguese were some of the first European travelers to arrive in the area in 1448, seizing control at the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman until the 17th century, when the Dutch and English entered the Middle East”
1820
As English influence flourishes, the British are keen to secure important trade links with India. In 1820, local rulers and the British agreed on several maritime truces, with the area later named the Trucial Coast.
1820 - 1833
The Bani Yas tribe took power locally in Abu Dhabi in 1820. In 1833, 800 members of the tribe, under the leadership of Dubai’s first ruler, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Butti, relocated to Dubai Creek, establishing the beginning of the Maktoum family, and setting in motion the next stage of the city’s thriving history.
1901 - 1920
The Emirate’s fifth ruler, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Bin Hasher Al Maktoum presided over a short but enlightened reign, creating a freeport in 1901 , which prompted an influx of traders whose revenues supported key infrastructure investment. The pearl industry began to decline in the 1920s as a result of World War I, the Great Depression and the introduction of Japan’s cultured pearls, although the subsequent discovery of oil would later offer many fisherman and divers a new opportunity to earn an income.
1950
Funded by its thriving trading economy, the emirate’s leadership began to look towards a modern future in the 1950s. It’s first reclamation project, Dubai Airport, was a single airstrip made from the hard sand found in the city’s salt flats.
Dubai’s coastline became the focus for further reclamation projects to support its economic growth. Dubai Creek, a natural 15.3 Km inlet, has always been the hub of the city’s trade. In 1967, work began on the manmade Port Rashid, located at the mouth of Dubai Creek. When the port opened in 1972, it was deep enough for container ships, and within years, having been expanded in the late 1970s, had become a major global port.
Further West along the coast, His Highness Sheikh Rashid oversaw the opening of the manmade Jebel Ali Port in 1979. Doubling in size in the 1990s, the port became the world’s largest manmade harbor.