History History

The first human traces appear at Jebel Faya in the emirate of Sharjah. The men lived mainly by gathering and hunting. Fossil remains and stone tools testify to their presence. The climatic conditions were not as extreme as today. The presence of waterways and meadows made it possible for game to exist.

First human traces on the island of Dalma (pottery, dates).

Birth of the agricultural palm groves and necropolis of Jebel Hafit in Al Ain.

The Bronze Age is an important period for this region. The Umm al-Nar period takes its name from the common circular tombs, the best reconstruction of which is found at Hili, north of Al Ain. They contained objects (combs, bracelets) of various types, enclosed in soft stone boxes, which confirms the hypothesis of numerous contacts with Mesopotamia, but also with Iran, the Indus Valley (Pakistan) and Bactria (Afghanistan). This peninsula also became the main supplier of copper to Mesopotamia, extracted from the Hajjar Mountains and exported by sea in the form of ingots and manufactured objects. Not far from Dubai, the archaeological site of Saruq al Hadeed bears witness to this prosperous period. It was at the end of the Neolithic period that the region experienced a warming of the climate.

Iron Age. Paradoxically, the importance of iron in the region was relegated to the background by the arrival of three preeminent factors in the organisation of the inhabitants' way of life. Firstly, the discovery of a new irrigation principle, the falaj, which allowed water to be conveyed by artificial canals, underground or otherwise, from the mountains to the crops, led to an unexpected increase in resources. At the same time, the domestication of the dromedary provided a new means of transport and encouraged commercial contacts. Having repelled all foreign domination, the region was now free of the Persian yoke imposed by Darius the Great at the end of the^5th century BC, and victorious over the attempts at Greco-Roman domination by Alexander the Great and his successors.

Ed-Dur period. The territory of the emirates was already a major pearl fishing centre. From the first century onwards, information on the Ed-Dur period becomes more precise, thanks to some writings that appear and concern the region. Thus, Pliny the Younger, in his Natural History (Book XXXII), mentions the presence of numerous villages in the area that is now the Emirates and refers to a nomadic people living from fishing on the coast and from the resources of the desert.

The Christians of the Assyrian Church run the Nestorian monastic community of Sir Bani Yas Island in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. They organize the pearl trade and collect taxes.

The Islamic period: While during the first centuries the Persian influence is asserted and several religious currents coexist (Arab paganism, Nestorian Christianity...), the arrival in the region of the followers of the prophet Mohammed, who died in 632, sounds the conversion of the inhabitants of the emirates to Islam. Many nomadic tribes tried to resist, but the Al-Julandas, helped by Muhammad's successor, the first caliph Abu Bakr, won a decisive victory at Dibba (10,000 dead) and established themselves in the region for a long time.

Portuguese domination. In 1448, the Portuguese, after having taken control of several islands located on the spice route, seized the territory that had been under the control of Hormuz, in order to extend their commercial power as far as India and to claim a monopoly on trade between Europe and the Indian Ocean. The Bedouins of the Bani Yas tribe occupied the Liwa oasis and the jeweller Gasparo Balbi mentioned the island of Dalma in his travelogue.

In the middle of the 17th century, the Portuguese were driven out of all their positions by the English and the Dutch. However, they left behind the memory of a sometimes cruel domination of the population. And their presence, which lasted for nearly a century and a half, had the consequence of tightening the fabric of certain local tribes.

Originally from Saudi Arabia, the large Bedouin tribe of the Bani Yas first settled in the Liwa oasis, where it founded a village entity that encompassed some forty hamlets and has been an important social and economic centre for the region since the 16th century. The Bani Yas tribe is confederal in nature and comprises some twenty clans. There are differences in the way of life between them depending on whether they practice fishing or cultivation, but they constantly mix and help each other, ensuring that the tribe is perfectly cohesive. In 1761, the Al-Nahyan clan founded Abu Dhabi, whose importance, from 1791, became such that the political leader of all the Bani Yas groups (Sheikh Shakbut) left Liwa to settle there. In 1790, the foundation stone of Al Fahidi Fort in Dubai Creek was laid.

The Trucial States. While the great European powers (Holland, France and especially Great Britain) logically coveted the region after the departure of the Portuguese, numerous clashes pitted the crews of ships chartered by local sheikhs against those of English vessels. A tribe from Ras al-Khaimah, the Qawassim, worked to assert their naval power and became a serious threat to the British fleet. The struggles between the Qawassim and the British seemed to end in 1820, when a peace agreement was signed between Britain and the seven sheikhs of the Omani coast, whose independence the British now recognized and who were known as the "Truce States. A temporary truce was agreed upon during the pearling season and renewed each year, then for a period of ten years. It was not until 1853 that the signing of a permanent peace treaty finally allowed the emirates to return to a peaceful context, favourable to the restarting of their maritime trade and their economy.

In 1833, members of the Al-Bu Falah clan of Abu Dhabi, from which the current ruling Maktoum family is directly descended, settled in the Dubai Creek.

The pearling industry was booming. The future city was still a modest fishing village under British protection, but Dubai already enjoyed a privileged location on the banks of a long arm of the sea favourable to trade. Its development began with the Shindagha district, where ships docked and where the inhabitants were mainly of Arab origin. As trade logically developed on the same bank, the Al Fahidi fort and the Great Mosque became the centre of the city, where a large Indian community was registered.

The Trucial States were hit hard by the war. Deira, on the opposite shore, became the most populous in the early 20th century, with the arrival of Persians and Baluchi Indians. At that time, Dubai already had a multinational community, focused on the pearling industry and trade

In 1902, while Sheikh Maktoum Bin Hacher, a liberal and visionary, was running the city, a significant event precipitated the growing development of the city: very high taxes on the transit of goods hit the ports of the Persian coast, which had as a direct consequence the transfer of all trade between India and the Trucial coast to the port of Dubai. In 1920, as taxes were being tightened in the Persian ports, Sheikh Said Bin Maktoum proposed to the severely taxed merchants to come and settle permanently in Dubai, not far from the fort. Most of them were from Bastak, and they settled with their families in the area that corresponds to the current Bastakiya district. They brought with them their architectural know-how and introduced the wind tower into the city's landscape, which was now open to new socio-cultural influences. Dubai was then experiencing a glorious period of economic growth.

The prosperity of the emirates was based essentially on the pearl trade, but at the end of the 1930s, the Trucial States were hit hard by the war, which brought trade to an abrupt halt. Added to this was competition from the Japanese pearl market, and the economic crisis that had shaken the world since 1929. Despite the development of a parallel trade in pearls, the Emirates inevitably saw their trade dwindle and the population suffer from hunger. Rice, sugar and tea were in short supply, and Great Britain found itself obliged to supply rations to the countries of the Trucial States.

While studies of the country's oil resources had already been underway for some years, in 1935 Sheikh Said bin Maktoum of Dubai was the first to sign an agreement with Petroleum Development, soon followed by the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Shakbut. Sheikh Said bin Maktoum and his son Rashid launch Dubai on a vast Creek redevelopment program. Thanks to the issue of bonds sold to merchants and a loan granted by Kuwait, work on desilting the Creek was financed as early as 1958, and large-tonnage ships were able to navigate and find refuge in the inlet as early as 1963, increasing the volume of trade from 2,000 tonnes in 1951 to 20,000 tonnes in 1963, whatever the tides. Dubai thus gained an advantage over Sharjah, the rival port and stronghold of the Qawassim, the "bosses" of the north. In 1958, Sheikh Said died and Sheikh Rashid became the sovereign. The city's development necessitated the opening of an architectural firm to plan urban development. John Harris, a Briton, became one of the sovereign's closest advisors and presented two master plans for Dubai's development in 1960 and 1971, when it became urgent to widen the streets, organize the water supply and continue work on developing the banks of the Creek for loading goods. In 1959, a salt-stone airstrip was built to accommodate the growing number of foreign aircraft. In 1963, the first bridge, the Al Maktoum Bridge, was built over the Creek and opened to motorists, who avoided a long detour. It wasn't until 1966 that oil was discovered in Dubai, and when oil exports became imminent, a new deepwater port was needed, especially as the Creek was saturated. Port Rashid was inaugurated in 1970.

In 1968, the British announced their intention to withdraw three years later. Faced with the prospect of independence, Sheikh Zayed, the leader of Abu Dhabi, immediately rallied the leaders of the other emirates to form a strong federation.

Proclamation of the United Arab Emirates, comprising Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain and Fujairah. Sheikh Zayed was elected president of this new country. A few weeks later, Ras-Al-Kaïmah joined them.

The economic changes that took place after the 1973 oil crisis and the increase in oil resources led to an awareness of the need to diversify revenue streams, towards industry for Dubai. The emirate diversified its economy from Jebel Ali, a free zone located 30 kilometres from the centre, on the coast. In 1975, a year before the opening of Dubai's first luxury hotel (Intercontinental), Harris proposed the construction of the first skyscraper to house the city's first convention center. The World Trade Center was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II and Sheikh Rashid in 1979, becoming the tallest skyscraper in the Middle East.

The Emirate of Dubai embarked on gigantic projects at the initiative of Sheikh Rashid, who was convinced from the outset that a large part of the oil revenues should be devoted to preparing for the post-oil era.

After the events in Iran in 1978-1979, political awareness grew in the country and on 19 February 1979, the CNF met to decide on the regrouping of the armed forces, the abolition of internal borders, the global planning of immigration in the country, as well as the distribution of wealth through federal control. In 1981, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was created, comprising the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. The poor health of Sheikh Rashid, until his death in 1990, slowed down the achievements for a few years. It was not until the early 1990s and the arrival of his brother Sheikh Maktoum that new projects began to emerge.

Death of Sheikh Zayed, founding father of the Emirates, at the age of 86. Sheikh Khalifa, his son, became the second President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi.

Upon the death of his uncle, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum became ruler of Dubai, vice president and prime minister. Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai undertakes gigantic architectural projects that are born and made the world talk (Burj al-Arab, the Marina, the Palm and Burj Khalifa). Dubai is emerging as a financial and commercial hub, unavoidable in the entire peninsula and in the Middle East.

Opening of the Burj Khalifa, the highest tower in the world.

The UAE is attending the G20 for the first time, at the invitation of France.

The growing Islamist threat in the countries of the region has forced the UAE to mobilise for fear of instability spreading at home. It has participated in various airstrikes: in 2014 in Libya against Islamist militants as well as in Syria against Daech, and in 2015 in Yemen against Houthi rebels. In March 2014, for the first time, significant tensions led the UAE, along with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, to publicly stand up to Qatar, whose support for the Islamist movement it repudiates.

United Arab Emirates cuts off relations with Qatar. Gulf crisis.

Historic presence of Pope Francis invited to Abu Dhabi for the Year of Tolerance. Signature between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar of the document on human brotherhood for peace in the world and common coexistence

In August, full normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel with the signing of the Abraham Agreement.

In January, re-establishment of relations with Qatar. Organization of the World Expo by the city of Dubai, between October^1, 2021 and March 31, 2022.

Death of Sheikh Kalifa. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed became the new governor of Abu Dhabi and third president of the UAE on May 14. He is also the son of Sheikh Zayed, half-brother of Sheikh Khalifa

august 25, 2023: the United Arab Emirates join the BRIC group.
From November 30 to December 12, 2023, COP 28 takes place in the United Arab Emirates, at Expo city Dubai.