Timeline of Dubai

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Prior to 20th century

 * 1787 – Al Fahidi Fort built (approximate date).
 * 1833
 * Dubai taken by "Al bu Falasah clansmen of the Bani Yas," becoming independent of Abu Dhabi Emirate.
 * Obaid bin Saeed bin Rashid and Maktoum bin Butti bin Suhail are its first (joint) rulers.
 * 1836 Obaid bin Saeed dies. Maktoum bin Butti becomes the sole ruler.
 * 1852 – Saeed bin Shakhbut Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai.
 * 1859 – Hasher bin Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai.
 * 1865 – Indian Banians begin to arrive in Dubai.
 * 1886 – Rashid bin Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai.
 * 1892 – Rulers of Trucial Oman sign exclusive treaty of protection with United Kingdom.
 * 1894 – Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai.
 * 1896 – Saeed Al Maktoum's House built.

In 20th century

 * 1903-1904
 * Dubai becomes "the main port of the Trucial Coast."
 * 1904 – British-India Steam Navigation Company begins regular service to Dubai.
 * 1906 – Butti bin Suhail Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai.
 * 1910 - The British bombard Dubai with high explosive munitions - the Hyacinth Incident.
 * 1912
 * Al Ahmadiya School established
 * Saeed bin Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai.
 * 1929
 * Collapse of the pearling industry.
 * 1934 – British air base established.
 * 1938 – 'Majlis' economic/political "reform movement" occurs.
 * 1939 – Majlis al Tujjar (merchant committee) established.
 * 1941 – Dubai Post Office opened.
 * 1946 – October: Imperial Bank of Persia (to become British Bank of the Middle East, then HSBC) opened in Dubai.
 * 1948 – Abu Dhabi-Dubai border dispute.
 * 1949
 * 15 July: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the current ruler of Dubai, was born in Shindaga.
 * 1950 – "Petroleum exploration" begins in the Dubai area.
 * 1952 – Iranian consulate established.
 * 1953 – National Front (anti-British political group) formed.
 * 1956
 * Jashanmal shop in business.
 * 1 June: Dubai Police Force founded in Naif Fort.
 * 1957 – Dubai Municipality established.
 * 1958
 * 9 September: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai when his father Sheikh Saeed dies.
 * 1959
 * Dubai Creek dredged.
 * Dubai Airport opens.
 * DNATA (Dubai National Air Travel Agency) established.
 * 1961 – 7 April: The MV Dara explodes and sinks off the shore of Dubai, killing 238 people.
 * 1962 – Population: 55,000 (estimate).
 * 1963
 * 23 May: Al Maktoum Bridge opens.
 * The Trucial rulers sign an agreement to issue a decree to abolish slavery.
 * 1965
 * 15 May: Asphalt runway opens at Dubai International Airport.
 * 1966 – Fateh Oil Field discovered offshore in vicinity of Dubai.
 * 1967 – Dubai Zoo opens.
 * 1968
 * 18 February: Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid agree to Union at Argoub El Sedirah.
 * 1969 – Dubai TV begins broadcasting.
 * 1971
 * 10 July: The Trucial States Council of rulers agrees on Union.
 * 2 December: Six Trucial States, including Dubai, form the United Arab Emirates.
 * Dubai Country Club and Dubai Museum established.
 * 1972
 * January: A coup in neighboring Sharjah kills ruler Sheikh Khaled and is put down by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
 * February: Ras Al Khaimah joins the UAE.
 * 5 October: Port Rashid is inaugurated.
 * 1973
 * Dubai drops Qatari Riyal and adopts use of Dirham currency.
 * 1975
 * Al Shindagha Tunnel and Safa Park open.
 * Dubai Islamic Bank established.
 * 5 May: Sheikh Rashid decrees establishment of Dubai Aluminium – Dubal.
 * Arabtec Construction in business.
 * 1976 – Al Garhoud Bridge opens.
 * 1977 – Dubai 33 television begins broadcasting.
 * 1978
 * 16 April: English-language Khaleej Times newspaper begins publication.
 * September: Rival Gulf News begins publication.
 * Dubai World Trade Centre built.
 * Oil production at Falah oil field begins.
 * 1979
 * 26 February: Queen Elizabeth II inaugurates Dubai Desalination Plant.
 * Sheikh Mohammed marries Sheikha Hind.
 * Oil production at Rashid oil field begins.
 * Dubal Aluminium Company commences production.
 * Dubai International Convention Centre built.
 * Port of Jebel Ali inaugurated.
 * Gulf News begins publication.
 * 1980
 * Dubai Municipal Council created; Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum becomes chairman.
 * E 11 road (Abu Dhabi-Dubai) completed.
 * Al Bayan newspaper begins publication.
 * Population: 265,702.
 * 1983
 * 17 May: Sheikha Latifa, the wife of ruler Sheikh Rashid, dies.
 * Dubai Drydocks open.
 * 20 December: Dubai Duty Free opens.
 * 1984
 * Oil production at onshore field Margham begins.
 * Ruler Sheikh Rashid develops health problems; power shifts to his sons.
 * 1985
 * 9 January: Decree establishing Jebel Ali Free Zone issued.
 * March: Emirates Airline established.
 * 25 October: Emirates makes inaugural flight to Karachi.
 * Dubai Medical College and UAE Contractors' Association established.
 * 1989
 * Dubai Desert Classic golf contest begins.
 * 29 January: First Dubai Airshow inaugurated.
 * Majlis Gallery opens.
 * 1990
 * 7 October: Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Rashid, dies.
 * 8 October: Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the UAE.
 * 1991
 * Juma al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage established.
 * Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club opens.
 * May: Dubai Ports Authority formed by merging JAFZA and Port Rashid authorities.
 * 1992
 * Majid Al Futtaim Group headquartered in Dubai.
 * 24 December: Godolphin's first horse Cutwater runs, – and wins – at Nad Al Sheba.
 * 1995
 * 3 January: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid named crown prince of Dubai.
 * American University in Dubai established.
 * 1996
 * 16 February: Dubai Shopping Festival launched.
 * 27 March: Dubai World Cup horse race − the world's richest − begins. Its first winner is American dirt track legend Cigar.
 * 1997
 * World's first camel-llama cross-breeding accomplished.
 * Chicago Beach Hotel demolished.
 * Jumeirah (hotel chain) headquartered in Dubai.
 * 1998 – Grand Mosque rebuilt.
 * Zayed University founded.
 * 1999
 * Dubai Press Club formed.
 * International Center for Biosaline Agriculture headquartered in Dubai.
 * December: Burj Al Arab hotel inaugurated.
 * Emirates National Oil Company refinery begins operating.
 * 29 October: Dubai Internet City announced.
 * Dubai's real estate market is opened to non-GCC nationals for the first time.

2000s

 * 2000
 * 26 March: Dubai Financial Market founded.
 * 28 May: American University of Dubai inaugurated.
 * Dubai Airport new terminal built.
 * Nakheel Properties headquartered in Dubai.
 * Al Barsha area development and Dubai Marathon begin.
 * Dubai Internet City opens.
 * 4 November: Dubai Media City inaugurated.
 * 2001
 * 15 January: e-junior begins broadcasting.
 * 1 May: Artificial archipelagos the Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali announced.
 * June: Construction begins on Palm Jumeirah.
 * 2002
 * 9 January: Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve and eco-resort Al Maha founded.
 * 9 February: Million square feed academic free zone Dubai Knowledge Village announced.
 * 16 February: Dubai International Financial Centre inaugurated.
 * 6 November: $1.8 billion Dubai Healthcare City free economic zone announced
 * Artificial archipelago Palm Jebel Ali construction begins.
 * Population: 1,089,000.
 * The Dubai Multi Commodities Center is established.
 * 2003
 * September: International Monetary Fund meets in Dubai.
 * Al Arabiya television and CNBC Arabiya television begin broadcasting.
 * Executive Council of Dubai and Dubai Media Incorporated established.
 * Dubai Knowledge Village opens.
 * First Dubai Tennis Championships.
 * June: International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) launched.
 * 5 May: The World (archipelago) project announced.
 * Dubai Festival City construction begins.
 * 12 May: Dubai Maritime City project announced.
 * 16 June: Emirates places $19 billion biggest order in aviation history for 71 wide-bodied planes.
 * Dubai Humanitarian City established. (Later to become International Humanitarian City)
 * 7days newspaper begins publication.
 * 2004
 * Dubai Autodrome opens.
 * Dubai One television begins broadcasting.
 * Dubai Silicon Oasis is inaugurated.
 * Planned second airport to be located in Jebel Ali confirmed.
 * September: Foundation stone of the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa, laid.
 * October: Dubai Holding investment company established.
 * December: Dubai International Film Festival inaugurated
 * December Business Bay development project announced.
 * December: Dubai School of Government launched (To become Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government).
 * 2005
 * 27 January: Dubai holds its first FEI World Endurance Riding Championship, Dubai International Endurance City opens.
 * 7 March: Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs established.
 * Emirates Today newspaper begins publication.
 * RAK Petroleum is headquartered in Dubai.
 * Mall of the Emirates (with Ski Dubai) opens.
 * Dubai RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) formed.
 * Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange inaugurated.
 * DP World founded from the merger of Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Ports International
 * September: Construction labor strike.
 * October: Dubai police introduces hotline for workers to report labour issues.
 * November: $8 billion Jebel Ali Airport City project renamed Dubai World Central.
 * 2006
 * January: Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum dies in Australia's Gold Coast.
 * January: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai and Vice President of the UAE.
 * February: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum becomes Prime Minister of the UAE.
 * February: $15 billion Dubai Aerospace Enterprise launched.
 * February: Dubai International Academic City development begins.
 * March: Dubai port operator DP World acquires P&O for $7 billion.
 * March: US House committee votes 62–2 to block DP World from operating US ports. DP World divests them.
 * 21 March: Construction labor demonstration.
 * 16 May: Construction labor strike.
 * Emirates Green Building Council headquartered in Dubai.
 * Dubai World investment company established.
 * Population: 1,354,980.
 * Dubai's education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Agency (KHDA) founded.
 * December: Women-only pink taxis go into service.
 * 2007
 * February: New UAE telco 'Du' launches.
 * June: Dubai's Salik (Meaning 'clear') road toll comes into effect.
 * June: Dubai Real Estate Corporation was founded.
 * July: 'Temporary' crossing, the Floating Bridge opens.
 * August: Real Estate regulator Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) founded.
 * Business Bay Crossing, originally named the Ras Al Khor Bridge, opens.
 * Gulf Art Fair begins.
 * Sheikh Mohammed announces the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015, a five-point long-term strategy for the city.
 * Dubai World Cup prize money raised to $10 million.
 * Dubai International City built.
 * September: Dubai Cares charity founded. The initial fund-raising drive raised over Dhs1 billion.
 * 2008
 * March: Dubai Culture & Arts Authority formed.
 * March: New Maktoum Bridge opened.
 * 26 March: 2008 Dubai explosion in Al Quoz.
 * March: New low-cost carrier Fly Dubai announced.
 * Dubai Sports City opens.
 * Tashkeel (art entity) established.
 * Airport Dubai International Terminal 3 built.
 * 1,500 room Atlantis, The Palm hotel & resort launched with 1,000 fireworks.
 * 2009
 * New Year celebrations and the opening celebration of the Dubai Shopping Festival cancelled in solidarity with Gaza.
 * 29 March: Chechen Yamadayev murdered in Dubai.
 * Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping mall, inaugurated.
 * 1 June: FlyDubai commences operations.
 * September: Red Line (Dubai Metro) begins operating.
 * Almas Tower built.
 * Dubai International Cricket Stadium opens.
 * Dubai World restructures.

2010s

 * 2010
 * 4 January: Burj Khalifa skyscraper opens (tallest in the world).
 * 19 January: Palestinian Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh assassinated.
 * 28 January: Meydan Racecourse opens.
 * 4 February: New oilfield east of Rashid field announced, named Jalila.
 * 1 July: Al Maktoum International Airport begins operations.
 * 2011
 * Green Line (Dubai Metro) begins operating Palm Deira station (Dubai Metro) opens.
 * Salsali Private Museum founded.
 * 11 October: Emirates NBD takes over Dubai Bank.
 * 2012
 * Princess Tower and JW Marriott Marquis Dubai built.
 * 21 March: Dubai Modern Art Museum & Opera House District projects announced.
 * 12 June: Dubai formally launches its bid for World Expo 2020.
 * 30 November: Restoration of 'Union House', where the UAE treaty was signed in 1971, commences.
 * 2013
 * 13 February: $1.5bn Bluewaters Island project announced, to include world's largest Ferris Wheel.
 * 4 March: Sheikh Mohammed establishes the Emirates Literature Foundation, to include the Dubai International Writers' Centre.
 * Al Barsha Police Station built.
 * The Mine (gallery) opens.
 * October: Sheikh Mohammed announces the Dubai Water Canal.
 * Population: 2,214,000.
 * 27 November: Dubai and the UAE win the bid for World Expo 2020.
 * 2014
 * February: Dubai launches $1mn 'Drones for Good' award.
 * 5 July: The World's largest mall and indoor theme park, the 48 million square foot Mall of the World project announced.
 * 16 July: The establishment of the UAE Space Agency and the launch of a Mars mission is announced.
 * 8 September: Dubai launches the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation.
 * 27 October: Dubai announces $1.2 billion investment in innovation through free zone operator TECOM.
 * 17 December: Dubai Plan 2021 development strategy is announced.
 * Opera Grand, the first tower in the Dubai Opera House District, opens.
 * 2015
 * Bicycle regulations issued.
 * 6 May: UAE Mars probe named Hope.
 * 2016
 * 3 August: Emirates Flight 521 crashes during landing at Dubai-International Airport. In the ensuing blaze, 1 firefighter is killed. Everyone on board the Boeing 777-300 survives.
 * November: Sheikh Mohammed inaugurates the Dubai Water Canal.
 * 2017
 * 1 May: Dubai Font, Dubai's own font, was launched.
 * 21 Nov: Dubai Safari Park opened to public.
 * 2018
 * 1 Jan: Dubai Frame, World's best new attraction opening in 2018

Published in 20th century

 * Richard Trench (ed.), Arab Gulf Cities: Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah (Archives Editions, 1994)
 * Richard Trench (ed.), Arab Gulf Cities: Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah (Archives Editions, 1994)
 * Richard Trench (ed.), Arab Gulf Cities: Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah (Archives Editions, 1994)

Published in 21st century

 * 2000s
 * Sampler and Eigner. From Sand to Silicon. 2003.


 * 2010s