Dubai is part of the seven emirates of United Arab Emirates (UAE). It has successfully become one of the most famous and sophisticated cities around the world in just a short period of time. In order to understand the evolution of Dubai, we’re going to travel in space and time investigating the nature, society and technology that surround this sunny futuristic city.
Dubai Technology
Dubai had to diversify its economy in recent years through investments in tourism, financial services, real state, etc. So they are building astonishing hotels, the biggest shopping malls, highest skyscrapers, including the tallest building in the world.
Dubai is a futuristic city in the present. Some people don’t like this architectural extravaganza, but I personaly think this a great way to push Engineering beyond its limits, these technology breakthroughs bring a lot of innovation to mankind.
Downtown Burj Dubai
Burj Khalifa aka Burj Dubai – The tallest building in the world
At the top of the building.
Dubai Mall – Largest Shopping Mall in the World
The Old Town
The Address Hotel
Burj Al Arab Hotel
Jumeirah Emirates Tower
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Madinat Jumeirah Hotel
Jumeirah Living Hotel
Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Hotel
Dubai Marina
Dubai Festival City – Shopping Mall and Hotels
Bur Juman Shopping Mall
Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall
Mall of the Emirates
Dubai Airport
Under Construction Developments
Dubai International Financial Center
Culture Village
Dubai Healthcare City
Business Bay
Dubai Metro
Palm Jumeirah
Palm Deira
The World
Palm Jebel Ali and The Waterfront
Dubai Lagoons
Future Developments
Signature Towers
Jumeirah Gardens
Mohammed Bin Rashid Gardens – Eric Kuhne
Dubai Nature
People usually think desert is a lifeless place, but they are wrong. The desert and the seashore of Dubai support a beautiful diversity of animals, plants and microorganisms.
Dubai Society
As of 2006, the population of the emirate was 1,422,000. Expatriates from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Europeans and Americans made up almost three-quarters of people.
11th Century
In 1095, the Andalusian-Arab geographer Abu Abdullah al-Bakri mentioned Dubai in the “Book of Geography”.
16th Century
In 1580, Gaspero Balbi, a Venetian pearl merchant, visited the area in 1580 and mentioned Dubai for its pearling industry.
17th Century
Dubai was already making use of its natural harbour and a small established fishing village existed.
18th Century
Al Fahidi Fort was built in 1787 and is the oldest building in Dubai. This is a picture of the fort in the 1960′s.
19th Century
In 1820, the General Treaty of Peace was signed between British Government and sheikhs of Ra’s al-Khaimah, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ajman, Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
20th Century
The Japanese invention of the cultured pearl and the economic depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s destroyed the natural pearl market. The population suffered the lack of education and infrastructure.
Dubai Creek in 1960′s.
Souks of Deira in 1960′s.
Dubai Jumeirah/Satwa in 1960′s.
In 1969, Dubai exported oil for the first time. However, oil in Dubai is not abundant like in his neighbor state Abu Dhabi that is one of the world’s largest producers of oil in the world.
Dubai’s first airport in mid-sixties.
In 1971, Dubai inaugurated a new airport in the same year of formation of the United Arab Emirates.
For more wonderful pictures of Dubai in 1970′s, visit Anita van der kroL website.
Daily life at Dubai Creek in 1980′s.
Aerial view of Dubai Creek showing the end of Shindagga Tunnel.
Sheikh Zayed Road in the 1990′s.
21th Century
Sheikh Zayed Road in 2009.
Dubai Future
Although Dubai has emerged as an important international hub, the city is facing some serious issues like financial crisis and labour exploitation. But before you throw stones in Dubai , you should remember this is not the only place in the world with this kind of problems. I hope they fix them.
Like the evolution of life, cities mutate constantly. Dubai will have to make wise mutations in order to survive and adapt to the Earth challenging future. In your opinion, how Dubai will look like in the next generation?
I would love to hear your comments, please suggest me a place for the next The evolution of (city) post, it can be the city you live too.
You should also follow me on twitter here.
Resources
Burj Dubai is Today the Tallest Building in the World
The Unusual Architecture of Dubai – Part 1
More about Signature Towers, Dubai by Zaha Hadid
alamuae.com/al-maktoum/showtopics-184.html
23 Comments
This is awesome! I really enjoyed these photos. I’d definitely love to visit the place!
Glad you liked @designinformer!
I would love to visit the tallest building in the world there. The view at the top is amazing!
Amazing article Paulo! Love it.
Maybe you could write posts about Florence and Thessaloniki?
Glad you liked, Nikola!
Your suggestions are already in my list now.
Awesome post! Dubai is a great city. Keep up the good work, my friend!
Thanks so much, my friend! Glad you liked. Feel free to suggest a city for the next post.
Truly a place from the fantasy world… what elegance and splendid beauty… love to visit Dubai. Thanks a million for sharing this.
Absolutely stunning!!
@Richie, it seems the architects and designers in Dubai are artisans of dreams… @Designinformer blog has written a very interesting article about craftsmanship.
Thanks a lot for commenting.
Excellent post! I love the sequence
@mrfidalgo, I’m glad you like it. Thanks for coming!
An amazing journey, great old archives…
HIPCARGO
http://twitter.com/hipcargo
Glad you liked, Darren!
Aldous Huxley wrote Brand New World , but the Arabs have turned it into a reality . Dubai is indeed a city which embodies Futurism in every sense ; it is quite magnificent to behold and view from afar – however : it is divided, ( just as every other nation in the world seems to be ) ; there are the Upper Classes who dwell and inhabit the Beautifully Breath-taking Locations of Dubai , and then : there are the Below Poverty Stricken Poor , who inhabit the not so beautiful side of the country’s landscape . The conditions for the poor in Dubai are horrendous – for a country which is so rich in every other respect , it has No Welfare System for their poor . Although Dubai may be Futuristic within its architecture and technology – it remains in the dark ages as far as helping its poor under-priviledged citizens who make up the greater part of Dubais workforce .Dubai in my opinion is no different than Atlantis [ and the Atlanteans ] – and if anyone knows about Atlantis , they should be aware of what the outcome was for that civilization…
Regradless of Dubai being beautiful on the surface, I would not want to reside in a country who does not afford the simple necessities of life to its poor masses . We judge a country by How they treat their poor , their sick and their dead , and not so much as by their architecture or technology. After all – what good does it benefit a nation whose technology has surpassed its humanity??? Just a thought ….
I would love to see a Brand New World where everyone lives equally . Now THAT would be perfect
– but I am quite aware that there are no such thing as Utopian Paradises ; but it doesnt hurt to dream now does it 
Another great city to feature would be Japan ! – now THAT I would love to see !
* BTW: Magnificent photo’s you have gathered here once again Paulo , always a pleasure to peek in on your site.
Mia .
@mia, thanks again for visiting and leaving amazing comments. I usually imagine what it would be a city of dreams too. There is a nice project already built here. It seems more utopian to see everyone living equally, because there are many people who works really hard, and others who don’t. But I think people should have the same opportunities to grow.
You’re welcome! Thanks for such a great blog post.
You’re welcome too, Daniel. Thanks for commenting.
@Mia
I think you have a misunderstanding about thepoor class in Dubai. With all respect Mia I am a national of Dubai and I have no idea what you are talking about. First of all there is not one even as less than one U.A.E national that is not supported by the government. They even pay for our weddings. As for the poor class you are talking about… lets get one thing straight. No country is responsible for the education, healthcare, e.t.c of the foreigners residing in it. These obligations have to be fullfilled by the employer and not the government. I resided in London for 2 years. I had to pay for my health insurance, I had to pay for my apartment and my university. The queen didn’t take care of my expenses and neither did I expect her to. However a lot of these lower class that you talk about are living below the poverty line in their home country and Duabi has not kept tough regulations for visa like european countries considering these people. For instance my servant is paid a salary of 300 dollars a month + accomodation + healthcare+ meals. However in his country he hardly made 30 dollars a month. To you he might seem underpaid but to him he’s makin a fortune. Ofcourse the government could toughen immigration laws, no visas for people who have no fat bank accounts and let my servant live in his Indian village for 30$ a month barely feeding his family, clothing them, educating them e.t.c. So you see, Dubai is actually an oppurtunity for a better life for them. I dont see them complaining. I dont know why you are.
Mia
Do you hear about any poor citizens in Dubai ?
very beatiful building ,cities ,UAE
Glad you liked!
This job you’ve done is just impressive. I’m working on a job about Dubai and your photos’ compilation has helped me so much.
Of course I’ll mention your blog as source of information.
I’ll pass by to see your new researches!
Keep it up!
Dubai is amazing. I would love to visit there sometime in the future. I wonder how much some of those luxurious flats cost?
nice photos
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