Dubai in the twentieth century
Dubai’s proximity to India made it an important port of call for foreign tradesmen, mainly Indian, many of whom eventually settled in the town.
The meeting of old and new Dubai
Until the 1930s Dubai was known for its pearl exports, but the First World War and then the Great Depression damaged the industry irreparably resulting in a mass exodus to other parts of the Persian Gulf.
Since its inception, Dubai was constantly at odds with Abu Dhabi. In 1947, a border dispute escalated into war between the two states. The British intervened and an uneasy peace was reached but border disputes between the two emirates continued even after the formation of the UAE. It wasn’t until 1979 that a formal compromise was reached that ended hostilities between the two states.
The British relocated their local administrative offices from Sharjah to Dubai in the 50s, bringing electricity, telephone services and an airport with them.
After the deflation of the Gulf rupee in 1966 Dubai joined Qatar in setting up the Qatar/Dubai Riyal; oil was discovered in Dubai the same year. Dubai granted concessions to international oil companies leading to a massive influx of foreign workers, mainly Indians and Pakistanis, swelling the population by as much as three hundred percent by 1975.
Related posts:
- A brief history of Dubai’s economy up to 1979
- Dubai in the nineteenth century
- Dubai and the UAE
- The location of Dubai
- Getting connected to gas, electricity, water and phone in Dubai
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