Running head: HISTORY OF UAE 1

History of UAE

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HISTORY OF UAE 2

Table of Contents

Introduction....................................................................................................................3

UAE History...................................................................................................................3

Union of the Seven Emirates..........................................................................................6

Conclusion......................................................................................................................9

References....................................................................................................................10
HISTORY OF UAE 3

Introduction

United Arab Emirates (UAE) is fundamentally a confederation of seven emirates,

otherwise known as Sheikhdoms. These Sheikhdoms include Dubai, Ajman, Ras Al-

Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Umm Al-Qawain, Sharjah and Fujairah. UAE is located at the lower

end of the Persian Gulf and is considered to be one of the most liberal and stable regions of

modern Arab states. Ever since the independence of the UAE from Great Britain, that was

achieved in 1971, it has witnessed phenomenal financial expansion and internal growth,

largely due to the oil exports. Moreover, the principal cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai have

become one of the global tourism destinations as well as a nexus for commerce and trade

between Asia in the east and Europe and North America in the west. In addition, the UAE

also enjoys excellent relationship with all the major powers of the world, along with the

lesser countries of Asia, Africa, and South America. The following discussion would explore

the history of UAE and the events that resulted in the formation of the seven emirates.

UAE History

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was initially molded from an assemblage of tribally

systematized sheikhdoms of Arabian Peninsula, that are situated laterally the northwestern

coastline of the Gulf of Oman and the southern coastline of the Persian Gulf. The region was

originally transformed to Islamism during the 7th century and eventually for the coming

periods, there were dynastic disputes that embroiled within it. Majority of the nationals of the

UAE are direct descendants of two tribal groupings, namely, the Bani Yas and the Qawasim

and they developed as the foremost supremacies by the 18th century (Library of Congress –

Federal Research Division, 2007). The Bani Yas were majorly associated with the pastoral

and agricultural business and in the modern times they live in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. On the

other hand, the Qawasim were mainly associated with sea and land trading and had

dominated the modern Sharjah and Ras al Khaymah. However, between the seventeenth and
HISTORY OF UAE 4

nineteenth century, this area had become to be known as the Pirate Coast and this was

majorly because the Arab and European pirates that been attacking the foreign ships (Library

of Congress – Federal Research Division, 2007). Eventually, the British straddled voyages

against these pirates throughout this period and thereby had culminated in a campaign against

pirate headquarters in 1818, with the major targets being Ras al Khaymah and the others

located at the harbors, situated along the coasts. The exploit was supposedly taken by the

British government for safeguarding the British maritime routes, particularly those that were

associated with the British East India Company (Library of Congress – Federal Research

Division, 2007).

The rich history of the United Arab Emirates is ingrained in the trade and is associated

to Islam that derived to the area around the year AD 630. While the Europeans were seeking

governor of the inland and coast, the Bedouin had completed their homes in the sandy deserts

of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In the nineteenth century, around 1820, a succession of agreements

was signed between the distinct Emirates and the British, which led to the formation of an

area, which was acknowledged as “The Trucial States” (UAE Embassy, 2019). The Emirates

has approved that they would not concede any territory, apart from to the United Kingdom

and would also restrain themselves from any kind of engagements with other extraneous

governments except the UK, without acquiring any kind of prior accord from the British

government. As a return of the same, the British government had assured that they would be

protecting the coasts from all kinds of aggression via sea and would also provide assistance in

events of any attack occurring by land (UAE Embassy, 2019).

Over the 19th and 20th centuries, the industry of pearling had flourished and was

providing employment as well as income to the population of the Gulf. Several of the

populaces were partially nomadic and therefore, they were involved with pearling during the

summer, while they tended the date gardens during the winters. However, the economic
HISTORY OF UAE 5

recession that took place during the late 1920s and early 1930s, along with the origination of

pearls by the Japanese via the technique of pearl culturing, the pearling industry of the UAE

was severely damaged, beyond repairs (UAE Embassy, 2019). By the early 1930s,

geographical investigations were carried out by the first oil company that originated in the

UAE. Within thirty years, by 1962, crude oil was first exported from Abu Dhabi via cargo.

The economy of the UAE was steadily developing and eventually HH Sheikh Zayed bin

Sultan Al Nahyan was designated in 1966, as the potentate of Abu Dhabi. Under the rule of

the Sheikh, there was a steady growth of the oil revenues and the same resulted in the

overhaul of infrastructures associated with the creation of roads, hospitals, housing and

schools thru Abu Dhabi (UAE Embassy, 2019).

One of the initial activities that were conducted by Sheikh Zayed was increasing the

contributions towards the Trucial States Development Fund, while making Abu Dhabi the

principal donor of the Fund. In the intervening time, HH Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al

Maktoum, the original potentate of Dubai from the year 1939, had replaced the revenues

earned from pearling by integrating itself into the shipping industry (UAE Embassy, 2019). In

1969, the Emirates of Dubai had begun export of oil and at the same time, Sheikh Rashid had

shifted the focus of his attention towards the development programs that were aimed towards

improvement of the superiority of the lives of the people, along with the novel revenues from

oil. In the year 1968, the British government had announced that it would withdraw from the

Gulf of Arabia, and therefore, Sheikh Zayed had marched into activities for rapidly

establishing closer associations amongst the Emirates. Along with Sheikh Rashid, Sheikh

Zayed had demanded for a confederation which comprised of the 7 Emirates which were also

part of the Trucial States, along with Bahrain and Qatar (UAE Embassy, 2019).
HISTORY OF UAE 6

Union of the Seven Emirates

In 1892, Russia, Germany and France were building attention towards the Gulf

Region and therefore, the Sheikhs responsible for the Trucial Coast and the British

government signed a novel treaty that was known to be “Exclusive Agreement” and as per

the treaty, it was settled by the sheikhs that they would not entertain any kind of

correspondence or agreement with any of the other powers, apart from the British, and would

neither concede, mortgage nor sell any part of their territory to any other power, apart from

the British, with the consent of Britain (Library of Congress – Federal Research Division,

2007). From this period onwards, until the achievement of independence in the year 1971,

these distinct littoral sheikhdoms were under the fortification of the British and this implies

that the British government assumed the responsibilities of the external relations and

defenses, while the sheikhdoms were required to follow the conventional form of the Arab

monarchy that implied that each of the rulers held absolute power, virtually, over all their

subjects (Library of Congress – Federal Research Division, 2007).

In 1952 the British government had suggested that the potentates of the different

sheikhdoms should instigate the Trucial Council for encouraging the espousal of communal

policies with respect to the administrative matters as well as potentially lead towards alliance

of the states. The potentates had held meetings, a minimum of two times in a year and was

under the chairmanship of the radical agents of Dubai. From the year 1958, when the first

discovery of petroleum was determined from underneath the littoral waters of Abu Dhabi, the

resources of petroleum had been largely used for determination of the power structure as well

as relative prestige of the different emirates (Library of Congress – Federal Research

Division, 2007). The commercial production of the onshore petroleum in 1962 had provided

substantial prosperity and capital to the sheikhdom that exists as the most affluent and largest

emirate. Sheikh Shakhbut ibn Sultan Al Nuhayyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi from the year 1928,
HISTORY OF UAE 7

had been unsuccessful to utilize the earnings from the royalties earned from petroleum

industry for developing the sheikhdom and therefore, was eventually overthrown in 1966, and

to be substituted by his younger brother Sheikh Zayid ibn Sultan Al Nuhayyan. Underneath

the rule of Sheikh Zayid, Abu Dhabi had undergone several transformations and with the help

of considerable earnings from the industry of petroleum that were allotted for the community

works, along with the provisions of welfare services. With the discovery of petroleum in

Dubai, in 1966, Dubai was able to greatly prospered from the availability of the new wealth

(Library of Congress – Federal Research Division, 2007).

In the year 1968, the United Kingdom had declared their verdict, which was reiterated

in March 1971, that they would be ending the treaty associations that existed with the 7

Trucial Coast states and would remove the British military militaries from the areas. Qatar

and Bahrain, that were also under the defense of the British government, had joined the

Trucial Coast states in March 1968 and formed the Federation of Arab Emirates (Library of

Congress – Federal Research Division, 2007). However, Qatar and Bahrain had seceded from

the federation in the year 1971, as they opted for separated independence. Six of the Trucial

States, that is, Ajman, Dubai, Umm al Qaywayn, Abu Dhabi, Al Fujayrah and Sharjah, had

agreed on a centralized constitution in July 1971, for attaining independence as the United

Arab Emirates (UAE). The United Kingdom had concluded all the prevailing agreements on

1st December 1971, that the UK had with the Trucial Coast states, following which, freedom

was announced the next day. Eventually, in February 1972, the 7th sheikhdom amalgamated

with the UAE, that is, Ras al Khaymah (Library of Congress – Federal Research Division,

2007).

During the period of independence, Sheikh Zayid ibn Sultan Al Nuhayyan was

announced as the first president of the UAE. The part was contented by Sheikh Zayid of Abu

Dhabi till his demise in 2004. Eventually, Sheikh Rashid ibn Said Al Maktum, the potentate
HISTORY OF UAE 8

of Dubai, became the vice president, with Sheikh Maktum ibn Rashid Al Maktum, his eldest

son, being crowned as the prince of Dubai and was also named as the prime minister (Library

of Congress – Federal Research Division, 2007). Furthermore, in 1986 Sheikh Rashid had

taken the position of both prime minister and vice president, however upon his demise in

1990, Sheikh Maktum had thrived his father and became the rule of Dubai, along with being

the prime minister and vice president of the UAE. Eventually, in 1971, the UAE had adopted

an interim constitution which was developed with the intension of expiring after five years,

however, it was renewed and was imposed until a permanent constitution was eventually

adopted in 1996. In 1976, the government was further centralized and the federal government

acquired control over border control, public security, immigration, intelligence service, and

defenses (Library of Congress – Federal Research Division, 2007).

Figure: Division of the Regions of the Seven Emirates

(Source: Kseroof, 2017)

HISTORY OF UAE 9

Since the formation of the UAE, it has established genuine membership as well as had

positioned itself in regional and international regions. These can be chronologically listed as

follows.

 2nd December 1971: The UAE had become the eighteenth member of the Arab

League by joining it

 9th December 1971: The membership of UAE was admitted by the United

Nations Security Council

 In 1972: The UAE had become the Organization of Islamic Cooperation

 In 1981: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was cofounded by UAE along

with the State of Kuwait, Kingdom of Bahrain, Sultanate of Oman, Kingdom

of Saudi Arabia, and State of Kuwait (United Arab Emirates, 2019)

Conclusion

From the discussion that has been provided above, it can be mentioned that the history

of United Arab Emirates comprises of various changes, alterations and developments that

eventually resulted in the formation of the modern UAE, which has evolved to become the

leading producer of oil in the world. The developmental phases that the UAE had undergone,

had enabled it to develop its internal strengths and constitutions, as well as progress its

financial prospects. The formation of the UAE with the seven emirates had been the major

achievement of the UAE for the achievement of its financial as well as political stability.
HISTORY OF UAE 10

References

Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Centre. (2007). United Arab Emirates in

Perspective. Retrieved from http://downloads.slugsite.com/UAE.pdf

Kseroof, O. (2017). 13 things you probably didn't know about the UAE's history. Retrieved

from https://stepfeed.com/13-things-you-probably-didn-t-know-about-the-uae-s-

history-1621

Library of Congress – Federal Research Division. (2007). Country Profile: United Arab

Emirates (UAE). Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/cs/profiles/UAE.pdf

UAE Embassy. (2019). History. Retrieved from https://www.uae-embassy.org/about-

uae/history

United Arab Emirates. (2019). Ancient history. Retrieved from

https://government.ae/en/more/history-of-the-uae