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The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
- 1787 – Al Fahidi Fort built (approximate date).
- 1833
- Dubai taken by "Al bu Falasah clansmen of the Bani Yas,"[1] becoming independent of Abu Dhabi Emirate.
- Obaid bin Saeed bin Rashid and Maktoum bin Butti bin Suhail are its first (joint) rulers.[2]
- 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.[3]
- 1886 – Rashid bin Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai.
- 1892 – Rulers of Trucial Oman sign exclusive treaty of protection with United Kingdom.[4]
- 1894 – Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai.[5]
- 1896 – Saeed Al Maktoum's House built.[6]
- 1903-1904
- Dubai becomes "the main port of the Trucial Coast."[3]
- 1904 – British-India Steam Navigation Company begins regular service to Dubai.[7]
- 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.[3]
- 1934 – British air base established.[3]
- 1938 – 'Majlis' economic/political "reform movement" occurs.[3]
- 1939 – Majlis al Tujjar (merchant committee) established.[3]
- 1941 – Dubai Post Office opened.[8]
- 1946 – October: Imperial Bank of Persia (to become British Bank of the Middle East, then HSBC) opened in Dubai.[8]
- 1948 – Abu Dhabi-Dubai border dispute.[9]
- 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.[10]
- 1952 – Iranian consulate established.[11]
- 1953 – National Front (anti-British political group) formed.[12]
- 1956
- Jashanmal shop in business.[13]
- 1 June: Dubai Police Force founded in Naif Fort.
- 1957 – Dubai Municipality established.[14]
- 1958
- 9 September: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai when his father Sheikh Saeed dies.[9]
- 1959
- Dubai Creek dredged.[15]
- Dubai Airport opens.[16]
- 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).[17]
- 1963
- 23 May: Al Maktoum Bridge opens.[13]
- 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.[1]
- 1967 – Dubai Zoo opens.[18]
- 1968
- 18 February: Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid agree to Union at Argoub El Sedirah.
- 1969 – Dubai TV begins broadcasting.[19]
- 1971
- 10 July: The Trucial States Council of rulers agrees on Union.
- 2 December: Six Trucial States, including Dubai, form the United Arab Emirates.[20]
- Dubai Country Club[13] 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.[relevant?]
- 5 October: Port Rashid is inaugurated.[1]
- 1973
- 1975
- Al Shindagha Tunnel and Safa Park[13] open.
- Dubai Islamic Bank established.[21]
- 5 May: Sheikh Rashid decrees establishment of Dubai Aluminium – Dubal.[22]
- 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.[23]
- September: Rival Gulf News begins publication.
- Dubai World Trade Centre built.
- Oil production at Falah oil field begins.[24]
- 1979
- 26 February: Queen Elizabeth II inaugurates Dubai Desalination Plant.[22]
- Sheikh Mohammed marries Sheikha Hind.
- Oil production at Rashid oil field begins.[24]
- Dubal Aluminium Company commences production.[5]
- Dubai International Convention Centre built.
- Port of Jebel Ali inaugurated.
- Gulf News begins publication.
- 1980
- 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.[24]
- Ruler Sheikh Rashid develops health problems; power shifts to his sons.[9]
- 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[27] established.
- 1989
- Dubai Desert Classic golf contest begins.
- 29 January: First Dubai Airshow inaugurated.
- Majlis Gallery opens.[28]
- 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.[20]
- 1991
- Juma al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage established.[29] Archived 29 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine
- 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.[30]
- 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.[31]
- Chicago Beach Hotel demolished.[32]
- Jumeirah (hotel chain) headquartered in Dubai.[33]
- 1998 – Grand Mosque rebuilt.
- Zayed University founded.
- 1999
- Dubai Press Club formed.
- International Center for Biosaline Agriculture headquartered in Dubai.[34]
- December: Burj Al Arab hotel inaugurated.[35]
- Emirates National Oil Company refinery begins operating.[24]
- 29 October: Dubai Internet City announced.[36]
- Dubai's real estate market is opened to non-GCC nationals for the first time.[37]
2000s
- 2000
- 26 March: Dubai Financial Market founded.[38]
- 28 May: American University of Dubai inaugurated.
- Dubai Airport new terminal built.[16]
- Nakheel Properties headquartered in Dubai.
- Al Barsha area development and Dubai Marathon begin.
- Dubai Internet City opens.
- 4 November: Dubai Media City inaugurated.[19]
- 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.[39]
- 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.[40]
- The Dubai Multi Commodities Center is established.
- 2003
- September: International Monetary Fund meets in Dubai.[2]
- Al Arabiya television and CNBC Arabiya television begin broadcasting.[19]
- Executive Council of Dubai[41] and Dubai Media Incorporated established.
- Dubai Knowledge Village opens.[42]
- First Dubai Tennis Championships.
- June: International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) launched.[43]
- 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.[44]
- Dubai Humanitarian City established.[45] (Later to become International Humanitarian City)
- 7days newspaper begins publication.
- 2004
- Dubai Autodrome opens.[35]
- Dubai One television begins broadcasting.
- Dubai Silicon Oasis is inaugurated.[46]
- Planned second airport to be located in Jebel Ali confirmed.
- September: Foundation stone of the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa, laid.[47]
- October: Dubai Holding investment company established.
- December: Dubai International Film Festival inaugurated
- December Business Bay development[42] 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,[48] Dubai International Endurance City opens.
- 7 March: Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs established.[49]
- Emirates Today newspaper begins publication.[50]
- 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.[51]
- DP World founded from the merger of Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Ports International
- September: Construction labor strike.[49][52]
- October: Dubai police introduces hotline for workers to report labour issues.[53]
- 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.[54]
- January: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum becomes ruler of Dubai and Vice President of the UAE.[20]
- February: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum becomes Prime Minister of the UAE.[20]
- 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.[49][55]
- 16 May: Construction labor strike.[49][56]
- Emirates Green Building Council headquartered in Dubai.
- Dubai World investment company established.
- Population: 1,354,980.[57]
- Dubai's education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Agency (KHDA) founded.[58]
- December: Women-only pink taxis go into service.[59]
- 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.[60]
- 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.[61]
- Dubai World Cup prize money raised to $10 million.
- Dubai International City built.[62]
- September: Dubai Cares charity founded. The initial fund-raising drive raised over Dhs1 billion.[63]
- 2008
- March: Dubai Culture & Arts Authority formed.[64]
- March: New Maktoum Bridge opened.
- March: New low-cost carrier Fly Dubai announced.[65]
- Dubai Sports City opens.
- Tashkeel (art entity) established.[66]
- Airport Dubai International Terminal 3 built.
- 1,500 room Atlantis, The Palm hotel & resort launched with 1,000 fireworks.
- 2009
- New Year celebrations[67] and the opening celebration of the Dubai Shopping Festival[68] cancelled in solidarity with Gaza.
- 29 March: Chechen Yamadayev murdered in Dubai.[20]
- Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping mall, inaugurated.
- 1 June: FlyDubai commences operations.
- September: Red Line (Dubai Metro) begins operating.[1]
- Almas Tower built.
- Dubai International Cricket Stadium opens.
- Dubai World restructures.
2010s
- 2010
- 4 January: Burj Khalifa skyscraper opens (tallest in the world).[20]
- 19 January: Palestinian Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh assassinated.[20]
- 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.[69]
- 12 June: Dubai formally launches its bid for World Expo 2020.[70]
- 30 November: Restoration of 'Union House', where the UAE treaty was signed in 1971, commences.[71]
- 2013
- 13 February: $1.5bn Bluewaters Island project announced, to include world's largest Ferris Wheel.[72]
- 4 March: Sheikh Mohammed establishes the Emirates Literature Foundation, to include the Dubai International Writers' Centre.[73]
- Al Barsha Police Station built.[74]
- The Mine (gallery) opens.
- October: Sheikh Mohammed announces the Dubai Water Canal.[75]
- Population: 2,214,000.[76]
- 27 November: Dubai and the UAE win the bid for World Expo 2020.[77]
- 2014
- February: Dubai launches $1mn 'Drones for Good' award.[78]
- 5 July: The World's largest mall and indoor theme park, the 48 million square foot Mall of the World project announced.[79]
- 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.[80]
- 27 October: Dubai announces $1.2 billion investment in innovation through free zone operator TECOM.[81]
- 17 December: Dubai Plan 2021 development strategy is announced.[82]
- Opera Grand, the first tower in the Dubai Opera House District, opens.
- 2015
- Bicycle regulations issued.[83]
- 6 May: UAE Mars probe named Hope.[84]
- 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.[85]
- November: Sheikh Mohammed inaugurates the Dubai Water Canal.[86]
- 2017
- 1 May: Dubai Font, Dubai's own font, was launched.[87]
- 21 Nov: Dubai Safari Park opened to public.[88]
- 2018
- 1 Jan: Dubai Frame, World's best new attraction opening in 2018
- History of Dubai
- List of rulers of the emirate of Dubai
- List of universities and colleges in Dubai
- List of schools in Dubai
- List of companies of Dubai
- List of shopping malls in Dubai
- List of hospitals in Dubai
- List of tallest residential buildings in Dubai
- Timelines of other cities in United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi
- Years in the United Arab Emirates
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