Old Dubai :

Dubai was traditionally a commercial centre. An entrepot in the Gulf from the late 19th century, Dubai is a successor to the fabulous Qais and Hormuz which had flourished before the coming of the Europeans into the region. Dubai is often called the Venice of the Gulf, with a wide creek dividing the two into halves and gaily-painted boats constantly moving across the clear, blue-green water. A forest of square wind-towers formerly rose into the blue sky, known as a badgeer from the Persian. Now, this have been replaced by tall, modern buildings, although a few old houses can still be seen.

The suqs or markets on either side of its broad creek are the most picturesque and can take one back to the time of the Arabian Nights. In the narrow lanes roofed with matting, where the gloom is flecked by spots of sunlight, Arabs, Persians and Baluchis display their multifarious and many-coloured wares. Wild eyed tribesmen with their camel canes and daggers haggle with the shopkeepers, and the wealthier Persian merchants with their long flowing robes and gold-bracaded headdresses pass to and fro, intent upon their business. Conditions are no doubt primitive, but there is an air of bustle and prosperity about the place that gives it a peculiar charm.

The opportunity of Dubai came with the decline of Lingeh, the then dominant port near the Straits of Hormuz, which until 1874 had been a tribally-administered area. The imperial Iranian Government abolished Lingeh's Arab governorship and took over the administration in 1902. The Imperial Bank of Iran began to collect custom duties on behalf of the Government. A law introducing very high custom duties for import and exports drove away the prosperous entrepot trade from the Iranian coast.

Dubai benefited from Lingeh's misfortune. Shaikh Maktoum bin Hasher welcomed the merchants, craftsmen, traders and pearl divers. The port grew rapidly and became a regular port of call for steamer from 1902.

The economy and social life of old Dubai centered around the pearl industry. Pearl fishing was described at the end of the 19th century as the premier industry. The purchasing power of the inhabitants depended largely on pearl fisheries. Dubai's prosperity in those days was primarily due to the pearl trade. Many local families were engaged in the pearl trade. The pearl industry began to decline in the 1930's with the international monetary crisis at that time and the growth of the cultured pearl industry, primarily in Japan. The decline gathered momentum during the 1940's and the whole industry died out completely in 50's.

First Bank in Dubai
The agreement was signed on to establish the first bank in Dubai, The Imperial Bank of Iran, a predecessor of British Bank of the Middle East or BBME. Shaikh Saeed agreed the proposal of Mr. J.H. Johnson, an agent of Imperial Bank of Iran, as bank was desirable in a growing trading industry.

Creek
In the fifties, the silting of the creek entrance and the constantly shifting sandbanks hampered the operation of the port. The dredging and deepening of the creek was arranged and followed by building of training walls and steel piling to keep the channel free of silt by an increased rate of discharge on the ebb tide. In 1962 the first bridge across the Creek, was completed and by 1968, the creek had developed to such an extent that the ruller commissioned Halcrow to draw up a developement scheme for the whole of the nine-mile-long creek.

Aviation
The first military sea-plane landed on the Creek to inaugurate Dubai's age of aviation.

Oil Discovery
The discovery of oil. The discovery of oil revolutionised Dubai's economy and ensured its meteoric rise. The revenue from oil came just in time to finance the major development projects of 70's and 80's.

Port Rashid
The improvement of facilities to handle the dhow trade had led to a rapid increase in the number of local, Iranian and Indian dhows entering Dubai port. The Creek were already becoming congested as the building boom in both the public and private sectors, including the oil industry, accelerated. Therefore, a company was commissioned to undertake a feasibility study for a deep water harbour. In 1972, the harbour which has 15 berths, Port Rashid was officially completed.

Jebel Ali Port
Shaikh Rashid envisaged a new city containing a major port with a free trade zone. His idea was to have an industrial harbour. Port Rashid was mainly for town shipment cargoes and of course there was no land behind it to develop industries or factories. Jebel Ali was ideal because the sea was very deep and suitable for a large port. Although there was a question on the need of new port, Shaikh Rashid assured everyone that he knows what he's doing. The construction of Mina Jebel Ali started on August 2, 1976 and the first two quays were ready within 18 months. The Dhs. 6.5 billion port became fully operational in June 1979.

Airport
The projects begun in 1959. With the help of local staffs, the first phase of the project, which is the compacted sand runaway, which was 6,000 feet long, was officially opened by the Ruler on September 30, 1960 and operation commenced with Heron and Dakota aircraft. Two years after, a 9,200 feet, asphalt all-weather runaway was completed. And on May 15,1965, the airport was inaugurated by the Ruler, with the first big jets of the Middle Airlines and the Kuwait Airways Comets.

In 1970's the airport development was necessitated to accommodate wide-bodied airliners. The newly developed Dubai Airport was officially opened was officially opened by Shaikh Rashid on May 15, 1971. Late 1984, another expansion project was launched. The development of aviation in dubai was fittingly crowned in October 25 1985, by launching the Dubai's own Emirates Airlines.

Land Department
To regulate transactions in land, for housing both nationals and increasing number of expatriates, Shaikh Rashid established the Land Department in 1960 under the chairmanship of his eldest son, Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid. The ruler encourage the locals to buy plots of land and gave them financial assistance to build. Original residents were induced to build modern houses on their plots. As a result, liquidity in the market increased, with people investing their funds in construction which helped activate the economy.

Dubai Municipality
Founded in 1957, the council assumed its present form in 1961 following legislation enacted to that effect. Chairpersoned by Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid, the 2nd Ruler's son, the council is to organised various services to ensure the growth of Dubai as a beautiful, clean and healthy city. The service included refuse collection, anti-malaria, pest control, fire fighting and provision of public gardens.

Water was also handled by Dubai Municipality. The ruler knew that good water could be obtained at Al Aweer. In 1962, excavation started in Al Al Aweer and two year later, Qatar Water Supply Company built water tanks in Dubai to supply water to all parts of Dubai.

Electricification of Dubai was similarly crucial. Some private merchants had set up small generators, and an agreement was signed in 1950 between Sheikh Saeed a group of Dubai merchants to set up and electricty company. The project however, did not materialise. In 1958, Shaikh Rashid took up the issue of a public electricity company with the BBME. The company was set up in 1959, and Dubai had its first electricity connection in 1961.

Education
The first school was Al Madrasah Al Ahmadiya which was founded by Shaik Mohammed Bin Ahmed Bin Dalmouk, one of the richest merchants and businessmen. The school was built in Ras Deira in 1906 for adults only and this continued to be the position until 1926 when first and second primary grades were opened.