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[[File:Dubai1.jpg|thumb|340px|Right|Three scenes of luxury housing.]]  

[[File:Dubai1.jpg|thumb|340px|Right|Three scenes of luxury housing.]]  

The city-state of '''Dubai''' (Arabic دبيّ) (Dubayy) is a semi- independent country that is one of the seven states that form the [[United Arab Emirates]] (UAE) on the Persian Gulf. The UAE handles foreign affairs and defense; Dubai handles its own economic affairs.<ref> The UAE was formerly called the "Trucial States"</ref>  At 1500 square miles, it is the size of Rhode Island, it is a financial powerhouse, based on borrowed money.<ref> It has a small amount of oil but less than 6% of its GDP comes from petroleum sales. see [http://vgn.dm.gov.ae/DMEGOV/OSI/webreports/Gross.pdf GDP]</ref> It is a monarchy controlled by the absolute rule of a royal family.  The population is 1.3 million, of whom 70+% are non-citizens who are temporary workers or very rich Arabs from other nations who maintain luxury second homes here.  

The city-state of '''Dubai''' (Arabic دبيّ) (Dubayy) is a semi- independent country that is one of the seven states that form the [[United Arab Emirates]] (UAE) on the Persian Gulf. The UAE handles foreign affairs and defense; Dubai handles its own economic affairs.<ref>The UAE was formerly called the "Trucial States"</ref>  At 1500 square miles, it is the size of Rhode Island, it is a financial powerhouse, based on borrowed money.<ref>It has a small amount of oil but less than 6% of its GDP comes from petroleum sales. see [http://vgn.dm.gov.ae/DMEGOV/OSI/webreports/Gross.pdf GDP]</ref> It is a monarchy controlled by the absolute rule of a royal family.  The population is 1.3 million, of whom 70+% are non-citizens who are temporary workers or very rich Arabs from other nations who maintain luxury second homes here.  

==History==

==History==

Dubai's origins are largely unknown. It was a very old, small pearl-fishing village when its current rulers, the Maktoum family, took power in 1883. They maintained close ties with Britain. Dubai has been the main entrepôt in the Persian Gulf and the busiest trading port since 1900, with commerce being the main source of revenue for the emirate. The merchant class in Dubai played a key role in restructuring the economy and government decision-making in the pre-oil era of Dubai's development. Today merchants play a fundamental role in economic affairs and the political structure. In addition, again they have taken on roles as service suppliers, urban planners, culture mediators, and internationalists representing the region throughout the world.  

Dubai's origins are largely unknown. It was a very old, small pearl-fishing village when its current rulers, the Maktoum family, took power in 1883. They maintained close ties with Britain. Dubai has been the main entrepôt in the Persian Gulf and the busiest trading port since 1900, with commerce being the main source of revenue for the emirate. The merchant class in Dubai played a key role in restructuring the economy and government decision-making in the pre-oil era of Dubai's development. Today merchants play a fundamental role in economic affairs and the political structure. In addition, again they have taken on roles as service suppliers, urban planners, culture mediators, and internationalists representing the region throughout the world.  

===1930s===

===1930s===

Dubai suffered economically after 1920 due to the collapse of the pearl industry, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the loss of extensive trade networks during World War II. Until the surge of oil revenues in the late 1960s, political instability and merchant unrest existed and consituted an organized attempt to subvert British control and the ruling Al-Maktoum family.  African slavery was practiced until the 1960s.  The uprising of 1938 in Dubai was the culmination of a decade of grievances and minor rebellions against the autocratic rule of Shaykh Sa'id bin Maktum (ruled 1912-58). In the 1930's the Trucial Coast was characterized by great poverty resulting primarily from a decline in the pearl trade. Much of the initiative for reform sprang from an attempt to ameliorate economic conditions--the leaders of the movement having previously been successful pearl merchants. The new government established in October 1938 lasted only a few months before Shaykh Sa'id with Bedouin support was able to overthrow it in March 1939. The collapse of the reform movement is attributable to the role played by British agents and the weakness of the political structure that was set up. Until 1979, angry border dispued with Abu Dubai simmered on and off, verging on warfare.

Dubai suffered economically after 1920 due to the collapse of the pearl industry, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the loss of extensive trade networks during World War II. Until the surge of oil revenues in the late 1960s, political instability and merchant unrest existed and consituted an organized attempt to subvert British control and the ruling Al-Maktoum family.  African slavery was practiced until the 1960s.  The uprising of 1938 in Dubai was the culmination of a decade of grievances and minor rebellions against the autocratic rule of Shaykh Sa'id bin Maktum (ruled 1912-58). In the 1930's the Trucial Coast was characterized by great poverty resulting primarily from a decline in the pearl trade. Much of the initiative for reform sprang from an attempt to ameliorate economic conditions—the leaders of the movement having previously been successful pearl merchants. The new government established in October 1938 lasted only a few months before Shaykh Sa'id with Bedouin support was able to overthrow it in March 1939. The collapse of the reform movement is attributable to the role played by British agents and the weakness of the political structure that was set up. Until 1979, angry border dispued with Abu Dubai simmered on and off, verging on warfare.

[[File:Gulf2.jpg|thumb|340px|tiny Dubai is near the "a" in "Dubai" on the map]]

[[File:Gulf2.jpg|thumb|340px|tiny Dubai is near the "a" in "Dubai" on the map]]

===Wealth===

===Wealth===

{{Clear}}

{{Clear}}

==External links==  

==External links==

* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1945354,00.html#ixzz0aAQhvLQZ ''Time'' magazine]

* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1945354,00.html#ixzz0aAQhvLQZ ''Time'' magazine]