Abu Dhabi’s people today enjoy living in modern, technologically advanced surroundings, a huge historic leap from living in simple mud -brick huts like some of its previous settlers. The emirate is rich in archeological finds.
There has been evidence that the very first settlements were from the 3rd millennium BC in some regions of Abu Dhabi. Its early history resembles that of the nomadic period with typical herding and fishing lifestyles.
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Settlements can be traced back as far as over 5000 years ago, and have been found around parts of Abu Dhabi, such as Jebel Hafeet near Al Ain and on the island of Umm al Nar. Under the rule of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa, Abu Dhabi thoroughly developed through the trading of pearls, and in 1892 came the very first exclusive treaty linking Abu Dhabi with Great Britain.
The emirates location was seen as a great strategic convenience connecting it with India and the east, and it was established as the Trucial coast. In 1939 Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan granted petroleum concession to the Trucial Coast Development Oil Company, (renamed the Abu Dhabi Petroleum Company, ADPC, in 1962) in a bid to search for large oil reserves.
In 1958, huge offshore oil reserves were discovered and a year later onshore reserves were also found. It was not until 1962 that the oil exports began, leading Abu Dhabi on to the road of unbelievable wealth. In 1966 Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan became the new ruler of Abu Dhabi and two years later he formed the federation of the United Arab Emirates.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan was elected as the first president and carried out his vision of developing the country with the advantage of increased oil revenues. Sheikh Zayed was known as the ‘Father of the Nation’ due to his great developments of the city of Abu Dhabi. Unfortunately he passed away in 2004 and his son Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan was elected as president and made sure he would continue his father’s legacy.
With the outstanding determination of the Al Nahyan family reign, anything is possible. Sheikh Khalifa has invested oil reserves sensibly in order to boost tourism figures; an ambitious 3 million target by 2015 has been announced. |
