Dubai history: of a desert to a technological city.

Like almost everybody knows, Dubai in 80’s decade, was a simple desert without emotions, now is one of the 7 emirates that form the United Arab Emirates, that receives about 6 million of tourist per year, and that's thanks for the technology, the skyscrapers more larger and luxurious in the world, the transatlantic floating hotels and his artificial islands with luxuries millionaires.

That's why in this document we going to talk about a little of his history and how the technology impact on his economy and how the oil industry was important in their economy, also how they become a global city and a business and cultural hub of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region.

Oil discovered

Dubai growth is beginning when first discovered the oil in that region. That was the main factor for the new beginning of Dubai, so to speak. This happens in the 60's, thanks to the discovery of oil, to the end of the 60's, Dubai already had a good infrastructure to grow: as roads, bridges, supply of electricity and water, as well as also an airport and a system telecommunications. Also Dubai started to export oil and that was a big help for their economy.

Thanks to strong sales of oil at a high price, Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum, the chairman in that moment, started planning what would be the Dubai we know today.

In 1971 was founded the United Arab Emirates, an important day for their.

Then, in the 80's, Dubai prospered financially. The airport has his own airline Emirates Airlines, also they built sports and recreational facilities and as well they began to think of tourism as a source of additional income.

When the chairman Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum died, his son inherited the position. The new chairman had more ambitious plans for Dubai than his father, and thanks to these ambitious plans Dubai is what we know today.

Within OPEC member countries, United Arab Emirate ranks fifth in oil production, and in 2000 generated 8.6% of the total production of OPEC, and occurred on 3% of world production. For 1992, the oil sector accounted for 27% of GDP, ie 1 in 3 dollars, were generated by this sector, but by 2002, the share of the oil sector in the economy declined significantly represented only 7% of the total. From 1993-2002 oil exports grew by only 3% and in particular oil which accounts for 72% of oil exports had a growth rate annual average of only 1.5% (SECTUR, 2005)

The oil was the main weapon for growing genre Dubai as capital and that helps the city grow because they had  too many tax and where to invest in improving Dubai. Therefore became the main strategic resource.

In actuality, Dubai's economy is currently 20% dependent on oil. Trade and services dominate its economy. Inside the trades and the services, it included tourism. The tourism is where they get most of their incomes. The reasons are a lot.

Tourism

Tourism in Dubai it's not for average people is for the rich and powerful people of the world. Because Dubai comprises a wide range of scenery in very small area and with that the tourist can experience all in one day, from beautiful mountains and wonderful dunes sunny beaches and green parks, and can also enjoy a day of sky in snow in the desert. And for the nightlife Dubai houses many types of western style bars presents a lively variety of panoramas.

In 2010 creating the world´s tallest building, which is called Burj Dubai, also known as the Burj Khalifa, the height of this skyscraper is 818 m Its construction took more than five years and cost more than 20,000 million. Before this building, the tallest tower in the world was the Taipei 101. All this attracts a lot of tourism.

“Other technology that you will have the world's first refrigerated beach, artificially constructed to avoid problems with the temperature of the sand. Near this is going to be a hotel called Palazzo Versace ultra-luxurious hotel” (CESTUR, 2005)

“Equal features the most modern subway is pretty quick, clean and economical. As important development, the metro runs completely automatically. Their hotels are the most modern from hotels aquatic. Between architectural works that will be in 2012 in Dubai is the JW Marriott Marquis 355 meters high which will open next October becoming the world's tallest hotel.” (CESTUR, 2005)

“Equally Vertical neighborhood will have a solar powered, will be a type of residential hotel entertainment areas, called Vertical Village, will absolutely cover solar panels” (CESTUR, 2005)

Equal Dubai architecture is distinguished by a continuous research in the field of sustainability or better efficiency and autonomy from the energetic point of view.

Now the technology is related to architecture and creating the best hotels but use water saving devices and support the environment light.

“Dubai is the city with the largest ecological footprint in the world according to WWF, 6 times higher than the world average, and the implementation of renewable energy in its skyscrapers barely offset mortgage of uncontrolled urban form” (CESTUR, 2005)

This also includes high-tech buildings and great implementation of renewable energy, such as the amazing tower project 10 MW of Studied Impact. The project consists of a skyscraper for offices that incorporate in their structure plates and 10MW turbines capable of obtaining energy from clean source.

Dubai technologies

Dubai is characterized by its magnificent tourism equally by large ostentidades from hotels, skyscrapers equally for its great technology architectural that that enchant everyone counts.

Currently is considered a very important door for the West which among other advantages is a major global financial center in a time zone that lacked such infrastructure, strategically located between the financial capitals of London and Singapore.

Trade is one of the most important activities of the Dubai economy has had a huge boost from the huge facilities that are offered to foreign investors. From its beginnings Dubai was closely linked to trade, in 1908 there were more than 350 specialty stores and 50 in Bur Deira Dubai. The concentration of these and their evolution gave rise to the current souks.

And why not? For car enthusiasts the city is synonymous with exclusive supercars as often unique pieces are outrageous. In fact the vast fortunes accumulated by native or foreign investors in the Gulf cities have influenced the automotive industry in an obvious way for decades, but especially in the last 20 years. The limited editions of only a few dozen copies at astronomical prices of the world's most desirable cars (call Ferrari, Porsche, Maserati, Pagani, Bugatti, McLaren)

The environmental impact of development

Dubai, because of their growth, from a desert to be an incredibly technological city, of course has a severe impact on the environment. It is worth to note that you can’t grow as fast without affecting the environment through which it is inserted.

The effect of dredging is the short term impact of observable, where the extraction of sand from the seabed and large sand drifts alter the ecosystem, which in the affected areas can be seen that there are fewer fish and turtles near Jumeirah sector, as well as the large existing damage to corals in the marine ecosystem of this town that has been compromised due to change in this.

The Dubai Gulf waters are not as clear as before, have muddied because of sediment caused by the extraction of sand and is also burying coral reefs, oyster beds and subterranean fields of grass threaten marine with marine species, as well as those who depend on them for food (Butler, 2008).

The Palm Islands are a group of three artificial islands currently under construction, which are among the largest in the world of its kind. The names of the islands are Jumeirah, Jebel Ali and Deira. The Palm Jumeirah and Jebel Ali in construction require 100 million cubic meters of rock and sand. The Palm Deira will have a volume of sand and rock ten times greater than that of the Palms Jumeirah and Jebel Ali. The islands will have large residential areas, villas, apartments, restaurants, theme parks, entertainment, marinas, shopping malls and luxury hotels.

But the negative side of the construction of these three artificial islands has led to destroy the local marine life. In October 2005, the alarm was raised when thousands of fish were found dead on the shores of Sharjah, one of the seven brothers who formed the United Arab Emirates. “The research carried out by the emirate managed to establish that the cause was from Dubai, the fish had arrived by sea currents drawn from the coast of the emirate, not content with this test, quality experts thoroughly studied water off the coast of Sharjah, and determined that the reason was not pollution in the area, but rather the fact so many tons of sand dredged from the sea is tragic if you think about it carefully. When vacuuming sand, dredging takes with all life on the ocean floor, coral reefs both like fish and other sea creatures. In addition, sand and rock that is collected is then dumped elsewhere, burying everything in its path and ending with their lives in the place where it is deposited. Both removal of land also produces greenhouse kind in the water, not letting the light.” (Ibarra, 2008).

Conclusion

Dubai has presented a puzzle because its development results are unusual in comparison with the other Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf. Contrary to expectations based on local trends, as well as the regional development literature, Dubai has achieved a diversified economy and a high degree of political stability.

Also, we can say that Dubai started in a modest way that perhaps many believed it would not be such an important city as it is now. Something that helped was the ambition of the king of Dubai but also what impulse was more oil that have helped them better buyers or investors improve. Dubai mentioned now if people react in a way astonished saying it is one of the best cities or the city who want to know

The liberal and modernist attitude of their governors turned Dubai investment in an area attractive to traders from India and Persia, and the discovery of oil in 1966 boosted economic growth in the area.

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