About Abu Dhabi - History & Culture
The history of Abu Dhabi is traced back to as early as 3000 BC. Herding and fishing used to be the mainstays of life then. The Abu Dhabi of today retraces its lineage to tribal confederations known as the Bani Yas, that settled here in the 18th century. Abu Dhabi's history was marked by internal violence within the rulers. The emirate also had several excruciating clashes with the sheikhdom of neighbor Sharjah. The sheikhdom of Abu Dhabi became a British protectorate in the year 1892.
The period from 1945 to 1948 was witness to a bloody war between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, mainly fought for supremacy in the region. Abu Dhabi finally separated from Dubai and went on to become the largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates. Until the mid 20th century, camel herding, agriculture (dates and vegetables), fishing and pearl diving were the major occupations of inhabitants of this emirate. The history of Abu Dhabi took a decisive turn when in 1939, Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan Al Nahyan granted concessions in petroleum.
Oil was first found in Abu Dhabi in the year 1958. Since then, this city has never looked back. It has progressed at a phenomenal rate as one of the biggest oil suppliers of the world. Sheikh Shakbut was not very certain about the lastingness of oil royalties. Hence, as a cautious move, he decided to save the revenues rather than investing on the city's development. But, his brother Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan, felt the contrary. He believed that this oil income could change the face of the emirate.
The history of Abu Dhabi witnessed another crucial chapter as the ruling Al Nahayan dynasty decided to replace Sheikh Shakbut with his brother with a futurist attitude. Sheikh Zayed took over as the ruler of this emirate on August 6, 1966. During the 1960s, Sheikh Zayed worked hard towards developmental plans, and also pioneered the formation of UAE, with Abu Dhabi as its capital.
After independence of the UAE from British rule in 1971, the city completely changed its outlook - skyscrapers replaced modest mud huts, the culture of Abu Dhabi became more progressive, and oil wealth knew no bounds. A tour of Abu Dhabi and some research into its history intelligibly reveals that this emirate has grown mainly due to the efforts of its ruling dynasty. Despite its tormented past, Abu Dhabi has fought against all odds to stand up and be counted amongst one of the richest and most developed cities in the Gulf.