This discussion focuses on the United Arab Emirates since the 19th century. For the treatment of this country in its early periods and its regional context, see History of Arabia.
For most of this largely desert region’s history, fishing and pearling were the region’s most lucrative industries, with goods transported to ports by sea trade along the lower Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Ta. Local tribes enjoyed increased autonomy from imperial control in the 18th century and sought greater control over ports and trade routes. Qasimi dynasty (Āl Qawāsim; singular) The Qasimi tribe, originally from the town of Ras al-Khaimah, was able to expand its hegemony along the coast and emerged as a dominant tribal faction by the late 18th century. attack on In 1819, British and Indian ships provoked a Royal Navy attack and defeated Qasimi’s forces, giving Britain the most important position on the coast of Greater Oman.
The Qasimi family lost power and influence in the region, as their prosperity depended on control of maritime commerce. of The Banu Yar tribal confederation, centered on the inland oases of Al Ain and Liwa, remained largely undisturbed in the region’s interior. Under the leadership of (members of) the Nahyan dynasty of Abu Dhabi Since the mid-19th century, the Banu Yar tribe, part of the Ail Bou Farah tribe, has been the most powerful force in the region. Major chiefs along the coast signed a series of treaties during that century. The General Peace Treaty of 1820, the Perpetual Maritime Truce of 1853 (which gave the Trucial Coast its name), and the Exclusive Agreement of 1892 restricting external relations to Great Britain. Sheikhdom became known as a truce state.
The Armistice Provincial Council began meeting semi-annually in 1952 to discuss administrative matters. In January 1968, following the British government’s announcement to withdraw its troops from the Persian Gulf by the end of 1971, Trucial Oman and the emirates of Qatar and Bahrain began plans to form a coalition. However, after three years of negotiations, Qatar and Bahrain decided to become independent sovereign states, and the former armistice states, with the exception of Ras Al Khaimah, announced the establishment of the United Arab Emirates in December 1971. February 1972.
domestic politics
Abu Dhabi began a move towards centralization in December 1973, with several former ministers taking positions in the federal government. In May 1976, the seven emirates agreed to combine their militaries, and in November of the same year, provisions were added to the constitution giving the federal government the right to form an army and purchase weapons. In 1978, conflicts over centralization within the government arose, with Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah refusing to submit their forces to federal command, and Dubai beginning to buy its own weapons. Proposals to form a federal budget, consolidate revenues and abolish internal borders were rejected by Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, despite strong domestic support. However, when Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Rashid ibn Saeed Al Maktoum, was offered the position of prime minister of the federal government, Dubai stopped objecting. He took office in July 1979. Abu Dhabi’s Zayed ben Sultan Al Nahyan served as president of the United Arab Emirates from 1971 until his death in 2004, when he was succeeded by his son Sheikh. Khalifa ibn Zayed Al Nahyan as ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the emirate. Sheikh Rashid of Dubai passed away in 1990 and was succeeded by his son Sheikh as ruler of Dubai and vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. Maktoum ibn Rashid al-Maktoum (1990-2006) and since 2006 Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid al-Maktoum.
In 2006, the United Arab Emirates held its first elections. A very limited electoral college was allowed to vote to elect half of the members of the Consultative Federal Council of State, with the other half still to be appointed by appointment.
The UAE’s economic boom was slowed by the onset of the Atlantic Ocean. The 2007-2008 global financial crisis. The impact of the crisis has been felt most strongly in Dubai, where many large construction projects have been canceled and property values have fallen by 50 percent in one year. At the end of 2009, government-run investment company Dubai World announced that it would not be able to repay its debts on time. A $10 billion loan from Abu Dhabi late that year helped Dubai avoid default on its debt. Three weeks later, in January 2010, the world’s tallest building was inaugurated and renamed in Dubai. Burj Khalifa from Burj Dubai after its rescue by Sheikh Khalifa, Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Although Dubai’s luxury real estate market quickly recovered, some uncertainty remained about the emirate’s ability to service its debt.
The United Arab Emirates preemptively tightened controls on political expression in response to the popular uprisings that swept much of the Arab world in 2011. In April 2011, five democracy activists were arrested for signing an online petition calling for an elected parliament and a constitutional monarchy. The activists were convicted and sentenced to prison for publicly insulting the country’s leader, but were granted amnesty and released in November.
Efforts to suppress dissent continued in 2012, with new measures passed banning criticism of the government in public and on the internet. Dozens of democracy activists and members of Islamic opposition groups were arrested and detained without charge during the year. In 2014, moderate Islamist groups, including the influential Islah Association, were formally banned, with the government claiming they had links to terrorism.
Although criticism of the government has been muted in the years since, the UAE has also made some efforts to improve citizen participation and the quality of life in the country. Chiefs are appointed by their respective tribes, but since 2006 the advisory board has included representatives selected by the Electoral College. By 2015, the Electoral College had expanded to include approximately one-third of the voting age population. Meanwhile, in the face of international pressure, the country gradually strengthened guarantees and protections for its large number of migrant workers, finally meeting the International Labor Organization’s minimum requirements in 2017. Nevertheless, the country remained primarily focused on maintaining stability and promoting a business-friendly environment. .
