Timeline of Abu Dhabi

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Prior to 20th century

• 1761 - Drinking water found on Abu Dhabi Island; settlement begins.[1]
• 1790s - Abu Dhabi Island becomes "capital of the Bani Yas tribal confederation."[1]
• 1818 - Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan and Tahnun bin Shakhbut Al Nahyan become rulers of Abu Dhabi.
• 1855 - Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan becomes ruler of Abu Dhabi.

20th century

• 1928 - Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan becomes ruler of Abu Dhabi.[2]
• 1939 - Abu Dhabi Petroleum Company established.[3]
• 1948 - Dubai-Abu Dhabi border dispute.[1]
• 1952 - Population: 4,000 in sheikdom (estimate).[4]
• 1955 - The city's first airfield opens
• 1958 - Oil discovered in Abu Dhabi.[3]
• 1962 - Oil exportation begins from offshore Das Island.[5][2]
• 1966 - Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan becomes ruler of Abu Dhabi.[5]
• 1968 - Population: 46,375.[6]
• 1969 - Al Bateen Airport begins operating on Abu Dhabi Island.
• 1971
  • December: Abu Dhabi becomes part of the newly formed United Arab Emirates.[5]
  • Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established.[7]
• 1972 - Al-Ittihad newspaper in publication.[8]
• 1974 - Al Fajr newspaper begins publication.
• 1980
  • E 11 road (Dubai-Abu Dhabi) completed.
  • Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates headquartered in Abu Dhabi.
  • Population: 242,975.[9]
• 1981 - Regional Gulf Cooperation Council meets in Abu Dhabi.[5]
• 1982 - Abu Dhabi International Airport established on the mainland.
• 1991 - July: "Bank of Credit and Commerce International collapses. Abu Dhabi's ruling family owns a 77.4% share."[5]
• 1993 - International Defence Exhibition begins.[10]
• 1994 - Baynunah Hilton Tower built.[11]
• 2000 - Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange established.

21st century

• 2001 - Abu Dhabi Mall and Marina Mall in business.
• 2002 - Population: 527,000.[12]
• 2003 - July: Etihad Airways founded [13]
• 2004 - Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan becomes ruler of Abu Dhabi.[2]
• 2005 - Emirates Palace hotel in business.
• 2007
  • Sheikh Zayed Mosque built.[11]
  • Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre opens.
• 2008 - Abu Dhabi Bus service begins.
• 2009
  • Abu Dhabi Grand Prix car race begins.
  • Construction begins on Abu Dhabi National Oil Company headquarters and Saadiyat Island's Louvre Abu Dhabi.
• 2010
  • Sky Tower built.
  • Ferrari World amusement park in business on Yas Island.
• 2011
  • Sheikh Zayed Bridge,[14] Capital Gate, and Etihad Towers built.
  • Guggenheim Abu Dhabi construction begins on Saadiyat Island.[15]
• 2012 - The Landmark built (tallest in city).
• 2014
  • Yas Mall in business.[16]
  • New York University Saadiyat Island campus built.[17]
• 2019 - Pope Francis becomes the first Pope ever to visit the Arabian Peninsula and the UAE, specifically Abu Dhabi, from

February 3-5.

See also

• Abu Dhabi history
• List of rulers of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi
• Timelines of other cities in United Arab Emirates: Dubai

References

1. Malcolm C. Peck (2007). "Chronology". Historical Dictionary of the Gulf Arab States. USA: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-6416-0.
2. Malcolm C. Peck (2007). Historical Dictionary of the Gulf Arab States. USA: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-6416-0.
3. "United Arab Emirates Time Line", Atlas of the Middle East, Washington DC: US Central Intelligence Agency, 1993 – via University of Texas, Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection
4. Leon E. Seltzer, ed. (1952), "Abu Dhabi or Abu Zabi", Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer of the World, New York: Columbia University Press, p. 6, OL 6112221M
5. BBC News. "United Arab Emirates Profile: Timeline". Retrieved 30 April 2015.
6. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistical Office (1976). "Population of capital city and cities of 100,000 and more inhabitants". Demographic Yearbook 1975. New York. pp. 253–279.
7. M. S. Vassiliou (2009). "Chronology". Historical Dictionary of the Petroleum Industry. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-6288-3.
8. "United Arab Emirates: Directory". Europa World Year Book. Europa Publications. 2004. p. 4331+. ISBN 978-1-85743-255-8.
9. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistical Office (1987). "Population of capital cities and cities of 100,000 and more inhabitants". 1985 Demographic Yearbook. New York. pp. 247–289.
10. Chronicle of Progress: 25 Years of Development in the United Arab Emirates. London: Trident Press. 1996. ISBN 978-1-900724-03-6.
11. United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi, ArchNet, archived from the original on October 2012
12. "Population of Capital Cities and Cities of 100,000 or More Inhabitants". Demographic Yearbook 2013. United Nations Statistics Division.
13. "Etihad Corporate Profile". Etihad Airways. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
14. Michael Cameron Dempsey (2014). Castles in the Sand: a City Planner in Abu Dhabi. USA: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-7760-9.
15. "Who's Building the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi?: Timeline". Gulf Labor Artist Coalition. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
16. "Top 12 malls in Abu Dhabi", Gulfnews.com, 29 September 2014
17. "Workers at N.Y.U.'s Abu Dhabi Site Faced Harsh Conditions", New York Times, 18 May 2014

Bibliography

• John Gordon Lorimer (1908). "Dhabi (Abu)". Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Calcutta. hdl:2027/uc1.31158009868174 – via Hathi Trust.
• "Abu Thabi". Persian Gulf Pilot. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920.
• "United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi", Arab Gulf States, Lonely Planet, 1993, p. 295+, OL 8314448M
• Yasser Elsheshtawy, ed. (2008). "Cities of sand and fog: Abu Dhabi's global ambitions". The Evolving Arab City: Tradition, Modernity and Urban Development. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-12821-1.

External links

• Map of Abu Dhabi, 1994
• "Geographical Index: Abu Dhabi". Arabian Humanities (in English and French). Sana'a. ISSN 2308-6122.