Dubai Past, Present and Future
If you’re visiting via a link from the Oct. 23 eFlyer, welcome to Global Traveler’s blog! We welcome your comments.
The lead story in Tuesday’s eFlyer is about the neat presentation that big Dubai developer Nakheel put together in time for the annual Cityscape conference held earlier this week in Dubai. It’s a portfolio of images of Dubai from the sky–from the days when the United Arab Emirates were brand new, and mostly desert, through slow and steady development throughout the last century, to an astonishing burst of speed put on since 2000, and finally a look at where Dubai will be in as little as three years, when all the projects currently underway will be complete. The pictures tell the story, so I’ll shut up and let them do it.
In order, the images are: Dubai in 1973,
Dubai in 1990:
Dubai in 2000:
Dubai today (2007):
And finally, Dubai in the near future:
Pretty amazing, isn’t it? I’m glad the developer (all photos courtesy Nakheel) put together this portfolio so that we could share.
–Mary Hunt, editor, eFlyer
October 28th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Amazing that this was allowed to take place. From what I have heard this is an unprecedented ecological disaster and nobody writes about it. Why don’t the ecological magazine cover this? Can you image if New Jersey or California said they were going to create one of these islands? All hell would break lose! It would never happen!
February 19th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Not really sure about that. From what I’ve heard, they are meeting all of the rules and regulations. They actually had to rework the world islands due to a proposed ecological problem.
If I were to guess, I would say that with the kind of money these people have, meeting standards and providing eco-friendly development won’t be a problem. The people who run the country are very intelligent, educated people. They understand that their oil will be gone soon and this will make sure that their country stays in demand well into the future.
I’m sure if it were that ecologically damaging, we would have heard about it. I would look more into it to see what’s really going on.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
actually they did an entire show on the discovery channel about this and they said in the begining that it would cause and ecological problem but they reworked it and it is actually helping the enviornment out now. like nader said look into it some more….
April 18th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Dubai is a magnificent, archetechural marvel! Highly, well-educated planner’s and world reknowned
Archech’s have had a part in this visually, appealing, surreal city. I cannot wait to go and experience it myself and of course visit WILD WADI for some WAVE-action, as well! RESPECT!!
June 15th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Nader, The U.A.E ran out of oil a decade ago. The government is using their smarts to lure in tourists, expensive business developments and is successfully turning Dubai into the top celebrity of the Arab world.
June 16th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Awesome:
The U.A.E. has not run out of oil. Together, the emirates extract several million barrels daily and sit atop the third largest oil field in the middle east.
In my opinion, Dubai looks like a great time. I can’t wait to go!
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:28 pm
What the hell? Get your facts straight, guys
July 9th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I think this is disgusting!!!! Global domination by self centered consumer needs that feed war profiteering and the deaths of innocent people. I don’t care whether it’s an ecologically sound construction or not. All this is to me is proof that the US is making other countries millionaires while we suffer from health crisis and economic recession just because we want to fill up our urban assault vehicles and drive our future capitalist pigs to soccer practice. This is BS! And we are in need of an armed revolution!
November 1st, 2008 at 9:23 am
Dubai is a horrible place. The entire area is built by slaves that live out of sight. They are blackmailed or coerced into contracts then they are stuck in Duabi for an unknown amount of time, away from their familie. Anyone who visits Duabi or think its a great place, its not. It is a slave country, literally and its a constant humid 100 degrees plus. Go enjoy yourself…