After three PCR tests in 48 hours we arrived in Dubai, one of the seven Emirates which form the UAE. The UAE came into being in 1971/72 as an elective monarchy. Prior to that it had been a British protectorate formed in 1820 following the signing of the General Maritime Treaty. This had resulted from two battles (1809 and 1819), against the Ras Al Khaimah emirate which had been led by a sultan who supported pirates in the region, mainly against the ships of the East India Company.
Oil exploration began in the 1950s, with commercial quantities discovered in 1960. This has brought great wealth, although the country has now diversified into finance, real estate, tourism and aviation. The current President since 2004 (and leader of Abu Dhabi) is Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, but better known is the Deputy President, Prime Minister and leader of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
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