Dubai is the second-largest of the United Arab Emirates’ seven emirates, on the Arabian Peninsula’s eastern coast along the Arabian Gulf. Once a creek-side port built on fishing, pearling and trade, it is now known worldwide for the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building ever constructed.

Where Is Dubai Located?

Dubai covers about 4,114 square kilometers, roughly 5 percent of the United Arab Emirates’ land area excluding its islands, and sits about 16 meters above sea level. It borders the emirate of Abu Dhabi to the south, Sharjah to the northeast, and Oman to the southeast. Dubai Creek splits the city into Deira in the north and Bur Dubai in the south, and a 2016 addressing system divided the emirate into 14 districts. The landscape runs from sandy western beaches and a mangrove at the creek’s eastern end to inland and western deserts and the wadis of the Hatta region.^[1]

A Brief History of Dubai

Dubai was established in 1833, when about 800 members of the Bani Yas tribe, led by the Maktoum family, settled along the creek. The natural harbor supported fishing, pearl diving and sea trade, and by the early 20th century Dubai had grown into a working port city. Oil was discovered in the 1960s, and the emirate’s first oil exports followed in 1969. Rather than building its economy on oil revenue alone, Dubai’s rulers chose in the 1980s and early 1990s to develop it into a major international tourism and trade destination, a decision that set the direction for the modern city.^[1]

Government and the Al Maktoum Family

The Al Maktoum family has ruled Dubai since its founding. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the eighth ruler from the family, governed from 1958 to 1990 and oversaw much of its early modernization. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, has been Ruler of Dubai since January 4, 2006, following the death of his brother, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.^[1]

Economy and Population

Dubai’s economy is diversified, built on trade, services and finance rather than oil alone. Dubai Islamic Bank, which opened in the 1970s, is described by the UAE government as the first Islamic bank in the world, and the Dubai Financial Market is cited as the first Shari’a-compliant stock exchange of global scale. The emirate’s GDP reached around AED 115 billion in the first quarter of 2024 alone. Population estimates place Dubai’s residents at roughly 3.76 million, a figure that is estimated rather than fixed given the emirate’s fast-changing, largely expatriate population.^[1]

What Is Dubai Known For?

If one structure defines Dubai in the public imagination, it is the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, standing a little over 828 meters tall and open since 2010. The UAE government’s own description of the emirate names the Burj Khalifa specifically as its skyscraper of record, alongside the Burj Al Arab, a sail-shaped hotel marketed as the world’s only seven-star property. Beyond its downtown skyline, Dubai is also known for the Hatta wadis inland, its traditional markets and souks, and a calendar of large-scale shopping and sporting events.^[1]

Why Dubai Matters

Dubai functions as a hub for trade, tourism and financial services across the Gulf region, and its transformation from a 19th-century pearling port into a global city is often cited as a model for how a small, resource-limited territory can build an economy around trade, logistics and services instead of a single export.

Key Takeaways

• Dubai is the UAE’s second-largest emirate, founded in 1833 by the Bani Yas tribe under the Maktoum family, who still rule it today.
• Its economy shifted from pearling, fishing and sea trade to oil in the 1960s, then deliberately diversified into tourism, trade and finance from the 1980s onward.
• The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, is Dubai’s most recognizable landmark and a symbol of its rapid modern development.
• Dubai Creek divides the historic city into Deira and Bur Dubai, while modern Dubai spans 14 administrative districts.

Sources

1. U.AE, The Official Portal of the UAE Government, “Dubai”, undated, accessed October 21, 2026.

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed October 21, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue