UAE History

Flag of Trucial States(1820-1971)

Colonial Influence in the Middle East

In 1820 the British seemed primarily interested in controlling the Qawasim, whose main centers were Ras al Khaymah, Ajman, and Sharjah, which were all small ports along the southeastern gulf coast. The original treaties, however, also involved Dubai and Bahrain. Although Dubai and Bahrain were not pirate centers, they represented potentially where pirates could sell captured goods and buy supplies. The inclusion of these ports brought two other extended families, the Bani Yas and the Al Khalifa, into the trucial system.

The shaykhdoms were relatively unaffected before World War II. European countries has interests in the Gulf region but the Trucial States were cast aside. In 1892 a treaty was made to halt the French from extending their interests to the region. The area continued to be governed by the British government in India, and in many ways they were treated as an extension of the Indian sub-continent. At that time the only currency accepted was the Indian rupee, mostly due to the abundance of Indian merchants that inhabited the region.

As conditions remained static in Sharjah, it gave way for Abu Dhabi and Dubai to prosper and become the centers of the Trucial Coast.The system of government was that of paternalistic. Basically, the government ruled with utmost authority but would seek affirmation from his Majlis (Assembly of Notables) on very important issues. The ruler also had to include the British influence from the treaties in with political decisions. A majority at the time, Indian Traders were regarded as British subjects and had to be treated with utmost dignity.

Throughout the nineteenth century, a separate identity was given to shaykhdoms through the jurisdiction of the British.  This sparked a stark difference between coastal society and inland nomadic society. The focus that was given to the coast gave way for Trucial Politics to be heavily biased towards costal matters and was not challenged until the 1930s. The 1930s brought about change because up until then the government received regular payments from oil and air agreements. Before then, the rulers revenues were restricted to custom duties.

The period between 1968-1971, British rule presided over the more advanced political agendas and negotiations, which often resolved the more pressing tensions and helped to preserve the individual Gulf States. When the United Nations conducted a referendum, the population of Bahrain voted for independence from Iran and after it was granted several states followed their lead. The shah was only willing to agree under one condition. Bahrain had to agree to not join any union or federation. Qatar, an inspired nation rich in oil, chose independence and what was left formed the UAE. These nations, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain all obtained formal independence in 1971.

Abu Dhabi stood out a petroleum world power during the 1970s, and even had its amir serve as president of the UAE. With the increase of oil exportation UAE grew economically and instantly began spending money to a vast degree.

Obtaining independence in 1971 security concerns were a major focus of the UAE's foreign relations. In the early 1970s the UAE looked as though it would not continue as a viable state. Because the UAE was a relatively small state, its leaders recognized that defending the country's security from both internal and external threats such as Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.

During the middle of the1970s, UAE felt the effects of the civil war in Lebanon. Not too long after several events were also occurring in close proximity: the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Soviet intervention and civil war in Afghanistan, and the Iran-Iraq War all affected the UAE in various ways.

Around 1990-91, UAE joined with the United States in militarily forcing Iraq out of Kuwait. By that time, the UAE already had become a de facto member of the United States strategic empowering of the land. The UAE saw the crisis over Kuwait as a lack of Arab unity when dealing with a serious Arab issue. The UAE joined the Arab states that opposed the Iraqi invasion and supported the use of force to compel Iraq's withdrawal of troops. The UAE had attempted to prove solidarity on inter-Arab issues. It even supported the cause of Palestinian Arabs both within the League of Arab States, of which it was a member, and within international forums.

Throughout the 1980s, the UAE found it difficult to maintain neutrality in the Iran-Iraq War. Adu Dhabi generally swayed with Iraq whereas Dubai was more sympathetic to Iran. By 1992 the UAE was the Arab country with which Iran had the closest commercial relations. Thus, the crisis that erupted in April 1992 over disputed islands in the Persian Gulf seemed unexpected.

In 1993 the UAE was at a time of peaceful relations with both neighboring countries and those outside the Middle East region. It was a member of the United Nations. It also was a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Current UAE Information can be found in the “Country Facts” Post 

Area Map- Persian Gulf