The United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital stands as a city of futuristic development, and after a closer look it becomes apparent that Abu Dhabi's history is what led to the current look and feel of this booming, progressive city. Located in a centralized point in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi is a city where the land of herding tribes and fishermen leaped into the modern age through an economic relationship with Western countries.

The UAE and Abu Dhabi are located on the Persian Gulf. It is 1 part of the Arabian Peninsula along with the countries of Yemen, Oman, Qatar, and, of course, Saudi Arabia. Abu Dhabi itself is an island city just off the coast in the gulf.

According to recorded history, Abu Dhabi dates back to 3000 B.C. The land consisted of tribes of people whose lineage could be traced back very far, and the extended family determined economic and political dealings. However, competition among tribes led to extended periods of war and division.

Things began to take a different turn when the British made Abu Dhabi a base for its Royal Navy. This development would lead to this simple country becoming a bustling world capital.

In 1892, Abu Dhabi became a protectorate of the British Empire. This label means that Britain was the primary economic and military authority in the land. It also meant that that the UAE, and more specifically Abu Dhabi, was now connected to the West.

The UAE is made up of 7 emirates. An emirate is a territory that is ruled by an Islamic ruler or emir. Again, tribal power was the chief source of power among the people. And in 1945 the tribes of Abu Dhabi went to war with neighboring Dubai. This power struggle ensued for 3 bloody years. During this time Abu Dhabi was ruled by Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan al Nahyan.

Sheikh Shakhbut made a crucial and eventual cultural-altering decision in 1939 by granting concessions to allow exploration for oil by western companies. Finally, in 1958 after years of exploration, oil was found. The sheikh and Abu Dhabi then became very wealthy. However, the sheikh was very cautious and did not spend revenue received from oil. Rather, oil revenue was saved and the city remained relatively the same despite its wealth.

If you take a trip to Abu Dhabi, the first things you may notice are skyscrapers and a bustling city of activity. If not for a transfer of power the city might still be a place stuck in another time. However, power was transferred in 1966 from the hands of Sheikh Shakhbut to his brother Sheikh Zayed.

Zayed's dynamic thinking and ideas led to the modern development of Abu Dhabi. The change became even more pronounced in 1971 when the British granted the UAE capital its independence. The boom began and with the help of oil revenue Abu Dhabi became a world city.

A trip to this pearl on the Persian Gulf will give the traveler a view into history's power to form the present and future.