Dubai: Ever wondered what Dubai, the city of the future, looked like, around 70 years ago?
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, took to his Instagram Stories today to share an old photograph of the emirate.
Labelled on the picture are Dubai’s Deira, Al Shindaga, and Bur Dubai areas.
A reverse image search shows that the old photograph is from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce archives and is possibly from the 1950s - a time when just 20,000 people lived in the city.
According to the Visit Dubai website, the 1950s were a time when the UAE's economy was dependent on fishing and the pearl industry.
Dubai’s last major pearling expedition was in 1949. In 1958, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum became the Ruler of Dubai. He led the emirate for 32 years and developed it as a major hub for international trade.
In 1959, Dubai Airport opened and in 1966, oil was discovered off the emirates coast.
Today, with over 263 skyscrapers, smart transportation and more, the emirate is a leading global center of international trade and is home to over 3 million people.
Do you have any old pictures of Dubai? Share them with us on readers@gulfnews.com.
