In pictures: 50 key milestones in UAE history

1971: Dec 2 | Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum with rulers of Emirates at the hoisting of UAE flag. The rulers of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain proclaimed the creation of the new state.

1972: Feb 12 | The Federal National Council held its first session in line with the vision of the late Shaikh Zayed, who set through his wisdom the foundations of the country.

1973 | The dirham was introduced as the UAE's currency.

1974: His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi becomes the Ruler of Fujairah.

1976: UAE University is established: Founded in 1976 by President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the university's first academic year was in 1977-78 with an enrolment of 502 students. Sheikh Zayed wanted the UAE University to help bring the people of the UAE together, as well as to offer college education to the increasing number of Emirati students.

1976: UAE Armed Forces formed by uniting each of the emirates.

1979: Feb 26 | Dubai Trade Centre is opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

1981: April | President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is presented with a sword during his visit to Delma Island to lay the cornerstone of the new petroleum project with Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The foundation was laid for a $700-million project to develop one of the largest oil fields at Delma Island.

1981: Sep 7 | Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi becomes the new Ruler of Ajman.

1981: May 25 | The Gulf Cooperation Council was formally launched in Abu Dhabi, hosted by Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Around the table are the heads of state of the other five Arab Gulf states - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The leaders agree the broad agenda of closer economic and security cooperation, which was taken forward when the unified economic agreement between the GCC countries was signed on November 11, 1981 in Riyadh. Visible in this picture are (from left) Shaikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed Al Busaidi, Sultan of Oman, Shaikh Eisa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Emir of Bahrain, Shaikh Zayed, King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, and Shaikh Khaifa Bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar.

1982: The new Abu Dhabi International Airport begins operations.

1985: Oct 25 | Emirates airline launched. The first Emirates flight, EK600, took off from Dubai to Karachi.

1991: January | Invasion of Kuwait - UAE troops join Operation Desert Storm.

1996: Feb 15 | First Dubai Shopping Festival is inaugurated.

1996: Mar 27 | Dubai hosts world’s richest horse race, $4 million Dubai World Cup. Cigar went into the annals of racing history by winning the inaugural edition of the Dubai World Cup in 1996.

1999: Dec 1 | Burj Al Arab hotel opens in Dubai.

2000: March 26 | Dubai Financial Market is officially inaugurated.

2000: Oct 28 | Dubai Internet city opens.

2000: Nov 15 | Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADSM), the Abu Dhabi trading floor of the UAE Stock Exchange formally opens.

2001: Jan 20 | Dubai Media City is inaugurated.

2003: Oct 28 | Air Arabia launches operations with its inaugural flight from Sharjah International Airport to Bahrain.

2003: Nov 5 | Etihad, designated as the 'national airline of the UAE', is formally launched with a ceremonial flight from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain.

2004: His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan becomes President of the UAE.

2004: Sept 18 | Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is established.

2004: Aug 17 | Sheikh Ahmed Bin Hasher Al Maktoum became the first Emirati to win gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens for Double Trap event. Above, Sheikh Ahmad Hasher Al Maktoum returns home to Dubai after winning a gold medal at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

2004: Nov 3 | General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan becomes Abu Dhabi Crown Prince.

2005: Feb 5 | Emirates Palace Hotel partially opens in Abu Dhabi.

2005: Dec 1 | UAE President announced that for the first time, half the members of the Federal National Council would be elected.

2006: Jan 5 | His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum becomes Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

2006: Dec 16 | First ever national elections for Federal National Council is held.

2009: June 29 | UAE becomes the first developing country to host a major international organisation with Abu Dhabi becoming home to the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).

2009: Sep 9 | Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Dubai Metro, the world’s longest automated driverless train system and the first Metro in the Gulf region.

2009: Nov 1 | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the first-ever day-night race was held at the Yas Marina Circuit.

2010: Jan 4 | World’s tallest tower Burj Khalifa opens in Dubai.

2010: Jan 28 | The Dh10-billion historic Meydan grandstand and racecourse, home to the world's richest horse race is inaugurated in Dubai.

2010: Mar 13 | South Korea signs a Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) with UAE to gain access to at least a billion barrels of crude oil reserves in oil deal with Adnoc. President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces extended a warm welcome to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak at Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi.

2012: Dec 12 | Khalifa Port is inaugurated in Abu Dhabi.

2013: Mar 17 | Shams 1, the world’s largest solar power plant located at Madinat Zayed is inaugurated by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

2013: Nov 27 | In Paris, Sheikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, with UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, celebrate the UAE's winning bid to host Expo 2020 in Dubai.

2014: Jan 19 | The UAE Cabinet passes the National Service Law which stipulates compulsory military service for Emirati men aged between 18 to 30 and the service will be voluntary for women.

2014: July 16 | UAE announces the creation of the UAE Space Agency to supervise the Mars mission.

2014: Nov 11 | Dubai's newest mode of transport, Dubai Tram, inaugurated.

2017: Oct 16 | Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces during the launch of UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which aims to speed up government’s performance, and create conducive creative environment with high productivity. The strategy is part of the UAE Centennial 2071 objectives.

2017: Nov 9 | Louvre Museum is inaugurated in Abu Dhabi.

2018: October 29 | KhalifaSat makes history as the first satellite built on UAE soil reaches space.

2018: Dec 1 | The UAE passport has jumped to Number 1 as the world's most powerful passport. With this historic achievement, UAE passport holders are now able to gain visa-free entry to 167 countries worldwide, according to Passport Index.

2019: Feb 3 | Pope Francis becomes the first Pope to ever visit to the UAE. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Pope Francis and Dr. Ahmad Al Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar, signed the foundation stone for the construction side-by-side of a new ‘Church of Saint Francis’ and ‘Mosque of Grand Imam Ahmad Al Tayyeb’in Abu Dhabi on 4 February 2019. Earlier, the Pope and Al Tayyeb signed a document on ‘Human Fraternity’.

2019: UAE makes history with the launch of Hazzaa Al Mansoori to space.

2020:July 20 | The UAE joined an elite space club with the successful launch of the Hope Probe from Japan.

2021: April 10 | The UAE has selected two new Emiratis to be part of its astronaut corps, including the Arab world’s first female astronaut. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced on April 10, 2021 that Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla had been selected to be part of the country's astronaut corps.