The Stunning Transformation of the UAE

1971: An aerial view of Abu Dhabi at the time the UAE federation was formed.

2020: Abu Dhabi city skyline with residential and office towers.

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Gulf News Archives/Reuters

1971: Dubai International airport. The first airport had only four gates.

2020: Dubai International airport in all its glory, now.

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Gulf News archives and AFP

1974: A view of Abu Dhabi, at a time when most dwellings were made out of palm fronds (known as "barasti").

2020: An aerial view of Abu Dhabi city today.

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National Archives/WAM

1978: Jamal Abdul Nasser square in Deira, where the first cinema in Dubai was opened in 1954.

2020: Jamal Abdul Nasser Square in Deira today, with its own underground train station.

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Gulf News archives and Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

1979: The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) building on Sheikh Zayed Road, the main Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway that links two of the UAE's largest cities.

2020: Skyscrapers stand next to the DWTC building today, while the Dubai Metro's Red Line rolls to Jebel Ali, running parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road.

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WAM/AFP

Abu Dhabi Corniche in 1979

Abu Dhabi Corniche in 2020

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Gulf News archives and Shutterstock

1979: Sharjah, Al Arooba street

2020: Sharjah, Al Arooba street

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Gulf News archive and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1979: Metropolitan Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road was famed for being one of Dubai’s first hotels.

2020: Metropolitan Hotel closed its doors in 2013 to make way for Al Habtoor City – bringing with it the end of an era, and ushering in a new one.

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Gulf News archives and Antonin Kelian Kallouche/Gulf News

1980: Traffic on Dubai-Sharjah highway (Al Ittihad Road).

2020: Traffic towards Sharjah from Dubai, as seen from Al Khan Bridge.

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Gulf News archives and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1980: Abu Dhabi beautification work in progress for the Corniche Project.

2020: Abu Dhabi corniche with the Sheraton Hotel in the background.

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Gulf News archives and Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

1980: An aerial view of Sharjah-Dubai highway.

2020: An aerial view of Sharjah-Dubai highway (Al Ittihad Road).

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Gulf News Archives and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1981: Al Wahda Street, Sharjah.

2020: Al Wahda Street, Sharjah.

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Gulf News archives and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1981: Khalifa Street in Abu Dhabi.

2020: Khalifa Street in Abu Dhabi.

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Gulf News archives and Virendra Saklani

1983: Dubai Creek, situated in the heart of Dubai, is where trade with the outside world began for the emirate more than a century ago.

2020: The Dubai Creek now.

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Gulf News archives and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1984: View of Sharjah lagoon. Seen in the picture are sailboats in the foreground and the central souq in the horizon.

2020: View of Sharjah from Marbella resort. Seen in the picture are the Flag island, Al Montazah Parks, Souq Al Jubail and central souq.

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Gulf News archives and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1986: Fujairah Trade Centre.

2020: Fujairah Trade Centre on Hamdan Bin Abdullah Road.

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Gulf News archives and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1987: An aerial view of Ras Al Khaimah Corniche.

2020: An aerial view of Ras Al Khaimah Corniche.

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Gulf News archives and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1989: Ajman Beach Road.

2020: Ajman Beach Road.

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Gulf News archives and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1992: An aerial view of the Safa Park in Dubai, with the Metropolitan Hotel in the foreground.

2020: An aerial view of Dubai Water Canal and part of Safa Park.

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Gulf News archives and AFP

1993: The Defence Roundabout construction work in progress on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.

2020: An aerial view today of the first interchange on Sheikh Zayed Road, also known as Defense Roundabout.

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Gulf News archives

1996: An aerial view of Umm Al Quwain.

2020: Umm Al Quwain now.

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Gulf News archives and Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

1996: Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.

2020: Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai now.

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Gulf News archives and AFP

1996: Burj Al Arab hotel under construction, which started in 1994. It took two years to create the island, and then three years to build the hotel itself.

2019: An aerial view of Burj Al Arab hotel. Located 280m off the Dubai shore, the hotel is the third-tallest in the world and stands 321 meters tall.

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Gulf News archives and Shutterstock

1997: An aerial view of the construction site of Emirates Towers on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Construction began in 1996, and the towers opened in 2000.

2020: Emirates Towers, the Museum of the Future and high-rises along Sheikh Zayed Road today.

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Gulf News archives and Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

2002: Construction in progress at the Dubai Marina.

2020: An aerial view of Dubai Marina. There are more than 200 residential towers in this development, each offering spectacular views of the city and the harbour.

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Gulf News archives and Supplied

2003: An aircraft flies over The Palm Jumeirah. Construction began on the world’s largest man-made island in 2001, with the first homes handed over in 2006.

2020: An aerial view of The Palm Jumeirah.

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Gulf News archives and Shutterstock

2006: Construction of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest man-made structure, began in 2004. It was completed in 2009 and was opened in 2010 as part of a new development called Downtown Dubai.

2020: Burj Khalifa- the tallest tower in the world. Burj Khalifa has now become synonymous with the image of Dubai worldwide. The building is the centre of the city’s downtown skyline and has received several accolades and is known as a record-breaking tower.

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Gulf News archives and AFP