![Burj Khalifa stands at 823 metres, was named in honour of the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the United Arab Emirates Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. [AFP]](/sites/default/files/styles/d08_standard/public/im/UAE_2017/Dubai/BurjKhalifa.jpg?itok=9H-umM2f "Burj Khalifa stands at 823 metres, was named in honour of the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the United Arab Emirates Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. [AFP]")
Affectionately called the Las Vegas of the Middle East, Dubai has earned a place among the glitzy tourist locales of the world and is a top destination for big-name celebrities. The city alone drew in over 14.2 million visitors in 2016, according to the 2016 Performance report for tourism in Dubai.
But the United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is the capital, wasn’t always the shining star of the East that it is today. In fact, the UAE, which formerly relied on the pearling industry, was once one of the poorest countries in the world. It was only until the discovery of oil that the desert island nation transformed into a vibrant city--albeit with a questionable human rights record.
Watch the video below to see how much one city can change in just a few years:
Amazing Transformation of #Dubai #UAE 20 Years Timelapse pic.twitter.com/tBeYxG1ML9
— UNFW ACADEMY LLC (@UNFWACADEMYVIP) February 27, 2017
