Looking at the gleaming metropolis of 21st century Dubai, it is difficult to believe that just thirty years ago Dubai was little more than a desert-strewn wilderness where Bedouin tribes roamed the sands and a huddle of settlers crowded around the banks of the lifeblood creek. Even as Europe embarked on the mass industrial destruction of the First World War, Dubai still had no running water, no real roads and the main mode of transport was the camel.

Dubai first grew as a hub on the ancient trading route between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. By the 19th century, a small fishing village had taken root on the Shindagha peninsula, at the mouth of Dubai Creek. The village was inhabited by the Bani Yas tribe, who were led by the Maktoum family, the dynasty that still presides over Dubai today. The city's remarkable success story really began in the 1960s. During the process of shaking off the shackles of British colonial rule, oil was struck in 1966 and Dubai has never looked back. Since the 1960s, the population has increased tenfold to just over a million people, largely through expat labour, making it one of the most cosmopolitan places in the world. Emiratis represent only one fifth of the total population.

Dubai's evolution has been dramatic, with sweeping skyscrapers and glittering office blocks rising up on the banks of the Creek and along Sheikh Zayed Road, site of the new Dubai International Financial Centre. Development has been well managed, with a structure and order to the city that demonstrates that the oil wealth has been very well handled. The rulers of Dubai have a penchant for grand projects such as the world's tallest purpose built hotel, an underwater hotel, the world's largest artificial islands, and now the US$18 billion Dubai Land, a huge conglomeration of leisure projects, an Olympic sports city, resorts, proposed largest shopping malls in the world along with residential and theme parks.

With year round sunshine, and minimal rainfall, Dubai's idyllic holiday climate is attracting increasing tourist numbers every year. Tourism is rapidly becoming one of the Emirate's biggest industries, with over 400 hotels in existence and dozens more under construction. Add to this the heaving night life which exists in Dubai - every hotel has an abundance of restaurants, bars and night clubs catering for the taste of any visitor out for a fun evening. Whether the day is spent at one of the commercial conferences or just at one of the beautiful beach resorts, the night entertainment goes on up to 3am in the morning for those who still have the energy to party.