One of seven sheikhdoms forming the United Arab Emirates, Dubai traces its history back 5000 years. Settlements sprang up along what is now called Dubai Creek thanks to the area's ample freshwater supply and its easy access to the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, which made it a pivotal stop in overland and maritime trade routes. Pearl-diving, too, became a thriving industry, as warm, still gulf waters yielded some of the world's finest specimens. However, in the 1920s, the Great Depression and a ..[Read More]