Large photograph showing a dhow in the harbour of Abu Dhabi; the dhow's sail and mast are down and 6 people are pulling a rope on the front of the boat. The photo was taken from the water and overlooking what would become the second-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. The capital city of the eponymous Emirate is now famous for its impressive skyline made up of huge skyscrapers, but 50 years ago it still looked drastically different. It was a lot less densely populated and the city had not yet reached its literal and figurative height. The formation of the United Arab Emirates can also be seen as the start of Abu Dhabi's major transformation from a small desert settlement into a modern capital city fueled by oil wealth. The first president of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was largely responsible for Abu Dhabi's transformation, as he used oil revenues to modernise infrastructure, education, healthcare, and housing. The present photograph gives a beautiful insight into Abu Dhabi's history and gives a clear view of the state of the city and its harbour before the major transformations that took place in and since the 1970s.
The paper board is slightly curved, the photo itself only shows some minor signs of wear, mainly around the outer edges of the photo. Otherwise in good condition. A beautiful visual record of Abu Dhabi in the 1970s.