Abu Dhabi - The Beginning

I love finding archival material, especially if it is related to the United Arab Emirates. I recently posted Air Outpost which was about Sharjah filmed in 1937. Today I share with you 'Abu Dhabi - The Beginning'.

It covers the history of Abu Dhabi from the pre-oil days till the 1970s. The opening credits says it's a BP Film, so I am guessing it was funded and filmed by them (and probably part of the BP Archive, although I have not had the chance to verify this).

It's quite a charming documentary, looking back at 'Abou Dhabi' before oil was discovered, it's transformation, development and it's leader Sheikh Zayed, who became the president of the United Arab Emirates with Abu Dhabi as its capital in 1971 (he passed away on 2nd November 2004). It's a great reminder how the oil money was invested into the country and its people, providing housing, education and health care.

Whether you want to know more about Abu Dhabi or dive into a bit of nostalgia, hope you enjoy these clips.