Middle East & North Africa
Area Destination Guides

Dubai enjoys a rich heritage, with Dubai history going back to prehistoric times, although the Emirate itself is much more modern. The biggest changes in the history of Dubai have come since the discovery of oil around 50-years-ago.

The term Um al-Dunya, which means "Mother of the World" in Arabic, is often used to describe Egypt. No wonder. Recorded history in this fascinating country dates back more than 5,000 years, but Egypt's story is so much more than pyramids and hieroglyphics. From its run-in with Alexander the Great to occupation by the Roman, Ottoman, and French empires to the construction of the Suez Canal to the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, the region has played an important economic and political role in the world.

Much of what we know about Israel's early history can be traced back to the Hebrew Bible. Israel's origins can be traced back to Abraham who is widely considered to be the father of both Judaism and Islam.

Due to archaeological findings, it is evidenced that humans inhabited Qatar more than 50 000 years ago and have come under the sway of a vast variety of tribes and rulers.