Dubai[a] is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai.[10] It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million,[6] 92% of whom are expatriates.[11] The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023,[7] while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people. Founded in the early 18th century as a pearling and fishing settlement, Dubai became a regional trade hub in the 20th century after declaring itself a free port (1901) and extending the Creek (1961).[12] Modest oil revenue helped accelerate Dubai's development from the 1960s to the 1990s, when the city started to diversify its economy.[12] In 2018, oil production contributed less than 1% to the emirate's GDP.[13]