That's really cool, thanks for sharing! I got to go to Dubai this summer and got a good feel for the city. While I believe the city of Dubai is very beautiful, it is nevertheless missing a crucial element...nature. Every day is a battle against the elements. The city only exists to serve business people and the local Emiratis who thrive on oil money and the newly established tourism industry. On an environmental level, it is a disaster. Building a city on such an inhospitable area certainly takes a toll on the environment...it is a city that should not exist, barring oil money.
There is a museum in Dubai, where talked about the history of the city. They mentioned trade as pretty important part of the cities pillars if I remember correctly.
Oil money? Maybe a few decades ago.
2% of Dubai's economy is petroleum based and that took decades of diversification.