Deira

History

Deira is one of the oldest and most established areas of Dubai. Its origin dates back to the mid-1700s, it developed along the canal called Dubai Creek, this salt-water canal separates Deira from Bur Dubai. The canal enabled the area to develop its importance. It facilitated the sea trade, which is still operational today. With the help of these traditional dhow boats, hundreds of tons of goods are still loaded and unloaded on the canal docks every day. In 1841, a smallpox epidemic broke out in the district of Bur Dubai, forcing residents to relocate east to Deira. In 1896, a fire broke out alongside Dubai Creek, a disastrous occurrence in a town where many family homes were still constructed from barasti – palm fronds. The conflagration consumed half the houses of Bur Dubai, while the district of Deira was said to have been totally destroyed. In the following years, more fires broke out and in 1908 the "great storm" struck the pearling boats of Dubai and the coastal emirates towards the end of the pearling season that year, resulting in the loss of a dozen boats and over 100 men. The disaster was a major setback for Dubai, with many families losing their breadwinners and merchants facing financial ruin. These losses came at a time when the tribes of the interior were also experiencing poverty. In a letter to the Sultan of Muscat in 1911, Sheikh Butti bin Suhail Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai at the time, laments, "Misery and poverty are raging among them, with the result that they are struggling, looting and killing among themselves." Historically it was the most important commercial center of the emirate alongside its twin across the creek, Dubai City (Independent of Deira at the time), It reached its peak during the pearl fishing period before pearls started to…

Most-observed species

• Common Myna

  Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,637
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  4,101
• Laughing Dove

  Spilopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3,982
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,722
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  3,548
• House Crow

  Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817 · Aves
  3,540
• White-eared Bulbul

  Pycnonotus leucotis (Gould, 1836) · Aves
  3,392
• Purple Sunbird

  Cinnyris asiaticus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  2,191

Most recent

• M 4.3 — 2025-11-04
  9 km SW of Dibba Al-Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
• M 4.5 — 2012-10-21
  11 km WSW of Reef Al Fujairah City, United Arab Emirates
• M 4 — 2008-02-12
  15 km NNW of Reef Al Fujairah City, United Arab Emirates
• M 3.8 — 2008-02-02
  2 km WSW of Reef Al Fujairah City, United Arab Emirates
• M 4.7 — 2007-09-13
  15 km SSW of Dibba Al-Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
• M 4.2 — 2007-03-10
  19 km WNW of Reef Al Fujairah City, United Arab Emirates